InCanto
Grand Hotel, Piazza Ognissanti
Florentines love their steak. Ask a few where to go for bistecca alla fioretina and you may find yourself in an endless discussion about which restaurant does the beloved T-bone justice. But although eating steak in Florence seems to be almost a patriotic act, the origin of steak in Tuscany is probably the result of English influence in the 19th century. The Florentines, however, have made the dish their own, and one wonderful and atmospheric restaurant that offers the local favourite
is the elegant InCanto, which has a setting on the Arno River as perfect as chef Fabrizio Innocenti's grilled steak seasoned with the finest olive oil. Main courses cost from HK$200 to HK$520.
La Sosta del Gusto
Castello del Trebbio 50060, Santa Brigida-Pontassieve
As if dining on the terrace of a 12th-century castle amid olive trees and vineyards overlooking the Tuscan hills isn't enough, the Baj-Macario family of Castello del Trebbio (right) make sure their guests eat food as excellent as the setting, and with as much character as their castle, which was once occupied by the Medicis. The aromatic olive oil served with crusty homemade bread is from the olives of the trees on the nearby hillside. The wine from the surrounding vineyards is aged in barrels in the castle cellar. The vegetables are grown in the castle gardens, and even the saffron that perfumes some dishes come from flowers cultivated by the family. The signature game dishes such as wild boar and pheasant (at a bargain HK$150 or so) originate in the castle's forests, which have been watched over for half a century by 80-year-old gamekeeper Mario, who is happy to tell guests all about life on the historic grounds.