Last updated on April 4th, 2026
If this is your first trip to Italy, Siena is one of the best places to get introduced to traditional Tuscan food. The local cooking is hearty and deeply rooted in la cucina povera, or the poor man’s style of cooking.
Since moving to Italy in 2012, I’ve visited Siena countless times and luckily for me, I’ve had the opportunity to sample numerous times these top foods from the city. While pici, ribollita, pappa al pomodoro are foods you will find outside of Siena, foods such as ricciarelli and pan co’ santi are among the foods most closely tied to Siena and its territory.
Below are my carefully chosen top foods to try in Siena for first-time travelers to Italy. I’ve also included suggested restaurants for each dish, giving preference to those on my list of Best Restaurants in Siena (for a Day Trip Lunch).
And if you are looking for a sweet snack between meals, don’t miss the Best Gelato in Siena.Â
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Crostini neri
Before your pasta arrives, order crostini neri. This is one of the classic Sienese antipasti, traditionally made with liver pate served on toasted Tuscan bread.
Where To Try It: Osteria Il Grattacielo, which serves them on their grande piatto.
Ribollita
Every first-time traveler in Siena should try at least one Tuscan bread soup, and ribollita is my favorite. The soup, made with white beans, bread and winter vegetables, is typically vegan, making it a great dish for travelers with special diets in Italy.
Where to try it: Antica Trattoria Papei
Cinghiale
For many travelers, Siena is the first place they try cinghiale, or wild boar. It is one of those flavors that makes Tuscan food feel immediately more rustic and more tied to the surrounding countryside.
Where To Try It: Try it in umido, or slow stewed in sauce at Antica Trattoria Papei as a secondo.
Pappa al pomodoro
If ribollita feels a little too wintery, try pappa al pomodoro instead which is made year-round with canned tomatoes in the winter and fresh in the summer. Made from stale bread, ripe tomatoes, garlic, basil and olive oil, pappa al pomodoro is simple and exactly the kind of dish that helps first-time travelers understand how central bread is to Tuscan cooking.
Where To Try It: Antica Trattoria Papei
Traveling through Tuscany? Check out best restaurants in Florence – Siena – Montalcino – Montepulciano – Cetona – San Casciano dei Bagni – Southern Tuscany. And before you dine, read about Traditional Tuscan Food.
Cinta Senese
If there is one meat that really belongs on a Siena food list, it’s Cinta Senese. It’s in this area of Tuscany that this local is bread. You can also order it as a cured meat, as I did at Il Grattacielo in Siena (pictured above).
Where To Try It: Osteria le Logge
Pici
If you try just one pasta in Siena, make it pici. These thick, hand-rolled strands are one of the city’s signature first courses. Pici are a handmade pasta similar to spaghetti but much thicker, typically served with aglione sauce, duck sauce or wild boar ragù.
Where To Try It: La Taverna del Capitano, in the giraffe neighborhood or contrada.
Lingua
For those of you ready to go a little deeper into traditional Tuscan cooking,lingua or tongue, is for you. Beef tongue may sound intimidating at first, but when cooked properly it is tender, delicate and much milder than most people expect, especially served with salsa verde.
Where To Try It: Enoteca I Terzi.
Pigeon
Another food worth trying in Siena is pigeon. This is not an everyday dish for most travelers, but it’s quite good and a nice change to your classic poultry dish.
Where To Try It: Taverna del Capitano
Ricciarelli
No first trip to Siena is complete without ricciarelli, a soft, oval shaped almond cookie that happens to be gluten-free. They also pack up well and last a long time, making them ideal to bring back as a food souvenir or gift.
Where To Try It: Nannini, one of the classic names in Siena for coffee, sweets and edible souvenirs.
Panforte
If ricciarelli are the soft side of Siena’s pastry tradition, panforte is the dense, spiced side. Panforte is a traditional Sienese sweet made with honey, nuts, spices and candied fruit, with roots going back to the medieval times. It may be called panpepato.
Where To Try It: Nannini
Cantucci with Vin Santo
To finish a meal like you are really in Tuscany, order cantucci with Vin Santo. Cantuccini are twice baked almond cookies that are often enjoyed dipped in Vin Santo at the end of a meal, one of the most classic dessert pairings in the region.
Where To Try It: Enoteca I Terzi makes their own cantuccini and with several vin santi to choose from.
Pan co’ Santi
If you are visiting Siena in autumn, do not miss pan co’ santi, a Sienese bread made around All Saints’ Day, typically in October and November, filled with raisins, walnuts, spices and black pepper. It is one of the most specific and memorable seasonal foods in all of Siena.
Where To Try It:Il Magnifico. I would use a bakery here rather than a restaurant because pan co’ santi is really something to buy by the loaf. You can also try it at Nannini by the slice with a cup of coffee.
Final Thoughts
If you want the best first-time Siena food experience, start with crostini neri, then order pici, ribollita or pappa al pomodoro at Antica Trattoria Papei or Taverna del Capitano. For something more adventurous, try lingua or pigeon. Save Cinta Senese for a splurge at Osteria le Logge, then finish with desserts from Nannini.
Siena Travelers, Don’t Miss:
3 Siena Restaurants for a Quick but Delicious Meal
My Favorite Siena Restaurants for Lunch on a Day Trip
Where to Eat in and Around the Piazza del Campo
Best Gelato in Siena: My Top 3
12 Foods To Try in Siena for First-Time Travelers to Italy
Eating in Italy Basics: If you are curious to know more about navigating dining in Italy, you may be interested in
How To Order Food In Italian
Tipping In Italy – When & How Much From A Local
What Is A Coperto? All About Italy’s Cover Charge
A Visitor’s Guide To Eating In Italy
How To Order Food In Italian
Italian Meal Structure
