Last updated on August 8th, 2024
Are you looking for a food souvenir or gift from Tuscany that is going to last? Something you can enjoy even years from now that will take you down memory lane?
I am here to help! I have been living in Tuscany since 2012 and whenever I travel abroad, I stuff my bags with food souvenirs and gifts from Tuscany that always hit the spot. All of these can be consumed and enjoyed and appreciated as gifts that can actually be used instead of collecting dust on a shelf.
In this article, I will share my favorite food souvenirs and gifts from Tuscany, where to buy them in Tuscany and how best to use them when you get home.
Whether you are shopping for kids, your mother-in-law, yourself or a significant other, there is something on my list that will fit the bill!
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Brunello from Montalcino
Where To Buy It: At an enoteca (wine shop) or any winery that I recommend in Montalcino Wineries – My Top 5 Montalcino Wine Tours.
Brunello di Montalcino is one of Tuscany’s most famous red wines that cannot be missed. What I love most about Brunello di Montalcino (more than other wines) is that it gets better with age. This is a food souvenir from Tuscany that can actually be enjoyed years down the line.
Tip: Consider a Brunello di Montalcino Riserva for an even more complex and interesting wine to keep for a special evening in the future.
More on Tuscan Wine:
Wine Tasting in Tuscany
Wines to Try in Tuscany
Montepulciano’s In-Town Wineries
My Favorite Enoteche in Montepulciano
Montalcino Vineyards to Visit
Montepulciano Wineries
Avignonesi Winery
Conti Costanti Winery
Ravazzi Cantina
Siro Pacenti Winery
Extra Virgin Olive Oil From Florence
Where To Buy It: Sant’Ambrogio Market in Florence
Extra Virgin Olive Oil is one of Tuscany’s finest food products that is easy to bring home and will last you quite a while (if you use it correctly!). EVOO costs a lot of money abroad but if you buy it here in Tuscany, you will only pay a small price for some of this liquid gold.
I recommend saving extra virgin olive oil only for raw consumption, meaning, drizzling on meats, using in salad dressing or for dipping bread, making bruschetta or fettunta. Don’t waste such a precious item on cooking as the taste will be lost.
More On Olive Oil: To learn more, check out
How To Store Olive Oil – Our Italian Family’s Secrets From Tuscany
Olive Oil Health Benefits – According to Italian Nonne (Grandmothers)
How Italians Cook with Olive Oil
Chianti Classico From Chianti
Where To Buy It: At any winery. I recommend Antinori Winery, which has several wine tasting experiences and a restaurant onsite.
Chianti Classico wine is a great ‘everyday’ wine to bring home as a food gift or souvenir from Tuscany. Unlike Brunello, this wine is much more accessible and ‘drinkable” with everyday dishes, making it something that you can enjoy easily without too much thought about what you are cooking.
Many wineries and wine shops offer deals for buying three bottles of wine at a discounted price. They are happy to pack them up for you in a special wine box for better travel (just let them know beforehand!)
If you can’t make it to the Chianti region, consider tasting wine in Florence. To learn more about Chianti Classico and other regional wines read Wines to Try in Tuscany.
Pecorino Cheese From Pienza
Where To Buy It: Cugusi
Pecorino cheese from Pienza is a sheep’s milk cheese that is aged for a wide variety of time and flavored in different ways, making it easy to find a cheese for everyone. Choose older pecorino, stagionato, that will hold up well to travel without refrigeration while avoiding younger cheeses. Have your pecorino cheese vacuum packed and it’s good to go to most countries (check local customs to be sure).
In Pienza, you can stop into any one of the numerous cheese shops for a wide selection of pecorino cheese. The owners are happy to let you sample and recommend other items that pair well with your cheese selection such as jams, honey and crackers.
At home you can use pecorino cheese in sandwiches, on a cheese board or paired with charcuterie and other cured meats or sausages for an Italian evening at home.
Learn More: Read my Complete Guide to Pecorino di Pienza.
