The story
Nestled on the shores of Lake Chiusi, Pesce d’Oro is a quiet trattoria that celebrates the traditions of freshwater fish cookery. Sentieri Golosi called it “a wonderful discovery,” highlighting exceptional local preparations like *brustico* and *tegamaccio* in a calm lakeside setting. The restaurant’s welcoming, historic interior makes it feel like a local’s secret, with a 4.5-star rating reflecting its steadfast commitment to the lake’s bounty.
The menu leans into Chiusi’s aquatic heritage: *gnocchi con gamberi di lago* and *pici con ragù di pesce di lago e pane grattugiato croccante* showcase the kitchen’s deft touch, while sides like *fagiolina del lago* keep things rooted in place. Even the sweets nod to the region, with a *sfogliatina di mele, mandorle e cannella* and a chocolate-pistachio torta offering a gentle finish. For a serene, hyperlocal meal on the water, Pesce d’Oro delivers exactly what it promises.
Synthesised by AI from every creator’s review. First reviewed 2025.
Most-loved dishes
AI summary of what 7 dish mentions say about the food
Reviewers at Pesce d’Oro rave about the Brustico, a dish that embodies the restaurant’s warm, coastal charm. The overall vibe is one of rustic, sun-drenched satisfaction, perfect for seafood lovers.
“This is an ancient dish dating back to the Etruscan era. They toast the lake fish on an open flame of cane without scaling or cleaning it, then clean it after charring. The fish is very tasty, the skin gives an extra particular flavor, and you feel this burnt, smoky note that makes it really interesting. The meat is very tender, and the oil underneath is quite good. With lemon it's even better — it cools it down and refreshes it. A simple but very good dish.”
What creators say
1 creator has covered Pesce d'Oro. Most active: Sentieri Golosi
A wonderful discovery for traditional freshwater fish dishes, with exceptional and unique preparations like brustico and tegamaccio, in a calm lakeside setting.
Dishes mentioned
Brustico
This is an ancient dish dating back to the Etruscan era. They toast the lake fish on an open flame of cane without scaling or cleaning it, then clean it after charring. The fish is very tasty, the skin gives an extra particular flavor, and you feel this burnt, smoky note that makes it really interesting. The meat is very tender, and the oil underneath is quite good. With lemon it's even better — it cools it down and refreshes it. A simple but very good dish.
Gnocchi con Gamberi di Lago
These gnocchi have a strong fishy scent that I really like. The consistency of the gnocchi is perfect — cooked just right and made just right. The sauce is very tasty, and the prawn inside has a meaty consistency, almost like halfway between a scampi and a lobster. It's very fragrant, doesn't even taste like freshwater stuff, almost like sea stuff. Really rich in flavor, good, meaty, with a nice chewiness, sweet. A delicious first course.
Pici con Ragù di Pesce di Lago e Pane Grattugiato Croccante
You can see they are handmade — even to the eye they look irregular. The pici have a wonderful consistency, very pleasant to chew with its callosity. The ragù is very good, tomatoey but very tasty, with little pieces of fish here and there. The crunchy bread crumbs on top add texture. Pici is one of my favorite pastas and this is very good. A top dish, I like it a lot.
Tegamaccio
This is a stew of lake fish cooked for many hours in a terracotta pan. There are pike, largemouth, eel and tench, with a slice of garlic-rubbed bread underneath and its tomato sauce. You have to be careful because there are bones inside. The big fish is very tender — I thought overcooking would make it stringy but it's very tender, very tasty, doesn't have that fishy flavor, more like meat. The sauce is very good, very rich, well flavored. The garlic bread underneath is the best part — it takes in all the flavors of the fish. A very interesting dish.
Fagiolina del Lago
This is a very ancient variety of legume, seasoned with Minuta oil from Chiusi, a particular cultivar that only grows here. It looks a bit like black-eyed peas, with a slightly earthy flavor but a little less. The cooking is perfect, and the oil is really excellent. The beans have a slightly creamy consistency, very pleasant to eat. The flavor is very particular, very different. It's like meat, nutritious, good.
