Alcide Restaurant Tuscan Tradition in Poggibonsi
The Ancillotti Family: Restaurateurs Since Before Garibaldi Unified Italy
Just think about it… three years before Giuseppe Verdi composed La Traviata, and eleven before Giuseppe Garibaldi set out to unify Italy with the Expedition of the Thousand, the Ancillotti family had already opened this restaurant.
It was 1849. Today we are the oldest restaurant in the province of Siena to have been run continuously by the same family, quite possibly the oldest in the whole of Tuscany, and one of the oldest in Italy.
From the Via Cassia to a Place in Gastronomic History
It began as a small wayside inn along the Via Cassia, at the time the key communication route through the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, right in the historic centre of Poggibonsi, a strategic crossroads between Siena and Florence.
Since then, five generations of the Ancillotti family have safeguarded and passed on the flavours of authentic Tuscan cuisine, from both land and sea, uniting tradition and innovation. Some of our recipes are over a hundred years old!
The name "Alcide" is a tribute to the founder, whose vision transformed a simple trattoria into a landmark of Tuscan gastronomy. His philosophy was simple: local ingredients from the Val d'Elsa, preparations that respect tradition, and the warm hospitality typical of our land.
A Visionary Choice: The Sea, Inland
About a hundred years ago, the restaurant became renowned for its seafood specialities, the Cacciucco above all, a pioneering choice for a restaurant so far from the Tuscan coast.
Fresh fish arrived every day, within just a few hours thanks to the very first delivery vans, from the Tyrrhenian ports of Livorno and Viareggio, personally selected to guarantee the highest quality.
At the Heart of Tuscany, for Almost Two Centuries
Today, the tradition continues with the same dedication and the same genuine spirit.
Located just minutes from San Gimignano, on the doorstep of the Chianti, halfway between Siena and Florence (and less than an hour from Pisa, Volterra and Montalcino), Ristorante Alcide is the most authentic address in the area.
It tells an extraordinary family story, of historic flavours; it tells the story of the Tuscan land and a passion that is renewed every day for you, here in Poggibonsi.
"We cook with heart, we serve with love. This has been our promise for over 175 years."
Ancillotti Family, Poggibonsi
Leaf Through Our History
Five generations, one story. Browse the pages telling the tale of the Ancillotti family and Ristorante Alcide since 1849.
Click the edge of a page, or swipe, to turn it
Tuscan Tradition & Culinary Innovation
Ingredients from the Territory
Fresh fish from the Tyrrhenian ports of Livorno and Viareggio, local zero-km produce from the Val d'Elsa, Tuscan DOP extra virgin olive oil.
Recipes of Tradition
Traditional Tuscan techniques passed down through generations, respecting the local culinary culture.
Tuscan Hospitality
Every guest is part of our family. Tuscan hospitality in its most authentic meaning.
Book Your Table in Poggibonsi
Let yourself be won over by the flavours of the sea and Tuscan tradition at Ristorante Alcide. We look forward to welcoming you.
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