By Beatrice Botticelli
Sauro and Madalina welcome customers just like for a dinner at a friend’s house, with cuisine full of authentic flavours and a wood-fired pizza that has become a ‘trademark’.
There are places that, over time, become much more than just somewhere to eat: they become a habit, a meeting place, almost a domestic extension of the village. This is the case with “La Tana del Coniglio” in Bottegone (via Giovanni da Verrazzano 1), in the province of Pistoia. The restaurant and pizzeria, run by Sauro Gargiani and his wife Madalina Badita, opened in 2008, over the years has managed to keep a specific concept of hospitality intact: remaining people’s in the truest sense of the word, without ever compromising on quality.
Open from Tuesday to Sunday for dinner only (booking recommended), La Tana del Coniglio has a history that stretches back a long way, to what was once the neighbourhood club’s old pizzeria. A place already familiar to the community, transformed by Sauro into a restaurant, whilst maintaining a strong connection with the local area and its people. “The initial aim was to create an affordable place, capable of becoming a steady fixture for those who live in the neighborhood” explains Gargiani, “without compromising on care and attention to detail”.
A balance that is reflected as much in the cuisine as in the atmosphere of the dining room, where the welcome remains informal yet never neglected. The cuisine focuses on substance, on a simplicity rooted in rural tradition. “We like gourmet cuisine” says Gargiani, “but our idea has always been to offer honest, well-made dishes. Our language remains that of simplicity.” The setting also follows this philosophy: informal and welcoming. The idea is to make guests feel as though they are dining at a friend’s house. Whilst the cuisine is rooted in tradition, it is always open to exploring new ideas. Alongside meat dishes, ranging from game (roe deer, fallow deer and wild boar) to ‘peposo’ with ‘polenta’, there are more contemporary dishes and a wide range of seafood options, which have become one of the restaurant’s specialities: from classics – fish ‘all’isolana’, mixed grills, fried fish – to first courses created with bold ingredients, such as fresh tuna, Pantelleria capers and sun-dried tomatoes.
The menu follows the seasons, but every week there are off-menu specials that allow the kitchen to express its creative freedom. Authenticity is also the guiding principle when it comes to desserts: most are homemade, whilst for some dishes the restaurant relies on local patisseries. The wood-fired pizza deserves a chapter of its own, because here a deliberate and unconventional choice was made. “At a time when many were chasing the trend for ‘verace’ pizza, we decided not to change course and to stick with a thin, crispy pizza”, explains Sauro Gargiani. It was a choice that paid off, as La Tana del Coniglio’s pizza has become a real ‘trademark’ over the years. A thin base, a tomato sauce with a balanced flavour, and the right mixture of ingredients make it well worth the experience.
Try a simple Marinara to see for yourself. The classic dough is complemented by wholemeal and activated charcoal pizza variants, whilst the toppings range from classic flavours to combinations crafted with care in the selection of ingredients. The pizza chef is a key figure, held in high regard by the staff.
The restaurant’s relationship with wine stems directly from Sauro Gargiani’s personal history; before opening the restaurant, he worked in wine sales, a passion he has never abandoned and which is now reflected in a wine list featuring around forty labels. Ample space is devoted to the Carmignano region, alongside the main Italian appellations and a few French wines. A selection that reflects not only expertise but also curiosity: “I still enjoy seeking out lesser-known wines and offering them to customers”, explains Gargiani.
The restaurant currently has a team of ten people: two chefs, a pizza chef and a front-of-house team, with Madalina playing a key role in welcoming guests. Over the years, the premises have expanded: thanks to the Covid period, the outdoor garden was also acquired, adding eighty seats to the one hundred and twenty indoors and transforming summer evenings into a particularly lively experience. And then there are the regular events, such as the Oktoberfest-themed evenings with Bavarian dishes and draught beer, or those dedicated to wine tasting.
But the restaurant’s real asset remains its relationship with its regulars. In the suburbs, that bond is built in a different way: customers become familiar faces, then acquaintances, and often friends. Some even have their own personalised pizza, with their name saved in the order pad, ready to be ordered. A small detail, but one that speaks volumes about the kind of relationship cultivated here every evening. And perhaps it is precisely this continuity, built on authenticity and consistency, that has transformed the place over the years into something very much like a shared home.
Info: La Tana del Coniglio, Via Giovanni da Verrazzano, 1 – Bottegone (Pistoia) / Tel. 0573 946142
