Le Carrozze - RADDA IN CHIANTI

While strolling to our hotel we came upon this family run Trattoria Le Antiche Carrozze located on Piazza di Santa Trinita 50123 in Florence, Italy. This authentic, cozy, Tuscan restaurant has been there since 1875 and they pay attention to detail. The prices were great for traditional Tuscan food. This just may be a repeat restaurant for us. They can handle groups and they take reservations.

We enjoyed our meal in Le Carrozze, a quite nice and peaceful restaurant downtown. The food was good and the wine was excellent. Reasonable price for traditional menu. I think that one cannot be disappointed if looking for authenticity in Tuscany, this restaurant represents very well an Italian gastronomic proposition. I would recommend any entries and the meat mean courses.

I am shocked by some of the reviews I just noticed of this wonderful little gem in the hills near Radda. Obviously written by entitled, demanding tourists who would be better served at a Club Med than a small, father and son vineyard/olive oil producer... it doesn't get more local than these guys. My partner and I have lived in Firenze for several years after living around Europe and the US (yes, we are Americans), and we motorcycle all over Tuscany. Finding Le Carrozze was almost the best thing I've done in those years, the fruit of a wrong turn, but we've been coming back every week or two ever since. Indeed, I have brought dozens of friends to Le Carrozze as well. Why? It is a near-perfect little oasis of just a few tables around a small country house, cypresses and a little lavender, a few olive trees and rose bushes and small green lizards sunning themselves here and there on the stones. On a clear day you can see Fiesole from the steps of the house, 50 km away. You can hear the wind, watch the clouds, and sit sipping delicious wine (which, yes, you have to buy...what a shocker) for hours. Many days I have done just that. The place is usually super quiet, and very romantic, perfect for long talks with someone special without the usual commercial bustle. Ranieri and his father have never been anything but the most polite hosts, treating us like family almost from the first day, even though I maintain a staunch ignorance of Italian, and my partner and I are (let's just admit) clearly not the most traditional people. The menu is very simple, but again, this is not a Michelin 3 Star, it is a family business, and I have never been disappointed with the offerings. The oil and wine they produce is simply delicious, and I've brought home many bottles of both. Don't bother asking for a tasting; just buy some and enjoy it with your friends or partners in the sunshine, maybe strolling around the grounds and taking in the view. There are a few accommodation options on the grounds and in the village down the way, and a beautiful swimming pool as well, perfect for basing yourself here to cycle or hike the countryside. In short, I've traveled much of the world, and chose Tuscany as my home. Within that small sphere, Le Carozze is the place I have visited most frequently. If you find yourself around Radda, pop in and say hi. I cannot imagine how you'd be anything but delighted by what you find.

He literally threw my husband and I out for simply and politely asking if does 'tastings '! He went psycho and insulted and ridiculed us! I had the SAME experience as the other reviewers! He CLEARLY discriminates against North Americans!! That was ABUNDANT! He was nasty miserable! Don 't waste your heart earned money on this ignorant tool bag!

Please *please* do not give this man your business. We visited so many wineries with incredible, kind, knowledgable Italians. Our stop here nearly ruined an amazing day for me. Every other vineyard along this road offered wine tastings (where we purchased/shipped home much of the wine we tried) but, when we asked here to do a tasting, we were met with a laugh and what is a tasting? what makes you think you should be allowed a tasting? At first, we thought he was playfully asking responded that tastings allowed us to see which wines we 'd like to purchase. When he only got more aggressive and rude, we had to turn around and leave. If it was the best wine in the world I wouldn 't have given him business. Save yourself the trouble (whether or not you 're looking for tastings). There are far too many amazing wines businesses near by.