Dining in Florence
Acqua al 2
Via della Vigna Vecchia,40/r
284-170
Closed monday
A institution in florence for lovers of pasta, famous for their Assaggi di primi...a tasting of pasta's. For most it's enough to make a meal, 5 different pasta's served with five different sauces, served in order from the lightest to the heaviest sauce to let you build up to the big flavors. The sauces depend on the imagination of the chef. You must reserve to eat here and they do tend to rush you, but it's a great experience. If you have room, they also have a tasting of salads and desserts plus a full menu.
Antellessi
Via Faenza,9/r
216-990
A great trattoria where you'll feel right at home. English is spoken and great food is served. Traditional tuscan food is served with a new twist. Be sure to try their crostini misti, a mixture of toasts with various topping such as a smoked mozzarella with porcini, olive paste and a tomato
bruschetta. Don't miss the pecorino and pear salad. The beef here is fabulous! If they have the tagliata with gorgonzola, it's incredible, thin slices of rare boneless steak topped off with melted gorgonzola. Save room for dessert, panna cotta, molded cream with hot chocolate sauce, great tiramisu or the chestnut flan.
Antico Trattoria Mario's
Via Rosina,2/r
218-550
Open for lunch only
This is where I could eat everyday. It's my neighborhood trattoria. Mario's son's Romeo and Fabio are passionate about their restaurant.You stand in line to be seated and will share a table with someone. Each day there's a different menu, but some of the specialties are the fresh tomato sauce, ragu, vegetable soup (zuppa di verdura). Wednesday is one of my favorite days, I love the braciole rifatte, a small minute steak, breaded, fried and then cooked in a tomato sauce, so tender you won't need a knife. Friday is fish day, there is always a risotto and grilled-to-order fish. Saturday is Ossobucco, and everyday has beef boiled and grilled.They also do a lombatina alla griglia, a grilled veal chop, so tender you may need to order two! The bistecca alla fioretina here is the biggest, best and cheapest in Florence. It's as it should be a 2lb t-bone steak, grilled rare....don't ask for it well done...they won't The french fries are from fresh potatoes, cut by hand and fried in olive oil. It's possible to order a 1/4 or 1/2 liter of great wine, they'll open the bottles and pour it into a small carafe. It's the next best thing to having an Italian mother.
Baraonda
Via Ghibellina,67/r
234-1171
Closed Sunday and Monday at lunch
One of the few real trattoria's left, elegant yet relaxed, host and owner Duccio makes everyone at home. As tradition would have it, he recites the days menu, and help you order. Traditional Tuscan food at it's best is prepared by his wife, Elena.The menu changes often and includes many specialities that one would only find at home, such as stuffed roasted duck, meatloaf, stracotto, a potroast slow-cooked until it melts in your mouth. Duccio has opened the garden behind his restaurant for the summer to dine outside.
Belle Donne
Via delle Belle Donne,16/r
238-2609
Closed saturday night and all day sunday.
Closed in august
Very hard to find on this tiny street just off of via Tornabuoni, you'll see a tiny door and a rod iron window grate holding cascading plants. Inside is a still life. Small wooden table topped on handpainted ceramics, stools and the menu handwritten on a blackboard in the corner and an arrangement of fruits and vegetables, displaying their salads that starts you salavating. A sort of Florentine bistro, frequented mostly by bankers and shop keepers at
lunch. Start with the avocado and zucchini salad with it's wonderful balsamic dressing and look around you for inspiration for your next course. It will be hard to choose.
Cantinetta Antinori
Piazza Antinori, 3
292.234
Closed sunday
Housed in the family home, the Cantinetta is a showplace for the Antinori's family wines. It's elegant and good. They serve traditional tuscan food including some of their own cheeses from their farms. A real treat.