Honorable Mention:
La Giostra
This one is a runner-up only because I tried it for the first time so late (three nights ago), and while my first experience was wondrous, I can’t officially endorse this restaurant since I’ve only been once. The food was delicious, but a big part of it is the experience. Moments after Zandi, Blair, and I sat down, they poured us each a glass of champagne and had water on the table before we even opened our menus. This very fancy, classy place brought us a plate of free appetizers, including bruschetta, eggplant, and a number of additional delicacies. For my main course, I ordered the highly buzzed-about pear ravioli, which also contains pecorino cheese and nuts. The aura of the restaurant is terrific, and the food is just as good. It’s a bit expensive, sure, but if I was here a few more days, I’d definitely check it out again.
My Top Five Restaurants in Florence (in descending order)
Trattoria da Benvenuto
This place was recommended to me by my parents, who ate here over twenty years ago when they visited Florence. It has a very nice interior, and the tables are rather fancy, even though prices are really very inexpensive. This is one of the only restaurants where I actually order a secondo (second course, usually meat or fish) instead of a primo (first course, usually pasta). I went here first for Lara, and then returned this week with Drew and Nicole. The first time, it was great; the second time, it was absolutely incredible. The veal cutlet is simply delicious, and I’ve heard reports that the pasta with rabbit sauce is also quite good. You wouldn’t necessarily come across this place in the more touristy areas, so if you’re in Florence, head towards the Palazzo Vecchio, turn on Via dei Neri, and make sure to stop at this one.
Amor del Vino
This one was an especially pleasant surprise because it’s located in an entirely touristy area, right outside the Mercato Centrale, where most of the restaurants are overpriced and not so terrific. Amor del Vino, located right across the piazza from the overrated Zaza’s, has not one but two wonderful options for seating, outside in the tent area or inside in the nice little dining room. I’ve tried both areas, and they’re equally great. The food options are hardly expensive, and there’s no cover charge. Regarding foods, I can highly recommend the penne al salmone, tagliatelle ai funghi porcini, and the ravioli rose, though I’m sure everything’s really good.
Acqua al Due
This is the first place that was recommended to me upon arriving in Florence, though it can’t necessarily be called Italian. There’s another restaurant in San Diego, but that doesn’t mean this isn’t fully worth the experience. It’s the only place where I’ve ordered both a primo and a secondo, and both were amazing. This is one of the few places in Italy you can find penne alla vodka (actually maccheroni, but no matter), and Drew is particularly fond of a dish heavy with egg. The two main courses that have catapulted this place to fame are the bistecca al mirtillo (blueberry steak) and the bistecca al balsamico (balsamic steak). Everyone has their own particular preference, but I still love the blueberry. You’ll end up spending a bit of money, but you get a lot of food. If you’d prefer to try a lot of things, they have pasta, steak, and dessert samplers that I’ve heard are legendary. Make a reservation, tourists like this one!
Caffe Italiano
I realize the name isn’t terribly original or specific, but that doesn’t mean anything. Dan cites this as the best pizza in all of Tuscany. The restaurant is pretty small, and you may have to wait a while for a table for two. It’s well worth it, though. There are only three options on the menu – margherita, marinara, and napoletana. The chef there sits down and makes all the pizzas by hand, and then throws them in the oven. Usually, you can watch him make it, and it’s really cool. Most importantly, the pizza is truly spectacular. You can find this one on Via della Condotta, right past Via Della Vigna Vecchia, where Acqua al Due is located.
La Ghiotta
I discovered this one by chance with Blair one night as we were strolling along looking for a nice place to eat. I’ve been back at least ten times, and I’m going there tonight, in fact. In addition to good, friendly service, something unusual in Italy, they have dishes with any kind of pasta and any kind of sauce for a mere €5 or €6. Pizzas are 4 or 5 euro, and they also have great vegetables, according to Blair. There’s no cover charge, and you can even get a quarter liter of wine for €1,50. The low price doesn’t mean anything less in terms of quality of food; it’s still possibly the best penne ai funghi porcini I’ve found. This one’s on Villa Pietra Piana right near the dead-end of Via degli Alfani. You don’t even need a reservation most of the time.
Two more posts left – I’ll definitely have to take a look at my favorite places in Italy.
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