Florence Restaurants Nov 2005 Trip Report
Nov 13th, 2005, 03:55 PM
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Florence Restaurants Nov 2005 Trip Report
Florence restaurants November 2005
I received some wonderful restaurant recommendations from Fodorites before I left for Italy and bought a very handy book published in 2003 called The Food Lover's Guide to Florence by Emily Miller. She divides the book into restaurants/ trattorias, pizzerias, light meals, international, wine bars/shops, markets, coffee/pastries/chocolate, gelateria and other regional food information.Lots of the
Fodor picks were in there.
This information served our group of 5 well. We ate a good breakfast and then wandered the city until our collective stomachs were hungry at which point we decided what it was we were hungry for. Then I'd open the book to the gridded map at the back and find our location. If we wanted a light meal I'd
turn to that section and see what was closeby and open for business (hours are included). I'd read the descriptions aloud then we'd make a selection and off we'd go.
We did not call ahead for one reservation the entire time we were in Florence and no one asked us if we had. Of course, November is the off-season.
With the exception of one place which was hyped to the heavens and which somewhat disappointed us(Patrizio Cosi Pastry shop) the group of five was very pleased with all our food adventures.
We had a laughable false start when we stumbled off the plane bleary eyed and jet-lagged. We were two blocks away from Il Latini (for a tourist introduction to Florence ) when a very dignified well-dressed older man with an arm brace/crutch approached us as we checked our map and said, "You don't want to go to Il Latini, it's for tourists - follow me to a wonderful restaurant that locals go to." The group was enthusiastic at the prospect of a "local" restaurant and I went along - really too pooped to care at that point. It was the most pedestrian of Italian diners and of course the little guy was connected to it and knew the owners. He also volunteered his services as a guide, " I have a Mercedes". We never did get back to Il Latini.
These are the restaurants where we ate and I only wish we'd had time to try more. I've included links to websites where available. I particularly wanted to try Tre Merli too because it seemed like a more modern and light Italian cuisine but we ran out of time.
PLEASE CHECK HOURS (PARTICULARLY IN WINTER AND SUMMER)
1) Coquinarius - via dell'Oche 15R (9AM - Midnight) , near the Duomo
We were here for a late lunch after climbing the stairs to the top of the Duomo (including an 82year old member of our group- no joke!) Mixed Crostini, duck carpaccio, substantial salads, homemade gnocchi. Small dining area, excellent service, lovely ambiance.
http://www.florence.ala.it/coquinar/
2) Il Porcospino - Piazza Madonna degli Aldobrandini 11/12 R , across from the Medici Chapel. We went here for dinner because one member of the group knew someone from the restaurant. The dining room is large, nicely decorated and relaxed. It was the most expensive meal of the trip (120
euros for a party of five - I travel with light eaters) and we all ordered differently across the menu a la carte: wine, appetizers, 2 courses, coffee, desert and apperitif. The service and the food were
excellent but we weren't certain if that was because we had a connection there. I haven't seen the place listed in any guidebook. I had ravioli in truffle oil which was delicious, someone else ordered beef cooked in a wine sauce (pscopo? help!) which was very good too.
http://www.il-porcospino.it/uk/dovesiamo.htm#
3) Caffe Italiano - via della Condotta, 56R , (8AM-8PM closed Sundays) near the Uffizi Gallery. We went here for lunch after a long walk through the Uffizi. Go upstairs and there are few tables and a cozy room with a large window that overlooks the narrow street. Mostly locals in there. Everything was very fresh, pastas, paninis, soups, salads and delicious desserts and excellent coffee. Very pleasant service.
http://www.caffeitaliano.it/inglese/...e_italiano.asp
4) Oliandolo, via Ricasoli 38R, (10:30A- 10PM closed Sundays), near the Academy (David Museum)This place was hidden behind some scaffolding from street view the day we were there. You have to know that with the street numbering system in Florence that 38R can be down the block from 38. Number 38 on this street was another cafe called The Academy and we asked around and were directed to Oliandolo. We had a very simple but satisfying lunch here. The place is unpretentious, modestly decorated and service very good. We had minestrone, hot beef and pork platters with mashed potatoes and salads. This place seemed like a good neighborhood restaurant. Nothing fancy but we weren't disappointed.
