Restaurant and Pizzeria in Vallombrosa

The nearby village of Saltino, located approximately 1.5 km away and nestled within an ancient forest of century-old trees, soon became home to luxurious hotels for its time, as well as restaurants and entertainment venues for numerous tourists arriving from nearby Florence, Arezzo, and the Valdarno. They sought refuge from the summer heat, enjoying the refreshing altitude of 1,000 metres above sea level.

A charming cog railway, a novelty for its time, operated until the 1930s, bringing numerous tourists who arrived via the national railway with a stop at Sant’Ellero. Many wealthy Florentine families built villas and holiday homes to spend their holidays and weekends there, often accompanied by servants and children. Despite not being as well-known as famous destinations like Cortina or Canazei, its proximity to both Rome and northern cities soon made the village popular. It was during this period that the ancestors of the current owners of "La Gastronomia" opened a grocery store selling food, fruit, and vegetables near the present location. Later, they also established a modern bakery, offering sliced pizzas and delicious homemade pastries, becoming suppliers for the hotels and the many mountain retreats in the area.

The family was the first to open restaurants and hotels in the village, earning particular praise from food lovers and connoisseurs of traditional Tuscan "peasant" cuisine, made with simple and wholesome ingredients, such as the famous vegetable soup with black cabbage and cannellini beans — the renowned Ribollita.

In June 1995, the current owners added La Gastronomia to the grocery store selling food, fruit, and vegetables, which soon evolved into a Tuscan trattoria offering seasonal specialities. These included game ragù, roasts, wood-fired porchetta, hearty polenta dishes, grilled meats, ossobuco, and peposo, to name just a few. Fresh porcini mushrooms are available in season, along with homemade desserts such as crostate, crème caramel, panna cotta, apple cake, fritters, and cenci, all of which are sure to delight your palate.