I'd like to say that careful planning guided me to Ristorante La Reggia Degli Etruschi. Not so. I had a completely different restaurant in mind. However, after climbing Via Saint Francisco from the Hop-on-hop-off bus stop in Fiesole, I had a choice of grabbing the nearest place to eat or checking myself into the local emergency ward. ("One hundred feet" sounds so innocent on a map! Only later, does one translates it to TEN STORIES without stairs.) However, this was most fortunate. I've had good experiences on this trip, but never have I been made to feel less like a customer and more like a welcome guest. From the moment we struggled up the stairs and were greeted by our waiter, Christian, and the owner, Leonardo, we felt completely comfortable. After our heart rates dropped to survival level, we looked out from our table at the beautiful vista outside the restaurant where the hills dropped away to the plains and the city of Florence. The meal was delicious and the service was both attentive and unobtrusive.

My wife and I were on a ten day tour of Italy. Florence was second on our list and the woman at out hotel desk recommended this restaurant in the nearby town of Fiesole. You can get there for a few Euros by bus, which actually kind of a cool 30 minute ride up the hill. You have to walk up quite a hill, but when you get to the establishment, you have a WONDERFUL view of all of Florence. I ordered a Peroni and a fillet of beef. (My brother-in-law said we have to try steak in Italy. He was correct!) We also got a free order of bruchetta. Both of the dishes were spectacular. Super juicy and tender medium steak. I also got a garden salad, which was super fresh and full of happiness. The service was perfect and the guys were very funny. The view was an 11 of 10 if you can get an outside seat. We went at lunch, but I think you need to get a reservation for dinner for sure. One of our favorite meals in Italy!

While walking up a horrendous, but amazing hill, we stumbled upon this gem of a restaurant. It was closed, but the waiter told us to be back at 7pm sharp and he would secure a table for us. Apparently, you need a reservation in advance. I knew I wanted to experience their food as the menu sounded delicious and the view could not be beat. We waited 45 minutes, which were truly enjoyable as we relaxed at a little plaza at the end of the hill. By the time they opened the restaurant we were hungrified and ready to eat. The service was superb. All waiters were kind, amiable and courteous. They all had smiles and while we did not speak Italian and they did not speak Spanish or English, we communicated without problems. The ambiance of the restaurant is elegant and fine, and the views take center stage; it's almost as if you are staring at a great piece of art, only it's real life. The food was great. The steak/filet was perfectly done, the pasta al dente was delicious, and the potatoes flavorful. The best part was the dessert. We had the Panna Cota, Mascarpone Cream and the Pastries with Strawberries. Holy fruits!!! They were expertly created and the presentation was impeccable. Although this restaurant can be somewhat pricey, we didn't care to splurge a bit as it was a great, fine and unique dining experience. 10 stars in my book!

Usually when reviews are this high, I am weary of if the restaurant is deserving of them. This place is more deserving of a 5 star rating than anywhere I've been before. Starting from the walk up the hill to get there, to the good bye handshakes to the staff, this was the best experience I've ever had at a restaurant. The food is incredible, but the staff is what makes everything taste so good. You can tell they are proud of what they do, and want to share that pride with you. If you are in Tuscany, don't miss out

Please don't go to this restaurant! It will be the BEST meal you have in Italy - doesn't matter what city you visit. Nothing can be better than La Reggia. We first accidentally found it on our first trip to Italy 20 years ago. We brought our kids on this trip and was just as memorable. Go for dinner - and watch the sun set over Florence. We were lucky and saw the Full Moon rise over the hills. The food is Tuscan perfection. The waiters are charming! But.. the hill you need to climb is very steep (on the way to the Monastery)... so stay in the village below... and leave this special place to is alone!!

Spectacular! Was recommended from a friend who recently visited Rome and he said we had to go. 25 min from our hotel (Middle of City) but worth the ride, plus the views on the way there are beautiful. The view is amazing in the restaurant and the food was exquisite. The walk there is a bit lengthy but ask your server on the way back to take you down in their restaurant car and they will be happy to do it. Be ready for a 3-4 hour dinner.

This is my first review, and I wouldn't waste it on a restaurant that wasn't worthy. In my four days in Florence and Tuscany, La Regia degli Etruschi was by far the best meal I had. It also beats out my beloved Italian-American restaurants in Los Angeles, New York, and the Boston North End! The service was standoffish but effective--we were attended to and the waiter was knowledgable of the menu (a must for me) but don't expect super friendly hospitality. The house wine was a smooth and full-bodied Chianti that started the meal out right. The bread was the typical Tuscan bread--tastes stale and boring to me, but that could just be my unsophisticated American palate--with an olive oil that stood out as exceptionally fruity and smooth in a city of exceptional olive oils. I started out with the zuchinni flan. had seen "zucchini flan" listed on several menus and was unsure what it was--basically, it was a miniature zucchini frittata. The flan itself was pretty good but nothing exceptional, but the sauce it came in perfectly captured the sweetness of the tomatoes and had me dipping my bread to soak up every last drop. My truffle linguine was superb. The dish was quite simple, with nothing but truffle oil, freshly grated truffles, and a few chives for brightness, but the linguine was perfectly al dente and the simplicity of the dish allowed the flavor of the truffles to shine through. For dessert we had a panna cotta. I'm not much of a panna cotta person--in general, f I'm in Italy, I'm going to be skipping the restauarant dessert for some gelato--but this one was perfectly executed. The panna cotta was perfectly smooth, only vaguely sweet and fragrant with vanilla; the blueberry sauce on tope was exceptionally rich and sweet without any of the acidity that sometimes plagues berry compotes. Oh, and the view was incredible--we could see all of Florence, and enjoyed pointing out the Duomo, etc.