5) Patrizio Cosi, Borgo Albrizi, 11R (7AM to 8PM closed Sundays), East of the Duomo. Nice retail area. I was traveling with a group who never met a pastry they didn't like. So if it sounds like we've been eating lightly until now - you know why. A few members of the group were a marauding band of pastry grazers and stay out of the way if you see them coming. Patrizio Cosi was recommended by the Miller book as THE pastry shop in Florence and so we saved our calories and made it a major stop one evening. From what we had seen elsewhere in Florence, this pastry shop was fairly typical and the staff not very accomodating or welcoming to us. It was a big disappointment but only because our expectations had been built up so high. Three tiny tables and a bar to stand at for espresso. We had some coffee a couple of bite-sized pastries and went next door to drown our sorrows in chocolate at:
6) Vestri, Borgo Albrizi, 11R (10AM to 7:30PM closed Sundays), I'm afraid we had to try the gourmet chocolate gelato cones and chocolate candy in several flavors here. Small store but nicely outfitted and two mini benches to sit on while you watch the bustling crowds outside the door.
7) Quattro Leoni, via Vellutini 11R ( 11:45A-2:30P and 7:30P-11P Daily), near Pitti Palace. We had a Sunday dinner here and it was terrific. The ambience is so warm and welcoming and the staff outstanding. The menu is very comprehensive and original. I had pasta purses filled with pear, asparagus and taleggio cheese. Scrumptious! Please look at the menu for all the other selections. None of our group was disappointed except that we didn't eat here every night like Anthony Hopkins did for a month (and he had the same thing each night too!). The waiter gave me a card for another restaurant called Il Francesca but we didn't get a chance to go there.
http://www.4leoni.com/menu.asp
8) I 13 Gobbi (13 Hunchbacks), via del Porcellana 9R (7:30P-11PM Tuesday through Sunday) near train station/Ognissanti. We had dinner here one night and it was a big raucous place down an alleylike via. There were several loud groups of diners that night but in a fun way. It may be a little too loud for some people's taste. I figured what the heck, it's Ribollita night! I had the bean/bread/soup/stew concoction that Florence is famous for. I also had some homemade pasta and antipasti. Was good but fairly heavy cuisine which we hadn't encountered to that point. We ordered across the board there. They had a fairly comprehensive menu but I can't find their website.
Sostanza (Sustenance) is a few doors down from here and I've eaten there before. It was excellent and a down to earth but delicious eating experience for dinner. Limited menu as I recall and group eating at long tables but fun.
9) Trattoria ZAZA, Piazza del Mercato Centrale 26/R (11AM to late at night) near the train station and the Duomo. We went here one night with a local. We were assured that the basement would be where the locals go. By that time I was looking for lighter cuisine and ordered a chicken breast with potatoes - it came out drenched in - you guessed it truffle oil! It's that time of year! It was very good but again somewhat heavy. The service was very slow and not very friendly but all in all it was okay and the line way out the door when we left.
http://www.trattoriazaza.com/
I received some wonderful restaurant recommendations from Fodorites before I left for Italy and bought a very handy book published in 2003 called The Food Lover's Guide to Florence by Emily Miller. She divides the book into restaurants/ trattorias, pizzerias, light meals, international, wine bars/shops, markets, coffee/pastries/chocolate, gelateria and other regional food information.Lots of the
Fodor picks were in there.
This information served our group of 5 well. We ate a good breakfast and then wandered the city until our collective stomachs were hungry at which point we decided what it was we were hungry for. Then I'd open the book to the gridded map at the back and find our location. If we wanted a light meal I'd
turn to that section and see what was closeby and open for business (hours are included). I'd read the descriptions aloud then we'd make a selection and off we'd go.
We did not call ahead for one reservation the entire time we were in Florence and no one asked us if we had. Of course, November is the off-season.
With the exception of one place which was hyped to the heavens and which somewhat disappointed us(Patrizio Cosi Pastry shop) the group of five was very pleased with all our food adventures.
