May 2011 Archives

One of the most characteristic places in Florence, Cantina Barbagianni is well known for its creative cuisine but also for its traditional Tuscan dishes. You can enjoy a delicious meal in the beautiful entrance room or in one of the two ancient cellars that offer an unforgettable atmosphere of Florence of the past.

The restaurants separate areas of the ground floor and basement give Cantina Barbagianni the benefit of creating an atmosphere that is ideal for an array of occasions from a first date to a birthday celebration, from a business lunch to a conference dinner.

LOCATION: Via Sant' Egidio 13r, Firenze
TELEPHONE: (39) 055 248 0508
EMAIL: [email protected]

At Alle Murate the definition of excellence means combining meticulous, original culinary scholarship with the custody and value of the artistic and historical legacy of the building that houses us in Florence.

With constant, passionate study of the culture, this cuisine always offers balanced flavors, made from pure ingredients prepared with care: the true quality of Italian cooking is its simplicity. The kitchen of Alle Murate draws inspiration from the most authentic regional Italian traditions, mainly Basilicata, where the chef, Giovanna, was born, and Tuscany, where she grew up.

LOCATION: Via del Proconsolo 16r, Florence
TELEPHONE: (39) 055 240 618
EMAIL: [email protected]

Frommers review:

Under a barrel-vaulted ceiling and dim sconce lights, diners sit elbow-to-elbow at tightly packed tables to sample this innovative restaurant's assaggi (tastings) courses. Acqua al 2 is proud of its almost cultish status, attained through the success of its assaggio di primi, which offers you a sampling of five flavorful pastas or risotti. If you order the assaggio for two, you both just may have room left over for a grilled portobello mushroom "steak," one of the many veal dishes, or something more cross-cultural, like couscous d'agnello (lamb). They also offer assaggi of salads, cheese, and desserts. Tour companies have started bringing in tourists by the busload on occasion, but the crowd still remains a good mix of locals and travelers.

LOCATION: Via della Vigna Vecchia 40r, Firenze
TELEPHONE: (39) 055 28 41 70
EMAIL: [email protected]

Located in Mercato Centrale square in center of Florence, few steps from main train station Santa Maria Novella and Duomo square, the Trattoria Da Garibardi welcomes visitors and locals in a typically Tuscan environment.

From 1989 the care for the kitchen and the choice of materials has always been first place in the scale of values. It's a place where you can "feel at home", where the flavors are of real Tuscan cuisine and where the service is precise and yet friendly and informal. In summer you can dine outside, in an atmosphere reminiscent of the Parisian square, or inside between ancient stone walls, in 3 comfortable halls equipped with air conditioning.

The menu offers all the typical specialties of Tuscan cuisine, including the famous "Fiorentina Steak", the true specialty of the restaurant. Other dishes include: Ribollita, Pappa al pomodoro, Trippa, Bistecca alla Fiorentina, and Crostini.The restaurant also has private rooms and can accommodate groups of 20 to 50 people, for a total of 100 seats.

LOCATION: Piazza del Mercato Centrale 38r, Firenze
TELEPHONE: (39) 055 269 7723
EMAIL: [email protected]

Rossini is located in the building of a beautiful old palazzo(palace) along the Arno river. The atmosphere is warmly formal and elegant, and dressed in black ties, the waiters are charming and pleasant. The food is exceptionally imaginative and delicious, utilizing fresh and seasonal ingredients with a menu that changes from month to month. There is also a set gourmet tasting menu available to experience the chef's full scope of talents. Although not for those on a tight budget, you will get your money's worth experiencing truly one-of-a-kind flavour creations that will leave you feeling not only full, but also inspired.

LOCATION: Lungarno Corsini 4r, Firenze
TELEPHONE: (39) 055 2399224

Il Porcospino, is situated in S.Lorenzo neighborhood, in front of Cappelle Medicee on the ground floor of Benci Palace built in the XVI century. You can find the typical older Florentine atmosphere linked to everything is tradition and history: walls, completely painted, allow to live again the charm of the Brunelleschi's architecture style of Cappelle Medicee; in front of Cappelle, just on the entrance, a romantic garden where you could have an exciting and unforgettable candlelit dinner.

Tastes and scents are those of real tuscany tradition together with ligurian cuisine, the region where the manager comes from. Included are wonderful typical tuscan hors d'ouvres, pasta al pesto, tuscan tomato soup and different kinds of tuscan minestrone; and from Florentine steak and veal shank florentine style to assorted tuscan fried dishes and tripe in florentine style. Ingredients (meat and fish) are fresh and first quality.

