Italy’s food is a gateway to the soul of the nation: its passion, palate, and generosity. Tuscany is a destination for lovers of art, cuisine, and wine; because of this it is often highly populated with throngs of tourists. Begging the question, where to dine for the more adventurous traveler craving authenticity? It is for these travelers that I recommend Il Barco Reale. Perched into a gently sloping hill in the central piazza in Carmignano the restaurant steps out of a dreamscape and offers Italian locals and travelers alike authentic, elegant, and beautiful food. For the travelers who allow themselves the joy of exploring the hills and the regions of Chianti and neighboring Parmigiano, they’ll find the journey visually and gastronomically exquisite. Carmignano thrives on sharing its regional wine and food and Il Barco Reale provides an ideal venue in which to sample these.

The restaurant doors open on the Piazza Vittorio Emmanuelle, and the smells emanating from the kitchen alert even the most casual passerby to the trattoria. Named after a Medici estate, Il Barco Reale is owned and operated by a Florentine family, the Ragueis. The restaurant celebrates the traditional food of Tuscany with meals that are influenced by centuries of tradition. The pleasure the Ragueis take in preparing meals, and their desire to share their knowledge of this food is palpable. Should you be lucky enough to find yourself as the last guest of the evening you may have the pleasure of sharing a glass of Carmignano wine with them while they give you a social history lesson on each of your courses.

Valerio Raguei greets guests at the door with a warm handshake welcoming you into his home, the trattoria. With his wife Francesca in the kitchen one feels as if they have opened the door onto their own Italian family. Valerio brings over a plate of crostini, cured meats, and cheese to the table and as the meal begins the hospitality has me feeling as though they’d been expecting me to arrive. The prosciutto crudo on the antipasti plate is prepared and sliced in the open air of the bar as our server explains that it originates from a local farm. This thinly sliced, salty, decadent meat pairs perfectly with the bread. As is tradition in Tuscany, the bread is ’senza sal’, without salt, purposefully balanced to taste with the
salty meats and cheeses prized in this region.

You will not find fusion food here, or dishes that perhaps could double as a stylish hat. At Il Barco Reale it is the unmistakably high quality ingredients, and integrity of the pairings that reveal its excellence. Italy’s food has been exported and appropriated so many ways and so many times across the globe that a restaurant such as this has the affect of a revitalizing ocean breeze.

The primi piatti offers homemade pastas, soups, and risotto. My truffle risotto was perfectly cooked, rich, and buoyant in my mouth. It wasn’t heavy and creamy but light and smooth, and I found myself savoring the flavor of this dish like I was sipping good wine. Good wine is not hard to come by in this region. The restaurant features wines from Carmignano. The wine that was recommended to us from the neighboring vineyard was of the quality, if not superior, to any Chianti Classico. Its robust taste was smooth, though not over-powering and would pair well with thin crust pizza or a juicy Tuscan steak. The region’s wine will come as a pleasant surprise for those Tuscan foodies myopically devoted to Chianti.

The secondi piatti, second plate, offers options of poultry, fish, and meat. For this piatti I must disclose that dining in Italy is the primary reason I have not committed to vegetarianism. The Tuscan steak was juicy, flavorful and each bite had me more convinced of the benefits of a carnivorous lifestyle choice. The array of contorni, side dishes, could sustain me for a
lifetime: fagioli, white Tuscan beans in olive oil, sautéed spinach, and roasted eggplant are all winning selections. Here is where simple ingredients - vegetables, garlic, oil, and salt - give way to great tastes.

The dolci part of the evening does not disappoint. Made by Francesca’s hands, refusing one of these cakes or fruit tarts would be a mistake. If a proper dessert is too much for you then opt for the biscotti cookies dipped in Vin Santo, a sweet wine and specialty of the region. These biscotti di Prato are small, sweet, dry cookies vaguely resembling their American appropriations. The cookies are intentionally dry as they are meant to be dipped and savored in the Vin Santo.

The restaurant has been open since 2005 and boasts high vaulted ceilings, exposed lintel and beam construction, stone walls, a front dining patio and a private function room in a cool coved area that was once the wine cellar. It is warm, classic, and stylish. The majority of those who dined alongside us were Italian, and as quality of food is a national and regional pastime this detail cannot be overlooked. Yes, high quality food can be found many places in Italy, but the combination of location, convivial atmosphere, the integrity of the food, and the joy of those serving it is unmatched in any restaurant I have encountered. For those that love the intersection of food, travel, and people they will find no better home than this Tuscan gem located 20km outside Florence. Il Barco Reale provides the type of fare, service, and ambiance that spawns dreams of Italian culinary delight.

Il Barco Reale
Piazza Vittorio Emmanuelle
28-59015 Carmignano Italia
Tel: 055 871 1559

- Written by Meghan Shea (shea.meghan@gmail.com)

Meghan Shea is a writer, artist, and film maker. She received her bachelor’s and MFA degree from The George Washington University. Her travels have brought her many times to Italy and have afforded her extraordinary dinners with wonderful people. She has lived in Italy, New York, Washington D.C. and currently resides in Boston.