Tip: If you want a fun day out in the Tuscan countryside, consider a picnic at Cugusi, one of the best pecorino cheese producers in Southern Tuscany located between Montepulciano and Pienza. This is a great option for families in Montepulciano and allows you to sample a wide variety of local products before choosing what you want to bring home.
Cantucci From Prato
Where To Buy Them: Biscottificio Antonio Mattei (Via Bettino Ricasoli, 20/22, 59100 Prato)
Sometimes called cantuccini, cantucci are small, twice baked almond cookies that hold up well to travel and last months after purchase, making them one of the best food souvenirs to bring home from Florence or elsewhere in Tuscany.
For a nice food gift, consider pairing them with Vin Santo, a sweet dessert wine that is meant to be enjoyed with these cookies.
Cookie Lovers: If you love cookies as much as I do and happen to be in Venice, they are also one of the 10 Best Food Souvenirs From Venice, Italy + Where I Buy Them.
Ricciarelli From Siena
Where To Buy Them: Panificio Il Magnifico (Via Pellegrini 27, 53100, Siena)
Ricciarelli are a gluten-free almond cookie from Siena that last for months, just like cantuccini, making them perfect to bring back as food souvenirs. I always describe them as similar in taste and texture to marzipan, soft on the inside with a very distinct almond flavor.
Panforte from Siena
Where To Buy Them: Nannini (Via Banchi di Sopra, 24, 53100 Siena)
Panforte is a chewy dense dessert cake made of dried fruits, nuts and honey with several variations including chocolate. Typically made for Christmas, this dessert is now easy to find year round at bakeries in Siena and Florence.
You can either buy it by the weight in slices or as a small, round cake, which is what I suggest if you will be traveling with it.
Hand Carved Olive Oil Wood
Where To Buy It: Markets throughout Tuscany or any mesticheria (small hardware/home shop)
Hard carved olive oil wood is one of the most practical food souvenirs or gifts that I not only enjoy using but also giving. People I know usually don’t have hand carved olive oil wooden objects such as a pepper mill, spoon, rolling pin, pasta roller or carving board.
This is also a versatile souvenir that you can choose depending on how much space you have or your budget. Looking to only spend a few bucks? A beautiful wooden spoon or pasta measurer is best. If, on the other hand, you are looking for a beautiful handmade birthday present, a hard carved wooden cutting board is a unique gift that is hard to buy abroad.
Candy from San Miniato
Where To Buy Them: Grocery stores or alimentari
Fallani candy company is a Tuscany company founded in 1926 producing several different kinds of local candies including organic, herbal and diabetic candies as well as traditional hard candies.
All the candies are still made in the original ways and cooked over a “direct fire” in small batches. You can buy these candies everywhere, including small grocery stores but If you happen to be in San Miniato, you are not far from their headquarters and factory.
To learn more about all candy in Italy, check out The Most Popular Italian Candy – Five “Made in Italy” Brands That We Eat and Love!
Truffle Goods From Maremma
Where To Buy Them: Markets, grocery stores or small alimentari (grocers)
Truffles grow extremely well in Tuscany, especially in the fall, no matter where you are. In Maremma, in Southwestern Tuscany, it’s easy to find truffle souvenirs in various forms such as sauces, spreads, salts, pasta, butters and even in risotto mixes.
Look for truffle souvenirs at small alimentari or family run, independent food shops. If you don’t see one of these, you can also find a good selection of truffle goods at supermarkets.
Anchovies From The Coast
Where To Buy Them: Grocery stores, open air markets or small food shops
Anchovies packed in olive oil are one of my favorite food souvenirs to bring home from Italy because of their versatility. Adding one or two to any recipe really bumps up the flavor profile and you won’t even know they are there.
You can add them to chicken recipes, salads and on pizza. I think the jarred anchovies from Italy are much more flavorful than other varieties I find back in the USA. They are also inexpensive and last a long time.
To read more about where to find anchovies and other food souvenirs at various open air markets, read 5 Food Markets In Florence, Italy – A Local’s Favorite Things To Eat And Buy and Top Markets In Tuscany – A Local’s Guide To Tuscany’s Food, Clothing and Antique Markets.