LOCATION: Piazza di Madonna degli Aldobrandini 11/12r, Firenze
TELEPHONE: (39) 055 217700
EMAIL: [email protected]

Perseus is guaranteed to please a variety of tastes with an excellent selection of all the quintessential Tuscan appetizers, hearty bean soups, salads, pizzas, wine, home-made desserts and their specialty, marvelous grilled meats. Included in this area is of course the bistecca fiorentina, which you must be prepared to eat 'al sangue', rare, as the integrity of the chef won't permit it to be consumed any other way. Freshly cut vegetables, as opposed to the usual bread basket, are presented at your table upon arrival, providing something to munch on while keeping your appetite strong for the delicacies to follow.

Although this bustling and unpretentious restaurant is all about the food, the energetic staff and traditional surroundings add to the culinary experience. Don't forget to reserve!

LOCATION: Viale Don Giovanni Minzoni 10r, Firenze
TELEPHONE: (39) 055 588226

In the charming area of Ponte Rosso, you can find Pane e Olio, a wonderful and welcoming little restaurant with a maximum capacity of 34 people. Brothers, Francesco and Alessandro from Genova, manage the restaurant with passion. The specialty is fresh fish and selections from the 'a la carte' menu change daily. In the evening you can eat dinner under the stars in the garden accompanied by pleasant music. Wine choices include many from the Liguria region of Italy. Excellent service and high quality products makes the difference at Pane e Olio.

LOCATION: via Faentina 2r, Firenze
TELEPHONE: (39) 055 488 381
EMAIL: [email protected]

At L' Osteria di Giovanni you can always expect great food and friendly service. It's a family affair with english-speaking sisters, Caterina and Chiara, taking charge and providing a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere to their clientele consisting of a mix of well-dressed italians and tourists. Among a consistently delicious menu of new versions of Tuscan favorites, the Tortelli is a pleasure not to be missed.

LOCATION: Via del Moro 18r, Firenze
TELEPHONE: (39) 055 28 48 97
EMAIL: [email protected]

Since 1945 Buca Dell' Orafo has been offering to Florentines and tourists, traditional Tuscan plates in an atmosphere that reproduces the typical environment of an ancient Florentine restaurant. It's also open for lunch but isn't the place for a fast meal. To eat properly requires time and as such the service is relaxed. The wines offered include the best that Tuscany has to offer as well as a few choices from other regions and a nice house wine. The prices are modest, as Giordano explains, "In these years I have also tried to work on the prices".

LOCATION: Via de' Girolami, 28r, Firenze
TELEPHONE: (39) 055 21 36 19
EMAIL: [email protected]

Right near the Duomo, at the very heart of Florence, on Via del Proconsolo shadowed by the Bargello, lies a piece of Tuscany worth discovering. It will seem upon entering Le Mossacce that you are in a Florentine home. You will be greeted by the informal and sincerely open arms of the Fantoni-Mannucci family, which for over 50 years has run this restaurant always preserving the local gastronomic traditions. You will be surrounded by the sweet smells of the local dishes, ribollita or the inzimino; you will be able to choose the very cut of your Florentine beefsteak, and also from the kitchen you will be able to uncover the secrets of Florentine recipes.

On the menu you will always the freshest products cooked with that very simplicity and flavour that has made the Tuscan cuisine famous throughout the world. All, of course, to be accompanied by an optimum Chianti. But, above all else, here you will be able to make new friends. In this restaurant, noted by Florentines as a great
place to dine, you will be able to ask about local happenings in the city and also discover Florence and her true spirit outside the classic tourist routes.

LOCATION: Via del Proconsolo 55r, Firenze
TELEPHONE: (39) 055 294361

Around the tables of il Latini friendships are interwoven, all the world's languages are spoken, fervent discussions are held and everyone tastes food that has the flavour of the old times past. Il Latini means tradition: a means of discovering Tuscany and its people.

The kitchen is where the best products of Tuscany's countryside are turned into the dishes typical of the tuscan tradition. Il Latini's kitchen was originally the kitchen of Narciso's wife, who used to take the dishes from her home to the cellars in Palazzo Rucellai where tables were set. Sora Maria's cooking was made of ingredients and flavours typical of tuscan cuisine, simple and genuine food that nowadays are still a characteristic of the restaurant.

LOCATION: Via dei Palchetti 6r, Firenze
TELEPHONE: (39) 055 21 09 16
EMAIL: [email protected]

Through the years at Trattoria Enzo e Piero, the Marzocchi family has continued to offer ribollita (bread and vegetable soup), pappa al pomodoro (bread and tomato porridge), zuppa di farro (vegetable soup with spelt grains), fresh pasta with cinghiale (wild boar) or mushroom sauce, beefsteak, marrow, trippa alla fiorentina (florentine style tripe), pollo alla cacciatora (chicken stew) and many other signatures of the Tuscan cooking tradition, including fish on Friday, with baccala alla fiorentina (florentine style cod) as the house specialty. The research behind the ingredients and the experience and knowledge make all the recipes an unforgettable culinary experience. The home cooked flavors enriched with the warmth of the owner have always attracted a large clientele composed of both locals and tourists.

