October in Chianti

[patmolloy]

Will be in Panzano in mid-October. Weather? Any good local event around food? Have an elderly mother...late dinner a no-no. Can you eat dinner around 6 ? Suggestions welcomed.

[Boston Bob]

Two very good restaurants that are nearby are :

Osteria all Piazza - which is really closer to Panzano than Castellina - must get the tagliatelle with either Chinale or wild rabbit ragu

http://www.osteriaallapiazza.com/index_en.php

Ristoro di Lamole - near Vicchiomaggio just drive past til you reach the top - great views of the valley

http://ristorodilamole.it/

Bob

[janetproudfoot]

Hi Pat: I was there last Oct 17-21. Weather lovely. Sunny days were warm, if a breeze, then you needed a light jacket. Rainy days (only a couple) required an extra layer under my light jacket. Panzano is a quiet little town. With your mom, I support the idea of main meal at later lunchtime and lighter food at home in the evening...pick up wine, bread, cheese, etc. during the day and nosh in the evening. Have a great time.

[patmolloy]

Thanks so much, Janet. Any recs for nice lunch places in the area. What was your fav?

[FataMagistra]

It's been a couple of years so others may have more up to date reports and suggestions, but for long leisurely lunches in the heart of Chianti Classico country we had excellent meals, good service and unmatchable ambience at LA CANTINETTA DI RIGNANA (down a long narrow "white road" near Badia a Passignano) and at BADIA A COLTIBUONO (near Gaiole in Chianti; excellent-value tasting menu with wine pairing at lunch).

Further afield we also had some very good lunches at LE LOGGE in Siena (just off the Campo) and IL LECCIO in Sant Angelo in Colle (just outside Montalcino).

I'd be interested in more recent reports from these restaurants!

[elasticwaistband]

Hello FataMagistra,

I can report that friends of ours ate at Cantinetta di Rignana for lunch last summer and said it was one of the best meals that they had during their stay in Italy. They were in Venice, Florence, Montalcino + Rome, and stopped at Cantinetta di Rignana on their way from Florence to Montalcino.

We plan to have lunch there this month so I will report back if we make it.

[patmolloy]

Thanks for the kind replies. I guess a nice lunch is the answer. We are in villa so dinner can be at home. Again, thanks.

[Diva]

Ciao- I live nearby. most restaurants are open from 12:30-3pm and from 7 to around 10pm.
dining early is really hard. are you renting a place to stay or in a hotel?
the wine festivals are all in sept and truffle festivals start in november--- not sure what you will find in october-- festivals are on weekends and usually begin the the late afternoon- ask me again closer to the date and will be glad to let you know. There is a small winebar in the main square of panzano- enoteca baldi-- they may serve food outside of normal hours.

[allende]

If you can eat around 6 in a restaurant in Chianti, you don't want to go to that restaurant.

[lisaonthecape]

Pat,

Allende is absolutely right. Concentrate on somewhere to have a long, leisurely lunch as your main meal for the day, then perhaps a snack at an enoteca in the evening. Dinner at 6 is not happening.

[jen kalb]

assuming you are flying in from the US, jet lag may be your helper here, in that your Mom can get re-established at a different time. It certainly works that way with us and did with our kids.

Of course if you are staying in an apartment, you can also work out your own evening schedule.

Id focus more on finding delicious food and a nice, peaceful place to eat it than on dinnertime.