Antica Macelleria Cecchini

Antica Macelleria Cecchini is the celebrated butcher shop and dining operation of Dario Cecchini, an eighth-generation Tuscan butcher who has become one of Italy's best-known culinary figures, reaching a global audience through Netflix's Chef's Table. Based in the small Chianti village of Panzano in Chianti, the business combines the working butcher counter with a cluster of dining rooms where Cecchini's philosophy of respecting the whole animal is put into practice. The cooking centres on beef in all its forms, headlined by the bistecca alla fiorentina, but the experience extends across set-menu meals served at communal tables in a convivial, almost theatrical atmosphere where Cecchini is known to recite Dante and pour Chianti for guests. The shop itself sells the famous bistecca, the herb-laced Profumo del Chianti salt, lardo and other preparations, while the eating venues range from the more informal lunch spot serving burgers and meat plates to the set-price beef feasts that are the signature experience. Signature dishes include the bistecca, the multi-course Cecchini meat menus and scottiglia, a traditional Tuscan meat stew. The mood is festive and communal rather than refined, with shared tables, generous portions and free-flowing house wine; this is celebratory eating rather than quiet fine dining. Prices are moderate for the quality and abundance of meat, and the set meals offer good value given how much food is served. The restaurants require reservations and are popular with travellers touring the Chianti wine country, so booking ahead is essential, while the shop is open daily for those wanting to buy provisions or eat more casually. Antica Macelleria Cecchini is a destination in its own right, drawing visitors to Panzano specifically for a meal that is as much performance and philosophy as it is exceptional Tuscan meat cookery, and it pairs naturally with a day spent exploring the surrounding Chianti Classico vineyards.