Pisa, one taste
at a time.

Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, Piazza del Duomo 23

For coffee with a view, this is our suggestion: the first-floor café in the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo. From its covered terrace the Tower is right in front of you. Choose it for a memorable pause, perhaps alongside a museum visit. Check the café’s access arrangements and opening times; do not assume refreshments are included in a museum ticket.

Via Santa Maria 30

For an internationally minded breakfast, walk down your own street. Specialty coffee and bakery are the starting point: choose this stop when you feel like changing your usual espresso-at-the-counter ritual. Look at the day’s selection and take time to choose your coffee.

Via Corsica 8/14 · Piazza Buonamici

An alternative for brunch and international breakfasts, in Palazzo Feroci beside Piazza Buonamici. The entrance is on Via Corsica 8/14. Give yourself time for coffee, sweet and savoury choices and a thoughtfully designed setting; read the current menu before choosing your combination.

Lungarno Pacinotti 1

For an Italian breakfast, our address is by the river: cappuccino, something sweet and the pleasure of beginning close to the Arno. It also makes a natural point to continue towards Ponte di Mezzo. Return later for light lunch, aperitivo or cocktails; the same stop can fit different moments of the day.

Piazza Dante Alighieri 11

For an unpretentious taste of Pisa, we recommend the long-established Da Stelio. In Piazza Dante since 1965, this trattoria tells the city’s story through homestyle cooking: simple, flavourful dishes and a straightforward atmosphere for a lunch without ceremony. Look at the day’s dishes and follow your appetite. The restaurant’s website says it does not accept reservations; check opening days and allow for a possible wait at busy times.

Via Domenico Cavalca

If you want straightforward Pisan cooking, this is the most intimate, unpretentious suggestion in our selection. A small deli and rosticceria, with homestyle dishes and little formality. Look at the preparations available and let the day’s counter guide your choice. Come for a simple, flavourful lunch without ceremony.

Vicolo dei Tidi 24

For a quick plate of pasta, look for this little alley in the centre. The menu lets you choose pasta and sauce: a practical pause between visits without making lunch a major commitment. Check seating if you want to linger, or ask about takeaway.

Via San Frediano 16

A Tuscan table close to the Collegio, for an unhurried lunch and a wine list to explore. Ask for a suggestion that fits your dishes and budget. Follow the restaurant’s booking instructions; its website states that it does not accept email reservations.

Via Cavour 9

For a lunch worth giving more time to, extend your walk to Via Cavour. Tuscany is the thread here, with a selection to explore beyond the most obvious dishes. Ask what best expresses the season and choose a regional wine if you wish. Check opening days and book if you need a particular time.

Piazza Chiara Gambacorti

Its official name is Piazza Chiara Gambacorti, but in Pisa you will hear Piazza della Pera. Cross the Arno for the evening’s first aperitivo: tables, conversation and a square to enjoy slowly. Afterwards, stay south of the river or return towards Vettovaglie to continue the evening.

Piazza delle Vettovaglie

For dinner amid the movement of the centre, choose Vineria di Piazza. Vettovaglie is one of the places where the city gathers for a drink and stays into the evening: begin with aperitivo and then take a table. Choose it for sociability and a lively square; for quiet, consider one of the more intimate alternatives.

Via San Frediano 10/12

An additional choice for a considered dinner, included in the Michelin Guide selection. Regional food meets a contemporary approach: consider it when you want the table to be the focus of your evening. Read the menu and book through the restaurant’s own channels.

Via Renato Fucini 10

For dinner in a small restaurant in the centre, keep Peperosa in mind. The menu includes meat and seafood dishes, from a house starter to share to pasta with intriguing combinations. A place to settle in and try something a little different. Check the current menu and book ahead: dishes depend on season and availability.

Via San Frediano 3

For an unhurried dinner, choose La Sosta, also known as Sosta dei Cavalieri. On Via San Frediano, Lorenzo Barsotti gives Italian and Tuscan traditions a contemporary interpretation. Our suggestion for an evening built around a carefully prepared meal. Browse the current menu and book through the restaurant’s website.

Via Ulisse Dini 14

For a sandwich with a difference, stop at Branzo, where the burger meets the sea. The menu offers salmon, prawn, octopus and tuna versions, combining crisp textures, sauces and unexpected pairings. We like the sound of the Polpo burger, with fried octopus, spicy aubergine and buffalo mozzarella; for another direction, look at the Tonno burger with tuna tartare and burrata. An informal dinner when you want to explore beyond pasta and pizza. Choose from the current menu: the photograph shows one of the restaurant’s creations, and the selection can change.

Via Renato Fucini 13

For unusual and carefully chosen beers, our suggestion is this beershop. Say what you enjoy — more bitterness, dryness or softness — and ask for guidance among the available beers. Make it a detour for curiosity rather than ordering the same label every time. The operator points to its social channels for news and events.

Via del Monte 1

To feel a little Pisan, stop for a quarter of pan pizza or cecina. Il Montino is one of the addresses we suggest for this city ritual: a few simple gestures, assertive flavours and an informal pause in the alleys. Ask for pizza alla pisana and the preparations available that day.

Corso Italia 103

Our other reference for cecina and Pisan pizza is on Corso Italia. Fit it into your shopping walk: a crisp slice, a piece of cecina, then set off again. For pizza alla pisana, ask about the version with tomato, anchovy, capers and Parmesan, checking the variants offered at the counter.

Via Carlo Fedeli 2

If hunger returns in the evening, try a warm, filled sgabeo: crisp outside, soft within, with a filling that appeals to you. This address offers savoury and sweet sgabei and suits an after-dinner stop. Evening service and delivery hours can differ; check the shop’s opening for your chosen night, especially when staying out late.