Locanda de Banchieri

Verdict: One of the most convincing arguments for a detour into the Lunigiana

Picture a 17th-century stone farmhouse above the Ligurian coastline, a veranda with sea views stretching toward the horizon, a kitchen drawing from its own vegetable garden and olive grove. That image is the pitch for Locanda de Banchieri; and the reality holds up. Chef Giacomo Devoto earned a Michelin star in 2024 for cooking that is grounded in the Lunigiana's larder but not limited by it. If you are travelling between Tuscany and the Ligurian coast and have one dinner to spend, this is where to spend it.

The Restaurant

Fosdinovo sits in the Lunigiana, the narrow mountain-and-valley corridor that links Tuscany to Liguria; historically overlooked by visitors rushing between Florence and Cinque Terre, which is part of why a Michelin-starred inn here still feels genuinely off the tourist circuit. Devoto, who is from nearby Sarzana and trained through a stint in the Aosta Valley, returned to this region and converted a 17th-century farmhouse into a working agriturismo with guestrooms and a productive farm. The 2024 star recognition reflects a meaningful shift: what was a respected country restaurant is now operating at a level that warrants a specific trip, not just a casual stop.

The cooking is classified as country cuisine, but that undersells what Devoto is doing. The farm supplies vegetables and extra-virgin olive oil; meat is sourced from inland Lunigiana producers; fish comes from the nearby Ligurian coast. The result is a menu with a clear geographical logic, you are eating this particular stretch of northern Tuscany, not a generic Italian fine-dining experience. For a special occasion dinner, that specificity is exactly what justifies the €€€ price tier: you are not paying for abstraction, you are paying for place.

The Setting and Drinks

The panoramic veranda is the centrepiece of the experience, particularly at dinner when the coastal views draw the room's attention outward. For a date or a celebratory meal, the setting does real work, this is not a white-tablecloth room that could be anywhere in Italy. That said, the drinks program here warrants attention as part of the overall picture. A Michelin-recognised kitchen at this price level in a wine-producing region of Italy will typically carry a serious cellar, the Lunigiana sits within reach of both Ligurian DOC wines (Colli di Luni Vermentino is the local white of note) and the broader Tuscan canon. If you are planning a special occasion and the wine list is important to you, confirm the cellar scope and any sommelier support when you book, the database does not carry specifics, but at €€€ with a star, the expectation is justified. For the dedicated cocktail drinker, a remote agriturismo is rarely the right destination; the drinks program here is a complement to the food rather than a standalone reason to visit.

Guests staying overnight get the full picture: morning on the farm, lunch on the veranda on Saturdays and Sundays (12:30 PM to 2:30 PM), and dinner service running Tuesday through Sunday from 7:30 PM. Monday is closed. The dual lunch-and-dinner weekend service makes Locanda de Banchieri a viable option for a Saturday or Sunday lunch stop if dinner bookings are unavailable, though lunch is harder to secure as a non-resident without advance planning.

Booking and Logistics

Book four to six weeks ahead for weekend dinners; for Saturday or Sunday lunch, the same window applies and competition may be higher given the limited weekend lunch slots. There is no published phone or website in the Pearl database, contact the restaurant directly via their listed address at Via Porredo, 32, Fosdinovo, or search current booking channels. Monday closures are firm. The venue is an inn as well as a restaurant, staying overnight is the most reliable way to secure a table while also getting the full farm experience.

Dress code is not published, but at a Michelin-starred country inn in northern Tuscany, smart casual is the right read, no need for formal wear, but this is not a jeans-and-trainers room either.

How It Compares

See the comparison section below for how Locanda de Banchieri sits against Italy's broader fine-dining field. For other country cooking with strong regional identity in Italy, 21.9 in Piobesi d'Alba and Andrea Monesi at Locanda di Orta in Orta San Giulio are worth comparing. For the wider Italian starred scene, Uliassi in Senigallia and Quattro Passi in Marina del Cantone offer a similar coastal-meets-fine-dining proposition at different price points.

Pearl Picks Nearby

• Our full Fosdinovo restaurants guide
• Our full Fosdinovo hotels guide
• Our full Fosdinovo bars guide
• Our full Fosdinovo wineries guide
• Our full Fosdinovo experiences guide