Dried Porcini Mushrooms From Lucca
Where To Buy Them: Antica Bottega di Prospero Via Santa Lucia, 13
Dried porcini mushrooms or porcini secchi are by far one of the best food souvenirs from Tuscany if you already have a heavy or full bag. They weigh next to nothing and take up very little space, making them easy to fit into even the heaviest bags.
Use them in any number of recipes including soups, stews, pasta, and risotto to add a ton of flavor and earthiness. They also cost very little compared to prices abroad. Look for them at open air markets or at small grocers.
Sun Dried Tomatoes From Viareggio
Where To Buy Them: Monday – Friday 7:00 am – 2:00 pm in Viale Marconi and in Piazza Nieri e Paolini
Sun dried tomatoes,called pomodorini secchi, are not dissimilar to porcini secchi in that they weigh very little, pack a ton of flavor and don’t cost very much. Stock up on these little bites of heaven and use them in salads, sandwiches or with cocktails as an aperitivo.
Chocolate From Arezzo
Where To Buy It : Vestri (Via Romana, 161 B/C, 52100 Arezzo)
Vestri is the best known chocolate shop in Tuscany originally from Arezzo producing a wide selection of artisan chocolates, truffles, panettone, pandoro, hot chocolate, chocolate spreads and gelato (it’s one of my top picks for gelato in Florence).
No matter what you choose or your chocolate preference, you can be sure they make it! If I’m buying a chocolate souvenir or gift from Italy, Vestri is where I am getting it. You can order it online or visit their shop in Arezzo. If you can’t go, there is also a small shop in Florence.
For more on Italian chocolate read The Most Popular Italian Chocolate – (Our Favorite Brands & Products).
Saffron From San Gimignano
Where To Buy It: Pizzicheria Mauro & Marina (Via S. Matteo, 31, 53037 San Gimignano)
Saffron, known as zafferano, is famously cultivated in San Gimignano, about an hour outside Florence. You can pick up small packets or jars of this year’s harvest at any small shop in San Gimignano (and throughout Tuscany) to bring home as a luxury food souvenir or gift. It’s not cheap but it does support the local economy and is easy to pack in your back.
Look for it at small shops or open air markets. Avoid supermarkets as they will most likely stock mainstream brand saffron produced elsewhere.
Vin Santo From Montepulciano
Where To Buy It: Avignonesi in Montepulciano (or other enotecas in Montepulciano)
Vin Santo is a sweet dessert wine made from the pomace of grapes (leftover skins and seeds from the winemaking process) that is usually paired with cookies such as cantuccini. Vin Santo is my top pick for people with a sweet tooth or or want a food item that will last. Vin Santo can only be enjoyed in small amounts (it will give you a massive headache the next day), so this is a souvenir from Tuscany you know will last!
If you want to recreate your Tuscan evenings back home, make some cookies with my easy to follow recipe for Authentic Cantuccini Recipe (Italian Biscotti) and serve with Vin Santo for dipping.
BONUS: Marvis Toothpaste from Italian Pharmacy
Where To Buy Them: Most pharmacies and some grocery stores
I am adding Marvis toothpaste as a bonus food souvenir to bring back from Tuscany despite the fact that it’s not a food item. I wouldn’t want any of you to get cavities from all the goodies you are bringing back with you so throw in a tube or two of this nice toothpaste!
Nowadays you can find Marvis abroad but in Tuscany, it still costs only a fraction of the price. Look for them at most pharmacies and some larger grocery stores. You can choose larger tubes or sample fun flavors in smaller tubes.
Check out all of my gift and souvenir guides
Food Souvenirs from Supermarkets in Italy
Italian Food Gifts to Bring Back From Italy
Handpicked Gifts for Italian Food Lovers
Handpicked Italian Cooking Gifts
Italian Cookbooks to Gift
Food Souvenirs from Italy
Food Souvenirs & Gifts from Tuscany
Food Souvenirs & Gifts from Florence
Where to Buy Specialty Food Items in Florence
Food Souvenirs from Venice
Food Souvenirs from the Cinque Terre
Best Italian Olive Oils to Bring Home