LOCATION: Via Faenza, 105r, Firenze
TELEPHONE:(39) 055 214901
EMAIL: [email protected]

Trattoria Mario is an authentic, family run restaurant passed on through the generations of the Colzi family. The menu is based on Tuscan home cooking and family recipes that have changed very little over the years. They use fresh ingredients from the nearby market and the menu changes with the seasons. On Monday and Thursday you'll like find tripe on the menu, and fresh fish on Fridays. Bistecca alla Fiorentina is available every day and is only served rare.

LOCATION: Via Rosina 2r, Firenze
TELEPHONE:(39) 055 218550
EMAIL: [email protected]

When you arrive at Coco Lezzone; you will be received with a smile. The rooms are small and minimal, with white tablecloths and small flowerpots which decorate the tables where everyone sits together. The lights are bright and there isn't any exotic atmosphere, everything feels like the typical 1800's household. You'll then start your journey back in time through the ancient flavors and tastes. You will rediscover the tastes almost lost through history of the Italian grandmother's kitchen's.

Only traditional dishes are served, true and genuine, in which every detail of the cooking process is very accurate and absolutely original in the recipe and choice of the ingredients. On Thursday the dish of the day is tripe, which you can order for a first course as the zuppa di lampredotto, a special spicy vegetable soup, or if you prefer, the Florentine tripe, in tomato sauce and parmesan cheese. On Friday the tradition commands fish, and they serve traditional cod fish in tomato sauce or squid with vegetables, best with garbanzo beans on the side. If you'd like to eat a fantastic, rare, real florentine steak, it's suggested that you call in to reserve it a day before.

LOCATION: Via Parioncino 26r, Firenze
TELEPHONE:(39) 055 287 178
EMAIL: [email protected]

The charming atmosphere of Ostaria dei Centopoveri (the tavern of the hundred poor people) holds up with excellent dishes of creative variations on traditional Tuscan cuisine. The dishes are rich and varied, using fresh, top quality ingredients. Choose from fresh seafood, pizzas, excellent pasta and a range of flavorful daily specials. They have more than 350 labels of top quality wine from every region which are preserved in their private cellar.

LOCATION: Via Palazzuolo 31r, Firenze
TELEPHONE:(39) 055 21 88 46
EMAIL: [email protected]

Framed by Via Tornabuoni is Buca Lapi Restaurant. It is comfortable and elegant. Tables are laid out carefully and the service is first rate. Thanks to Luciano Ghinassi, the owner, and his 40 year old passion for cooking, Buca Lapi has become the most famous tuscan trattoria in Italy. Before going there, it is advisable to book a table.

The Buca Lapi is the oldest restaurant in Florence. It was founded in 1880 in the Palazzo Antinori cellars and still shows evidence of more than a century of history, thanks to a very careful restoration. The first room is frescoed and the kitchen is visible.

Meals recall the genuine tastes of the old tuscan cuisine such as toast, hand-made pasta, "ribollita", wild boar with polenta, a pan of tripe, fried food and then, the famous "bistecca alla fiorentina" well-cooked on charcoal-slack and sprinkled with extra virgin olive oil."Chianina" meat served at Buca Lapi is the best in Florence.

LOCATION: Via del Trebbio 1, Firenze
TELEPHONE:(39) 055 284862
EMAIL: [email protected]

You can still find the genuine atmosphere of the ancient Florentine trattorias at the Antico Fattore, whose walls once cradled a meeting place for the creative talents in the arts and literature from 1929 onwards.

The Antico Fattore had always been and still is a school for many lovers of good food. It has won the praises of gastronomists of reknown for its famous sage giblets and its roulades of beef and artichokes, still prepared according to the original recipes, and whose origins, together with Florentine style tripe, date back to before the Uffizi was built.

This place has managed to retain much of the same atmosphere as it had fifty years ago: the daily attraction that comes from the Tuscan cooking of the past, a place where you can go and eat and find a choice of fascinating and wonderfully flavoured food, with the wines chosen by proprietors who really know what they are talking about.

LOCATION: Via Lambertesca 1/3r, Firenze
TELEPHONE:(39) 055 288 975
EMAIL: [email protected]

In 1995 the Trattoria Quattro Leoni was rebuilt and enlarged by the clever architect Saverio Innocenti. The Trattoria reopened increasing its Tuscan spirit with its wooden-beam ceilings, stone walls, brick red arches and cotto pavements. The rooms are furnished after the Tuscan tradition: a sober and refined style with straw-bottomed chairs, marble square tables, bunches of withered flowers and laurel hanging on the wall. Passera is wonderful: during this season it is possible to eat outside under a white awning and surrounded by scented laurel-pots and handcraft shops that since many centuries are the virtue of this quarter.

