The Best Meal Of Rick Steves' Life Was An Italian Spread

In 2015, Rick Steves stayed at an Italian agriturismo — a working farm that doubles as travel accommodation — in the countryside of Tuscany. The B&B was owned by the Gori family, who had been at the estate since the 1400s. 10 years later, the travel guide who has enjoyed amazing meals in much of the world said that the dinner he had there was the best meal of his entire life.

What made the meal so special to him was more than the food. The dishes were simple, but they were a part of what the Italians call a "zero kilometer meal." Everything from the meat to the limoncello was raised, grown, or produced on the farm. The food, like the family, was deeply rooted in place. This was an experience you could only have right then and there, with those people.  

"There were three generations at the table and six generations in the paintings around us," Steves told Travel and Leisure. "The food was simple, rustic, but it was all a good marriage. The meat and the cheese fit the wine, and it was just delightful." Steves felt what it was like to be a part of the family experience, with everyone coming together to share one long meal. "The conviviality, the community, the discussion, the togetherness," he said — that's what made it. 

Sadly, as of 2025, the Gori family don't appear to own the Tuscan villa anymore. It was renovated into a more modern retreat called Borgo Belsedere, and while the villa still has its centuries-old bones, it was the people that made Rick Steve's meal there so memorable. Still, that doesn't mean there aren't other ways to experience a meal like the one Rick Steves experienced in 2015. There are other agriturismos where you can find rustic lodging in the countryside of Italy. However, to find one where you sit and eat with the family may take a little digging to find, as many places are geared towards providing you with privacy.

I've been lucky enough to have some similar experiences to Steves, so hopefully my advice can help you find a meal you'll remember for decades. When I traveled to Colombia, I stayed on a coffee farm outside of Bogota called La Palma y El Tucán. There I experienced a sense of place; much of the produce for the meals was grown on site and I got to stay amongst the bushes growing my morning coffee. I didn't eat at a table with the owners, but the family running the lodge ate dinner in the dining room with us. For those kinds of meals I had to meet people as I traveled. 

In some parts of the world, like the Indian Himalayas or in Muslim dominant regions, there is a culture of inviting people over for tea and snacks. I have eaten with people all over the world and shared tea and food just by saying yes to invitations from people I barely knew. But, there are farmstead restaurant experiences and cultural homestays all around the world for the curious travelers who prefer to veer on the cautious side.