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, and 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, and 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

With a 4.7 rating across 279 Google reviews and a freshly minted 2024 Michelin star, this is now a hard reservation. 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, and 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

Frequently Asked Questions

• How far ahead should I book Locanda de Banchieri? Four to six weeks minimum for weekend dinners; the 2024 Michelin star has made this a genuinely hard reservation at €€€. If you are flexible on dates, midweek dinners (Tuesday to Friday) may have more availability, but do not assume walk-in is possible. Staying as a hotel guest is the most reliable path to a confirmed table.
• What should I order at Locanda de Banchieri? Specific dishes are not published in the Pearl database, so we will not invent them. What the Michelin record confirms is that Devoto's menu follows seasonal, farm-sourced ingredients from the Lunigiana , expect vegetables and olive oil from the farm itself, meat from inland producers, and fish from the Ligurian coast. Follow the kitchen's lead on the day you visit rather than arriving with a fixed order in mind.
• Does Locanda de Banchieri handle dietary restrictions? No dietary policy is published. Given the farm-to-table format and the absence of a public-facing booking system in our database, the most reliable approach is to contact the restaurant directly when booking and state your requirements clearly. A kitchen operating at Michelin level is generally equipped to accommodate, but advance notice matters more here than at a larger city restaurant.
• What are alternatives to Locanda de Banchieri in Fosdinovo? Fosdinovo is a small hill town; comparable fine-dining alternatives within the Lunigiana are limited, which makes Locanda de Banchieri the clear answer if your evening is in this area. For similar country-kitchen cooking with regional identity at starred level, 21.9 in Piobesi d'Alba is a useful reference point. If you are considering a broader Ligurian or northern Tuscan trip, Quattro Passi and Uliassi are coastal Italian alternatives at higher price tiers.
• Is the tasting menu worth it at Locanda de Banchieri? Menu format and pricing are not published in detail, but at €€€ with a 2024 Michelin star, the value case is strong relative to Italy's €€€€ starred tier. If the kitchen offers a tasting format, take it , the farm provenance and regional coherence of the cooking are leading experienced as a sequence rather than à la carte. This is not a restaurant where you want to under-order.
• Is Locanda de Banchieri good for a special occasion? Yes, and more convincingly than most starred restaurants at this price level. The combination of a 17th-century farmhouse, panoramic sea views from the veranda, farm-sourced cooking, and guestrooms makes this a setting that does the emotional work a celebration requires. For an anniversary or a significant birthday dinner outside a major city, this is one of the stronger options in northern Tuscany. Book a room if you can , arriving and leaving as a hotel guest transforms the occasion.
• Is lunch or dinner better at Locanda de Banchieri? Dinner, for most visitors. The veranda views at dinner carry different weight than at lunch, and the full evening format suits a special occasion better. That said, weekend lunch (Saturday and Sunday, 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM) is a legitimate option if dinner is unavailable , the cooking and setting do not change, and a long Saturday lunch in the Lunigiana has its own logic. Midweek lunch is not offered, so the choice only arises on weekends.