We had a laughable false start when we stumbled off the plane bleary eyed and jet-lagged. We were two blocks away from Il Latini (for a tourist introduction to Florence ) when a very dignified well-dressed older man with an arm brace/crutch approached us as we checked our map and said, "You don't want to go to Il Latini, it's for tourists - follow me to a wonderful restaurant that locals go to." The group was enthusiastic at the prospect of a "local" restaurant and I went along - really too pooped to care at that point. It was the most pedestrian of Italian diners and of course the little guy was connected to it and knew the owners. He also volunteered his services as a guide, " I have a Mercedes". We never did get back to Il Latini.
These are the restaurants where we ate and I only wish we'd had time to try more. I've included links to websites where available. I particularly wanted to try Tre Merli too because it seemed like a more modern and light Italian cuisine but we ran out of time.
PLEASE CHECK HOURS (PARTICULARLY IN WINTER AND SUMMER)
1) Coquinarius - via dell'Oche 15R (9AM - Midnight) , near the Duomo
We were here for a late lunch after climbing the stairs to the top of the Duomo (including an 82year old member of our group- no joke!) Mixed Crostini, duck carpaccio, substantial salads, homemade gnocchi. Small dining area, excellent service, lovely ambiance.
http://www.florence.ala.it/coquinar/
2) Il Porcospino - Piazza Madonna degli Aldobrandini 11/12 R , across from the Medici Chapel. We went here for dinner because one member of the group knew someone from the restaurant. The dining room is large, nicely decorated and relaxed. It was the most expensive meal of the trip (120
euros for a party of five - I travel with light eaters) and we all ordered differently across the menu a la carte: wine, appetizers, 2 courses, coffee, desert and apperitif. The service and the food were
excellent but we weren't certain if that was because we had a connection there. I haven't seen the place listed in any guidebook. I had ravioli in truffle oil which was delicious, someone else ordered beef cooked in a wine sauce (pscopo? help!) which was very good too.
http://www.il-porcospino.it/uk/dovesiamo.htm#
3) Caffe Italiano - via della Condotta, 56R , (8AM-8PM closed Sundays) near the Uffizi Gallery. We went here for lunch after a long walk through the Uffizi. Go upstairs and there are few tables and a cozy room with a large window that overlooks the narrow street. Mostly locals in there. Everything was very fresh, pastas, paninis, soups, salads and delicious desserts and excellent coffee. Very pleasant service.
http://www.caffeitaliano.it/inglese/...e_italiano.asp
4) Oliandolo, via Ricasoli 38R, (10:30A- 10PM closed Sundays), near the Academy (David Museum)This place was hidden behind some scaffolding from street view the day we were there. You have to know that with the street numbering system in Florence that 38R can be down the block from 38. Number 38 on this street was another cafe called The Academy and we asked around and were directed to Oliandolo. We had a very simple but satisfying lunch here. The place is unpretentious, modestly decorated and service very good. We had minestrone, hot beef and pork platters with mashed potatoes and salads. This place seemed like a good neighborhood restaurant. Nothing fancy but we weren't disappointed.
5) Patrizio Cosi, Borgo Albrizi, 11R (7AM to 8PM closed Sundays), East of the Duomo. Nice retail area. I was traveling with a group who never met a pastry they didn't like. So if it sounds like we've been eating lightly until now - you know why. A few members of the group were a marauding band of pastry grazers and stay out of the way if you see them coming. Patrizio Cosi was recommended by the Miller book as THE pastry shop in Florence and so we saved our calories and made it a major stop one evening. From what we had seen elsewhere in Florence, this pastry shop was fairly typical and the staff not very accomodating or welcoming to us. It was a big disappointment but only because our expectations had been built up so high. Three tiny tables and a bar to stand at for espresso. We had some coffee a couple of bite-sized pastries and went next door to drown our sorrows in chocolate at:
6) Vestri, Borgo Albrizi, 11R (10AM to 7:30PM closed Sundays), I'm afraid we had to try the gourmet chocolate gelato cones and chocolate candy in several flavors here. Small store but nicely outfitted and two mini benches to sit on while you watch the bustling crowds outside the door.
