Antica Osteria di Nandone

Should You Book Antica Osteria di Nandone?

If you're weighing a meal at a polished Florence trattoria against making the drive north to Scarperia, Antica Osteria di Nandone is the stronger argument for leaving the city. This is not a destination restaurant built on tasting menus and theatre; it is a working Tuscan osteria that has held a place on the Opinionated About Dining Casual Europe list for three consecutive years (2023, 2024, 2025), landing at #100 in 2025. That kind of consistent recognition in a category judged on direct execution rather than innovation tells you something precise: the kitchen delivers, reliably, at the level that serious food travellers return for.

The Kitchen and What It Does Well

Chef Paolo Mugnai runs a tightly focused Tuscan programme, the OAD ranking in the casual category signals that this is cooking evaluated against the leading regional trattorias in Europe; not against fine-dining peers. What earns repeated placement on that list is technical consistency in a tradition that punishes shortcuts: braised meats, handmade pasta, the kind of stock-based sauces that take days to build. Tuscan cuisine at this level is unforgiving precisely because it is stripped of distraction. There are no elaborate garnishes to compensate for weak technique.

For a special occasion dinner in Tuscany that does not require tasting-menu formality, this is one of the most credible options in the Mugello area. The experience sits in the register of a Sunday lunch at a serious Italian family table, not casual in the sense of low effort, but casual in the sense that the cooking is the point, not the performance around it.

Practical Details

Antica Osteria di Nandone is located at Via del Giogo 3, Scarperia e San Piero, in the Mugello valley north of Florence, a direct drive through Apennine foothills, a natural stop if you are visiting the Mugello circuit or exploring the area around Borgo San Lorenzo. The restaurant is closed Monday and Tuesday. Lunch runs 12–2pm Wednesday through Sunday; dinner service runs 7–9pm Wednesday through Saturday, with no dinner on Sunday. If you are arriving from Florence for a weekend lunch, note that Sunday is your only option for a midday meal without competing against a weekday schedule, it is the only day without an evening service, so plan accordingly.

No price range, website, or phone number is listed in the available data. The most reliable booking approach is to contact the restaurant directly. Booking ahead is advisable, particularly for Friday and Saturday dinner and Sunday lunch.

Quick reference: Wed–Sun lunch 12–2pm; Wed–Sat dinner 7–9pm; closed Mon–Tue; book ahead for weekends.

Who Should Make the Trip

This works for a date or a small celebration where you want substance over spectacle, specifically, if the occasion calls for genuinely accomplished regional Italian cooking rather than a prix-fixe tasting format. It is not the right choice if you need a Florence city-centre address, if your group requires a venue with a confirmed English-language website and easy online booking, or if you are looking for a creative or modern Italian menu. For traditional Tuscan technique executed at a level that registers on European best-of lists, Scarperia is worth the detour.

Explore more options with our full Scarperia restaurants guide, or browse Scarperia hotels, bars, wineries, and experiences to plan the wider trip.