Tuesday 10 September 2013

Flo and Elle's Tuscany: Bel Soggiorno Review

Bel Soggiorno is the place to eat in San Gimignano. Nothing beats it for the view alone and the food is great too. Our Tuscan posts have been a little drawn out so apologies for that, but San Gimignano is very romantic in the Autumn as well. The G-D fam have been dining at Bel Soggiorno for about 10 years. 

It is a little tucked away from the main San Gimignano restaurant streets so make sure you know where you're heading. It's worth the wander. We always book so that dessert arrives at about the same time as sun set because the day light view is breathtaking and that way you get to watch the light move across these hills and then fade as you eat. Website here for reservations. 


San Gimignano can be a little touristy but Bel Soggiorno has a truly mixed clientelle of families and couples, both Italian and tourists. Once people have found this spot, they have a tendency to come back again and again. 





Aperol spritzes to start.


 Followed by antipasti of cured meats and salads. If you're going for the full 4 course Truscan affair of antipasti, pasta, meat and pud then bear in mind that portions are huge. 
Then the pasta: Truffle gnocchi and truffle and pepper tortellini
 Finally the meat: a traditional rabbit stew with olives and a bistecca a la manza (T-bone for you yanks)


The T-bone weighs in at about 700g so it's definitely a sharer and deserves some vegetables on the side....



After sun down, we headed to our favourite gelateria  to finish off an already indulgent evening. Just look at these colours. Gelateria Dondi is situated in the San Gimignano main square. It serves everything from champagne ice-cream to an array of herbal and fruit fusions - lavender and black currant was our favourite this time round, and some brilliant fresh and zesty sorbets. The choice is pretty over-whelming so it's always packed out. Kids pressing their faces up to the frosted glass, trying to get a better look at the choc-chip caramel, parents trying to control them and people attempting to battle back out through the crowd, a stacked high cornet balanced precariously above their heads.





Uuuuhhh... too good. 
Flo and Elle blog tuscany san gimignano review san gimignano review Flo and Elle blog tuscany san gimignano review san gimignano review Flo and Elle blog tuscany san gimignano review san gimignano review Flo and Elle blog tuscany san gimignano review san gimignano review Flo and Elle blog tuscany san gimignano review san gimignano review Flo and Elle blog tuscany san gimignano review san gimignano review Flo and Elle blog tuscany san gimignano review san gimignano review Flo and Elle blog tuscany san gimignano review san gimignano review Flo and Elle blog tuscany san gimignano review san gimignano review Flo and Elle blog tuscany san gimignano review san gimignano review