Agriturismo La Colombaia

The food was excellent all the way from starters to dessert, and the house wine was good too. I'll definitely come back. We went for dinner on a Saturday. It has a really welcoming, rustic feel, with an outdoor space, a few kids' games, and a couple of hammocks. The staff were friendly and helpful, and even though they were busy, they still took time to chat with us.

We had a very relaxing meal in a beautiful setting, and all 12 of us were happy with it, which is saying something. For €30 each, we got mixed cured meats and crostini to start, two excellent first courses, a main of assorted grilled Cinta Senese meats, plus unlimited water and wine and bread. The first courses included ravioli filled with mixed vegetables and tasty fusilli with bardiccio (sausage), onion, and other ingredients. Dessert and coffee weren't part of the price, but the homemade desserts were very good.

Dessert was good, and I'd been here several times before and always enjoyed it. But after this dinner for 11, I hope I can change my mind again one day. We had agreed on mixed starters, three first courses, and meat, and the bill came to €37 per person. The starters amounted to less than one crostini each, which was okay, but not everyone got all the first courses. For the mains there were two plates of tagliata, with only 10 small pieces of meat by my count, and pork steaks that were undercooked and mostly fat. The salad was good, while the potatoes didn't seem fresh.

It's a very nice place, but the food and service, while decent overall, have some clear weak points. The portions are small, which I really can't stand at an agriturismo. The tagliata with lard cream sounded interesting, but the meat was tasty and sinewy. The house wine was strangely acidic and served warm, so I'd avoid it. Service was friendly, though slow and a bit thin on staff. Maybe they could use a little more space.