Grilled Cockerel and Florentine Steak Festival

The first food festival of the Bientina summer

The Grilled Cockerel and Florentine Steak Festival officially opens the summer festival season in Bientina, a town in the province of Pisa, Tuscany. The event takes place in the Quattro Strade district, at the Parco Le Sughere of the Circolo Il Risorgimento, on Via del Ghinghero o Romitorio. Now in its second edition, the festival is organized by the Contrada Centro Storico and marks the start of a gastronomic calendar that, year after year, brings the park to life from May to September.

Grilled cuisine takes center stage

The heart of the festival is the grill: the aroma of meat cooked over charcoal drifts through the cork trees, attracting food enthusiasts from all over the area. The two dishes that give the festival its name are the whole grilled cockerel and the Florentine steak, a true symbol of Tuscan tradition, served in the classic cut of about one kilogram. Alongside these, there is no shortage of sausages, veal steak, and a complete menu ranging from appetizers to homemade desserts.

The festival menu

The Circolo's kitchen offers a rich menu at affordable prices, designed for families:

• Appetizers: fried dough (pasta fritta) with cured pork belly or prosciutto
• First courses: meat sauce (ragù), tomato sauce, boscaiola
• Grilled main courses: Florentine steak, whole cockerel, sausages, veal steak
• Side dishes: French fries, salad
• Desserts: Torta della nonna

Drinks include water and house wine. Food stands usually open in the evening, around 7:30 PM, and the venue is covered in case of rain, ensuring the festival continues even in bad weather.

A community celebration

More than just a gastronomic event, the Grilled Cockerel and Florentine Steak Festival is a moment of local conviviality: the Contrada Centro Storico and the volunteers of the Circolo Il Risorgimento transform the park into a meeting place for the inhabitants of Bientina and the neighboring towns of Valdera and Valdarno. It is an opportunity to gather under the shade of the cork trees, share a table, and kick off the summer together.

Summer festivals at Parco Le Sughere

This festival is the first piece of a long series that continues throughout the summer at Parco Le Sughere, with events dedicated to ficattola, salt cod, steak, fish, and other specialties, hosted by the various districts and associations of Bientina until September. Those visiting the area in late spring will find the Grilled Cockerel and Florentine Steak Festival the best way to discover the hospitality and authentic flavors of the Pisan territory.