Olivaia - VICCHIO

The food is simple but of the highest quality and there are specials every day which adds to the joy of eating here. They even made me eggs and chips when I asked them perfectly cooked in olive oil, of course!

Limit menu choices, but outstanding quality. Even special requests not on the menu are taken care of. Highly recommended!

We often eat here mainly for the lovely view from the terrace when it is warm enough to eat outside and for the warm welcome from Dario, the maitre d'. However the menu has never wowed us. Now there is a new chef and the food and presentation is excellent! Now all diners can sample the excellent home produced selection of olive oils, not just those having the tasting menu. The only down side is that Dario is no longer the life and soul of the restaurant with his flair for languages and friendly service having moved on, and the atmosphere is very subdued. The new wine waiter speaks only Italian and as the clientele are mostly foreign it is difficult to choose wine to suit the dish unless you speak Italian. Great food but restaurant needs personality.

The restaurant is something you should not miss! I haven't had the pleasure of meeting the chef, but the food quality, presentation and recipe originality are on a level of a Michelin star cook. The maître Dario is really good at his job, takes the time to explain whatever you need and always finds a perfect wine to match your food. And then another pleasant surprise... the prices are moderate if you take into consideration the overall experience (100 euros for a three course dinner for two, a bottle of medium priced wine and water . The interior is absolutely beautiful with high ceilings of a 800 years old Villa Campestri. The terrace and the view can be only described by a true poet : . Magnificent!

Followed a Italian cooking workshop here which was amusing and useful. The chef, Christian, is a patient guy and explains all the secrets of the Italian kitchen in a relaxed manner and with good humour. That workshop was absolutely the best! However, during the evening we stayed for dinner and the food was not all that good. Some food was simply too greasy and the service was not very friendly or attentive. The location was absolutely fantastic; no traffic noise, very nice views, great swimming pool, nice people and lots more. Because of the poor restaurant performance this is not a 5 star but 4 star experience.