Pisa’s cuisine is as well-loved as the city itself. Its gastronomic diversity between land and sea gives you dishes that will remain with you long after your trip is over. And in our round-up of the best restaurants in Pisa, you’ll find everything from casual pizzerias, to traditional trattorias, to formal restaurants.
No matter where you go, our suggestion is to save space for Pisa’s typical dishes! These include baccalà (codfish), stoccafisso alla pisana (fish stew made with potatoes and tomatoes), trippa alla pisana (Pisa-style tripe), and tagliata al mucco pisano (steak made with the very best local beef). For dessert, don’t miss the beloved local sweets castagnaccio – chestnut flour cake – and torta co’ bischeri, a latticed pie made with dark chocolate, rice, nuts, and candied fruit.
Our picks for the best restaurants in Pisa
Osteria dei Cavalieri
A few steps from the beautiful Piazza dei Cavalieri is the traditional Osteria dei Cavalieri, a place where tradition blends with creativity in every dish, as demonstrated in the gourmet treatment they give to traditional Tuscan food. Among the featured dishes are pesce bianco guazzettato (stewed white fish in a sauce made of with tomatoes and brandy), zuppetta cozze e vongole (mussel and clam soup), and tagliata di manzo con fagioli e pioppini (steak topped with beans and pioppini mushrooms).
Even though the decor is rustic, with stone walls, beamed ceilings, and antique furniture, it has an air of elegance with a charming and cozy atmosphere.
Insider’s tip: Considering the popularity of the restaurant, we recommend booking.
Pizzeria Quarto D’ora Italiano
If you’ve worked up an appetite after visiting the Leaning Tower, Pizzeria Quarto D’ora Italiano (Via Santa Maria, 117) is a great bet. With a perfect location just minutes from Piazza dei Miracoli, this pizzeria is one of the best restaurants in Pisa thanks to excellent quality and authentic taste. Their style of pizzas is the classic, wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas, soft and thick on the edges and thin in the center.
Their customers define it as a cozy place with excellent services. Despite being located in such a touristy area, this place has reasonable prices without compromising quality.
Trattoria da Stelio
Trattoria da Stelio is a small and cozy restaurant, an excellent choice if you are looking for a more genuine and traditional dining experience in Pisa. It has been in operation since 1965 and has won the praise of locals and visitors alike over the years. Their menu is varied and changes every day, but you can be sure that you will always find a great selection of pasta with fresh ingredients, different types of meats as a main course, and seafood dishes.
Branzo
Pisa is a maritime city, so no trip would be complete without visiting a great seafood restaurant! We recommend Branzo, a seafood specialty restaurant defined as the round-the-world tour brought to the chef’s home that is Pisa. We could interpret it as an international restaurant with fresh ingredients from the territory.
At Branzo, the chef plays with his creativity and everything he has learned in his travels around the world. So, you will find an extensive menu with dishes that do not exist in the city, such as grilled octopus tentacles served on a creamy bed of Jerusalem artichoke mash.
Gusto al 129 Pizzeria
Located in the historic San Francesco neighborhood in the center of Pisa, Gusto al 129 is the ideal choice for those who want to taste authentic Italian pizza in a friendly atmosphere and with good service. This pizzeria is characterized by offering quality pizzas made with fresh ingredients and dough with a long fermentation process to obtain an excellent finished product.
Among the different pizzas offered on their menu are great classics such as margherita, marinara, and napoli and other more particular flavors such as sapor’e mar (tomato sauce, burrata cheese, anchovy, lemon zest, parsley), cortigiana (broccoli custard, black cabbage, pecorino cheese, red tomato cherry, chopped hazelnut), and campione veggie (mozzarella, pistachio custard, red tomato cherry, pistachios).
Insider’s tip: Don’t skip their star desserts, sweet pizzas slathered with Nutella and topped with cream or pistachios.
Osteria San Paolo
When we say that the gastronomy of Pisa is unforgettable, Osteria San Paolo is undoubtedly one of the best representations. Each dish prepared in this restaurant surprises diners with delicate and creative flavors. On its menu, we find traditional food of the territory, both sea, and land. Among them, spaghetti allo scoglio (Italian seafood pasta), maccheroncini al sugo bianco (macaroni in white sauce), tagliatelle di castagne al cinghiale (tagliatelle pasta with chestnuts and wild boar), and cinghiale con la polenta (wild boar with polenta).
Its interior, although elegant, evokes a welcoming atmosphere where customers can enjoy good food and feel comfortable.
Trattoria Sant’Omobono
The perfect adjectives for Trattoria Sant’Omobono (Piazza S. Omobono, 6) would be simplicity and authenticity, which are reflected in its relaxed atmosphere and friendly and helpful staff. It is characterized by its homemade dishes, which will make you feel at home. It is the perfect place to try authentic local dishes such as trippa alla pisana (Pisa-style tripe), baccalà (codfish), and others at very affordable prices.
Want to discover Pisa’s iconic monuments and hidden gems on with an art historian guide? Our Pristine Pisa: Day Trip from Florence with City Walls & Piazza dei Miracoli offers just that – complete with skip-the-line access to the cathedral and baptistery!
