Nello

The Verdict on Nello

If you have been to Nello once and eaten well, go back. The Michelin Plate recognition in both 2024 and 2025 signals consistent kitchen discipline, and at the €€ price point, this is one of the clearest value propositions for modern Tuscan cooking in the Chianti corridor. Chef Thomas Makkos runs a menu that rewards repeat visitors: technically ambitious enough to hold attention across multiple meals, rooted enough in local produce to feel honest rather than performative. Book it again before the word fully spreads.

What Nello Is

Nello sits on Via IV Novembre in San Casciano in Val di Pesa, the small Florentine hill town that sits at the leading of the Chianti Classico zone, roughly equidistant from Florence and Siena. The restaurant occupies a historic local address that Michele and pastry chef Chiara, who also manages front of house, have renovated and repositioned. The result is a room that carries the visual weight of its history without feeling preserved in amber: you are eating in a place that has clearly been thought about, not just restored.

The kitchen's identity is modern Tuscan, which at Nello means something specific rather than generic. Dishes are technically demanding without being showy. The ravioli filled with Parmesan cream, made from the milk of Reggiana red cows, with chanterelle mushrooms and onions, is the kind of dish that justifies a second visit on its own terms: the Parmesan sourcing is deliberate (Reggiana red cows produce a milk with higher protein content than standard Parmigiano production), the pairing is grounded in season, and the execution is precise. When a dish at the €€ price tier operates at that level of specificity, it tells you the kitchen is working with intent.

The wine list is concise and geographically focused, centred on nearby Chiantis with some broader Italian representation. For a restaurant in this location, that is the right call. San Casciano sits within the Chianti Classico DOCG zone, and there is no shortage of serious producers within a short drive. If you are exploring the region's wine alongside its food, this list gives you the context to do that without overwhelming the decision. See our full San Casciano in Val di Pesa wineries guide for producers worth pairing with a meal here.

Multi-Visit Strategy

Nello is worth planning across two or three visits if you are spending time in the Chianti area, and the menu's range makes that genuinely practical rather than aspirational. On a first visit, the ravioli is the anchor: order it, and use the rest of the meal to understand the kitchen's register. The menu is described as varied and intriguing, which at this price point suggests breadth without excess — probably a handful of starters, mains, and desserts from Chiara's pastry work.

On a second visit, move toward whatever is seasonal. The chanterelle preparation signals that the kitchen tracks the calendar seriously, which means the menu will shift across spring, summer, and autumn with enough variation to reward returning visitors who know what they ate last time. Ask front of house what has changed since your last visit — Chiara's dual role in pastry and service means the person answering knows the menu from both sides of the pass.

A third visit, if you are based nearby or returning to the region, is the moment to work through the wine list more deliberately. The Chianti Classico focus gives you a structured way into the local appellation: request producer notes if available, and use the meal to map the differences between estates you may have visited during the day. San Casciano's position within the zone makes this a natural pairing, and the list is concise enough that you can progress through it meaningfully without repetition across visits.

For a broader view of what the area offers beyond Nello, see our full San Casciano in Val di Pesa restaurants guide, our hotels guide, and our experiences guide for planning a longer stay.

Ratings and Recognition

Nello holds a Michelin Plate in both 2024 and 2025 , not a star, but a consistent signal of kitchen quality that Michelin defines as good cooking. At the €€ price range, that recognition matters: it puts Nello in a category of restaurants that punch above their price tier. The Google rating of 4.8 across 518 reviews adds further weight; that volume at that score is harder to sustain than a high average on fewer reviews, and it suggests the kitchen delivers reliably rather than occasionally.

Booking and Practical Details

Booking difficulty at Nello is rated easy. Given the Michelin recognition and the Google review volume, that window may tighten as the restaurant gains wider attention, but for now this is not a venue where you need to plan weeks out. That said, San Casciano in Val di Pesa draws visitors during the Chianti harvest season (roughly September through October) and during summer, so if you are visiting in peak periods, a reservation a week or two in advance is sensible. No booking method is specified in available data, so check for a contact or reservation option via local listings or on arrival in town.

The address is Via IV Novembre, 66, 50026 San Casciano in Val di Pesa FI. For context on where to stay nearby, see our San Casciano in Val di Pesa hotels guide, and for pre- or post-dinner options, our bars guide.

Quick reference: Nello, Via IV Novembre 66, San Casciano in Val di Pesa. €€ price range. Michelin Plate 2024 and 2025. Google 4.8 (518 reviews). Booking: easy.

How It Compares