Stefano di Puccio is the actual manager of the Quattro Leoni. He is well known in the city not only for his past activity as a player of the Historical Florentine Soccer, but also for his inclination to cooking, his sincere hospitality and he is a very nice guy.

When welcoming you to the table there will be the delicious appetizers: deep in oil, hot cheesy terrine, artichokes hearts with cheese cream, bresaola and truffle oil, zucchini with stracchino and bresaola and many other things. From the kitchen, many first courses, steak grigliata and tagliate come out with the real Tuscan tradition creating a marvelous menu that varies and is enriched day by day.

LOCATION: Via de' Vellutini 1r , Piazza della Passera, Firenze
TELEPHONE:(39) 055 218562
EMAIL: [email protected]

One of Florence's favorite trattorias, Mamma Gina offers an assortment of traditional, mouthwatering soups, appetizers, pasta and grilled specialties, including the unforgettable florentine steak. The excellent service and ambiance contribute to it's fame.

LOCATION: Borgo San Jacopo, 37r, Firenze
TELEPHONE:(39) 055 239 6009
EMAIL: [email protected]

In the heart of the old Florence, steps from the Arno river, the inviting and typically Florentine ambiance of Trattoria Dante offers cuisine that always uses the freshest ingredients and in season products.

The atmosphere of the past, pizza from a wood burning oven, traditional Tuscan recipes and Florentine influences, a stone cellar full of the best Tuscan wines, a daily and seasonal menu, all complimented by an always cordial greeting. Fresh fish and other delicacies from the sea arrive daily from the seaside. The fresco of Dante and Beatrice, painted on the dining room wall, will watch over you as you dine in the warm candlelight.

LOCATION: Piazza Nazario Sauro 12r, Firenze
TELEPHONE:(39) 055 219219
EMAIL: [email protected]

This trattoria, located near Piazza Santo Spirito, is among the most famous and popular trattorias in Florence. The menu varies daily from a selection of freshly prepared traditional Tuscan dishes which are priced economically and served in generous portions.

LOCATION: Via de' Michelozzi 9-red, Firenze
TELEPHONE:(39) 055 21 86 24
EMAIL: [email protected]

Borgo Antico is a popular spot to dine in the heart of the Oltrarno. During the summer, eat outside amongst the enchantment of Piazza Santo Sprito and enjoy large portion sizes of the various menu selections. Between the appetizers, meats, pastas, pizzas, homemade desserts, and a variety of salads, the dishes are prepared with fresh ingredients and served pleasantly.

LOCATION: Piazza di Santo Spirito, 6-red, Firenze
TELEPHONE:(39) 055 21 04 37
EMAIL: [email protected]

In St. Felicita square near Ponte Vecchio you can find Restaurant Bibo. Florence's typical dishes with an open garden and air conditioning. All credit cards are welcome.

LOCATION: Piazza di Santa Felicita, 6, Firenze
TELEPHONE:(39) 055 2398554
EMAIL: [email protected]

This is the Restaurant Cavolo Nero. A Restaurant with all its ardour, its caress, its pampering and the attention in the dishes an also in the service. A romantic and very well kept Restaurant with beautiful table and dinner by just candlelight. The family you can feel really: Anastasia and Antonio for the service and Achille is the Chef.

The elements that join the three brothers to their guests are: the eno-gastronomic passion and the informal service just for feel at home. Elaborate dishes, with home-made bread, pasta and dessert; they use just high quality local ingredients, high level meat and fish, and the menu change like the season for offer just fresh product. A rich and organize wine cellar, kept in every details with big Italian and French wine, without forgetting the little local wine producer and good wine by the glass. From May to September a very beautiful garden with a jasmine roof.

LOCATION: Via D'Ardiglione, 22-red, Firenze
TELEPHONE:(39) 055 294744
EMAIL: [email protected]

The cuisine at Antico Ristoro is made up of typical and traditional tuscan recipes. You can enjoy excellent cold cuts and cheese appetizers, accompanied by delicious oil soaked snacks. First courses include: ribollita (thick onion soup), potatoes with tomato sauce, tagliatelle with a creamy boar sauce, and penne with pumpkin. The menu is arranged on a daily basis, but you can always find tripe and lampredotto. Main course dishes include friend brain, chicken and fried vegetables, and the exceptional florentine beefsteak. Highlights of dessert are tiramisu, chocolate cake and a traditional oven honey with hot cream.

LOCATION: Via Sant'Onofrio, 1-red, Firenze
TELEPHONE:(39) 055 21 71 34
EMAIL: [email protected]