food experiences

RISTORANTE MECENATE

Head here for delicious local, season-driven flavours. Owner

Stefano knows suppliers by name and his wife, Sole, cooks generations-old family recipes. The torta di erbi (shortcrust pastry filled with vegetables, herbs and cheese) is my all-time favourite. ristorantemecenate.it

MERCATO PIAZZA SAN FRANCESCO

There’s a fantastic farmer’s market on Wednesday afternoons in Piazza San Francesco. Producers sell

everything from bread baked with ancient grains to biodynamic wines, extra virgin olive oil and seasonal vegetables.

GELATERIA FUORI DAL CENTRO

Each cone here has a story and unique connection to the region,

be it figs from Palleroso and peaches from Ponte a Moriano in summer, or pumpkin from Borgo a Mozzano and sweet chestnut from Garfagnana in autumn.

fuoridalcentro.com

ITALIAN CUISINE COOKERY ACADEMY

At pro chef Gianluca Pardini’s cookery school, you can learn everything from how to prepare an exquisite Italian dinner to spot-on sushi. You can also go foraging with locals to gather edible wild herbs. italiancuisine.it

ENOTECA VANNI

I always trust Paolo’s suggestions at this marvellous wine shop — I describe what I’d like and it magically appears on the shop counter. The enoteca is close to some Roman ruins where Paolo organises wine tastings.

enotecavanni.it

A born-and-bred Lucchese, Antonella Giusti is the current secretary of Slow Food Toscana.

slowfood.it