You want a perfect steak in Italy? Go here. La Reggia is the best overall meal we had in Italy over a two-week period. I cry for their roasted potatoes every day since I came home. But the meat was amazing. They don't even mind cooking it to medium rare! (AND: They don't even give you that sideways look.) Three steaks, several sides (all delicious) and two bottles of red wine was about $150. This meal would cost $500 in NYC, $800 in LA and $400 in Atlanta. And the people are so amazing. Gorgeous and warm. We even got a ride back down to the town from the owner in his car. You can't beat that hospitality! By the way, the walk up is worth it. The restaurant sits at the top of the world above the town of Fiesole. Go early and watch the sun set with a bottle of wine on the terrace and then eat your way through the best beef you'll ever taste. We love La Reggia!

Stayed in Florence for 5 days... Ate everywhere... By far the BEST restaurant in all of Florence. The view is beautiful. Food is amazing! Extensive wine selection. Their menus is bomb!

This place is really spectacular. I came here on a Tuesday night at 9:30 and my group of 8 were the last to leave. We enjoyed a vast array of fine dishes and great wine. I celebrated my 19th birthday here so perhaps it is biased as this location is in my opinion perfect for special occasions partly due to the expensive but incredible food and wine but also due to the incredible view fiesole offers over the entirety of Florece. Starting with a modest rose for €30 it was a great start to the night, sadly the name escapes me. However when our main second course came we changed to the brilliant Brunello Di Montalcino. There was a large variation of Brunello di Montalcino wines on offer allowing you to taste amazing local wines at your desired price. The 2008 Brunello was particularly special. We then finished with an 8 year old desert wine which was a really great conclusion to the night as it was an experience I will never forget. Back to the food we started with pate on toast, selection of carpaccio meats and truffles. Our first course varied from gnocchi to tortellini to spaghetti with all types of sauces and truffle toppings to choose from, which was delicious! The main course I must say was divine, the duck breast was very well cooked and the balsamic vinegar was a great addition to the flavor. Finally we finished we a selection of cheeses, chocolate soufflé, tiramisu and of course to top it all off the desert wine. If I could I would come here more often, definitely a go to location for intimate dinners or big group celebrations!

Best meal we had in all of Italy. First, the views were incredible. It's a panoramic view of all the city. Ask for a table on the balcony or with a window view. It was a 2.5 hour meal for us, but at the end of it, we still didn't want it to end. The risotto was amazing, and so was the selection of cheeses. It was absolutely incredible. We had a lovely bottle of wine, the servers were personable and it ended with a lovely shot of limoncello, which left us feeling light at the end of a meal. If you're in Florence, don't miss this night!

This is not to be missed! Incredible food, wine and views! Service was spectacular!!

Small village in Chianti. The restaurant sits right on the center city piazza. Service/Atmosphere very good. Quiet town with cute shops. The meat and cheese plate was to die for. Pastas exceptional.

This was a magnificent experience for my family of five. We loved the serene walk up the hill to the park and the restaurant. The scenery was absolutely stunning. The food was exemplary, the service outstanding and the entire evening was sheer perfection. We chose to get different items, so we could share. That made it a tremendously varied eating opportunity. We had outstanding wine paired with our courses and the espresso and desserts were delicate and satisfying. We all want to return and spend another long and relaxing evening eating and enjoying this special slice of heaven high above the city of Florence. We anxiously await our next visit.

This could be very close to the conceptually ideal Italian restaurant: small, pretty town of real religious and historic significance, view to die for, modest, rustic place, simply wonderful food. If it all makes you want to live a better life, you can walk another 200m up the (very steep) hill, and become a Franciscan. Sformatino (an unrisen soufll) di porcini, crostini alla Toscana as appetisers, all good, the first wonderful. Fillet of beef with grapes and balsamic reduction (rare--this is Tuscany), capriccio of tomatoes, etc., mushroom stew as main courses, all sublime. A very fine Barolo 2010, and at a decent price. Pleasant welcome. English if you need it. The view, over all of Florence and the surrounding vines and hills is one for the record books. There is usually an evening breeze. It is on the road (not steps) to one of the oldest Franciscan monasteries (you can visit at certain hours--even better you can go to Mass). The road is certainly steep. I am 74 with notably bad knees. I can get up, slowly, well enough, but down would be be nearly dangerous for me. If that is your plight, tell them. A pleasant young man will take you down to the piazza in a car. No charge (but you could tip).

Best food and favorite ambiance in our 10 day stay in Italy! Not only is the food fabulous and the view breathtaking, but the servers were all very personable and extremely attentive. The prices are very reasonable--we expected to pay far more given the location. It is a climb to get to it but well worth it! One of our favorite memories of our trip!!

Where do I begin. Not only one of the best tasting foods I've had or the best service I've ever experienced but I can say the best overall experience at a restaurant I've had. From the moment I walked in, I was treated like a king as if the whole place was waiting for me. They go out of their way to make you feel great. And yes, the food was out of this world amazing. I would give them 7 stars if I could.

I went here on my last night in Florence after a week long trip. Fiesole was about a 20 or so minute bus ride from Florence and it has great views of the city. Right by the restaurant there are spectacular views. The foliage partly blocks the views when you're seated in the restaurant but we still got out and got some great pictures. The service here was great! Our group ordered a bunch of antipasti's to share and I had the Carpaccio as my meal. Everything was tasty!

The most memorable meal we had in Italy. The view and the food are simply perfect! Italy at its best.

The best restaurant in this part of the world!!! Great service, atmosphere and the best food!!!