Planning a trip to Siena? Love Tuscan cuisine? Get ready to indulge in authentic Sienese dishes—from handmade pasta to legendary sweets and world-class wines.
This article first appeared in Siena's SIMPOSIO, a slow travel cookbook series about Italy - made in Italy!
Siena’s Culinary Identity: History on a Plate
Siena is a city of history, tradition, and flavor. Famous for its Palio horse race, delicious sweets, and medieval aesthetic.
But there’s more, much more. Behind the big show, behind the brownish brick walls, behind the fancy patisseries.
There’s the folly of poets, waters, husbands, economics, friars, painters, and the seventeen Contrade of Siena. But that’s another story…
Eating in Siena is a fantastic experience made of ancestral recipes from the countryside farms, the noble palaces, and Nonnas’ kitchens!
Siena’s Must-Try Dishes
If you’re wondering what to eat in Siena, here’s your essential food list:
- Panforte, Ricciarelli & Cavallucci – Historic Sienese sweets
- Pici pasta – Handmade, rustic Tuscan spaghetti
- Cinta Senese pork – A unique, flavorful Tuscan delicacy
- Pappa al Pomodoro – A rich tomato and bread soup
- Wild boar stew & Chianina beef – Classic meat dishes
- Cantucci & Vin Santo – The perfect Tuscan meal finale
Your Italian Grand Tour Begins Here
Explore Italy through the pages of Simposio.
(Clicking takes you to the full cookbook collection.)
Siena’s Famous Antipasti: A Taste of Tradition
As Antipasti, you’ll be offered a cured meat and cheese board. Hams and salami are usually made with Cinta Senese: a pork breed unique to this land. “Cinta” means belt, referring to the white band the animals have around their upper body. They have the DOP denomination, Protected Designation of Origin, which means they are bred in a specific geographical zone – surrounding Siena – and the meat is worked according to tradition. Look for Prosciutto Crudo, Finocchiona, a salami seasoned with wild fennel, or Buristo: a big salami flavored with pine nuts and raisins. And if you have the guts, top a crusty slice of toasted bread with pure and fatty lard.
The cheese you’ll always find on an aperitivo or antipasto plate is Pecorino, mostly from Pienza, a small town near Siena.
Bread is always unsalted, they call it “sciocco”, silly, but it is wisely paired to Tuscan cuisine’s intense flavors.
In sum:
- Cinta Senese Prosciutto & Finocchiona – Tuscan ham and fennel salami
- Buristo – A bold salami with pine nuts and raisins
- Pecorino di Pienza – A must-try sheep’s milk cheese
- Tuscan Bread (“Sciocco”) – Unsalted but perfect for bold flavors
Pasta & Main Courses: Hearty & Delicious
Pici, as in everywhere in Tuscany, is the pasta monarch. The rough and thick strings are usually accompanied by beef, pork (Cinta Senese), or game meat ragus, vegetables, or pancetta.
When in season, Pappa al Pomodoro, a bread and tomato soup, is an unmissable, simple and delicious, dish.
Pasta Specialties in Siena
- Pici Pasta – Thick, hand-rolled spaghetti served with:
- Wild boar ragu
- Cinta Senese pork sauce
- Aglione (garlic & tomato sauce)
- Pappa al Pomodoro – A rustic tomato and bread soup, perfect in summer
Siena’s Meat & Side Dishes
The second course in Siena is mostly meaty: boar, steaks, birds, or snails – cooked in tomato and wine.
Side dishes, unmissable, are seasonal veggies – overcooked like always in Italian cuisine -, or beans.
- Wild Boar Stew (Cinghiale in Umido) – A Tuscan classic
- Chianina Beef Steak – The prized local meat, often grilled
- Sienese Snails – Cooked in wine and tomato sauce
- Seasonal Vegetables & Beans – Always slow-cooked and flavorful
Siena’s Best Wines: What to Drink
Surrounded by the Chianti, Val d’Orcia, and Valdichiana regions, Siena is a wine lover’s paradise.
- Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG – Classic red from Siena’s hills
- Vino Nobile di Montepulciano – A refined Tuscan wine
- Brunello di Montalcino – One of Italy’s most prestigious wines
The Sweet Finale: Desserts & After-Dinner Treats
Siena is famous for its sweets! No Sienese meal is complete without:
- Panforte – A rich, spiced fruit and nut cake
- Ricciarelli and Cavallucci– Soft, almond-based cookies
- Cantucci & Vin Santo – Almond biscotti dipped in a sweet, late-harvest wine
The Pinolata cake and the Budinone are less known but unmissable to any respectful foodie.
Experience Siena’s Flavors at Home
Want to recreate these dishes? Discover authentic Sienese recipes in Siena’s Simposio, part of my Slow Travel Cookbook Series.
Plan Your Siena Food Adventure!
Siena is a foodie paradise, blending medieval charm, Tuscan flavors, and deep-rooted traditions. Whether you’re traveling to explore your Italian heritage or simply seeking the best local cuisine, these dishes are a must-try!
Claudia