7) Quattro Leoni, via Vellutini 11R ( 11:45A-2:30P and 7:30P-11P Daily), near Pitti Palace. We had a Sunday dinner here and it was terrific. The ambience is so warm and welcoming and the staff outstanding. The menu is very comprehensive and original. I had pasta purses filled with pear, asparagus and taleggio cheese. Scrumptious! Please look at the menu for all the other selections. None of our group was disappointed except that we didn't eat here every night like Anthony Hopkins did for a month (and he had the same thing each night too!). The waiter gave me a card for another restaurant called Il Francesca but we didn't get a chance to go there.
http://www.4leoni.com/menu.asp
8) I 13 Gobbi (13 Hunchbacks), via del Porcellana 9R (7:30P-11PM Tuesday through Sunday) near train station/Ognissanti. We had dinner here one night and it was a big raucous place down an alleylike via. There were several loud groups of diners that night but in a fun way. It may be a little too loud for some people's taste. I figured what the heck, it's Ribollita night! I had the bean/bread/soup/stew concoction that Florence is famous for. I also had some homemade pasta and antipasti. Was good but fairly heavy cuisine which we hadn't encountered to that point. We ordered across the board there. They had a fairly comprehensive menu but I can't find their website.
Sostanza (Sustenance) is a few doors down from here and I've eaten there before. It was excellent and a down to earth but delicious eating experience for dinner. Limited menu as I recall and group eating at long tables but fun.
9) Trattoria ZAZA, Piazza del Mercato Centrale 26/R (11AM to late at night) near the train station and the Duomo. We went here one night with a local. We were assured that the basement would be where the locals go. By that time I was looking for lighter cuisine and ordered a chicken breast with potatoes - it came out drenched in - you guessed it truffle oil! It's that time of year! It was very good but again somewhat heavy. The service was very slow and not very friendly but all in all it was okay and the line way out the door when we left.
http://www.trattoriazaza.com/
Nov 13th, 2005, 04:47 PM
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I'm very pleased to hear you also enjoyed Il Coquinarius; the lunch I had there in September was one of the highlights of my stay in Florence. Thanks for all the information you provided about the other restaurants.
Nov 13th, 2005, 06:06 PM
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Thanks kakalena, I've copied your recommendations to my Florence file. I'm heading that way in March.
We'll be there for 4 nights, but if you had to choose just one, which one was the real winner?
Thanks!
We'll be there for 4 nights, but if you had to choose just one, which one was the real winner?
Thanks!
Nov 13th, 2005, 07:17 PM
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kopp,
I'd go to Quattro Leoni for dinner, maybe more than once.
I'd go to Coquinarius and Cafe Italiano (upstairs) for lunch maybe more than once.
Then I'd try some other places of your own choosing. The other places were good but not memorable.
I'd also get a very good street map. 4 Leoni is tucked away.
Have fun!
I'd go to Quattro Leoni for dinner, maybe more than once.
I'd go to Coquinarius and Cafe Italiano (upstairs) for lunch maybe more than once.
Then I'd try some other places of your own choosing. The other places were good but not memorable.
I'd also get a very good street map. 4 Leoni is tucked away.
Have fun!
Nov 14th, 2005, 11:16 AM
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We had a wonderful dinner at 4 Leoni in July; the ambience of the trattoria tucked away in a small piazza set the tone for a delicious dinner.
My DH really likes Il Latini, we've eaten there a few times and I think it's great once. This past time we were with friends who had never been and as always, the food was excellent, the service superb but the tourist scene is, well, the tourist scene. Back in 2000 we had a Sunday lunch there and were surrounded by locals but this last visit it was dinner and we were surrounded by English speakers. Again, the food was really good.
My DH really likes Il Latini, we've eaten there a few times and I think it's great once. This past time we were with friends who had never been and as always, the food was excellent, the service superb but the tourist scene is, well, the tourist scene. Back in 2000 we had a Sunday lunch there and were surrounded by locals but this last visit it was dinner and we were surrounded by English speakers. Again, the food was really good.
Nov 15th, 2005, 08:01 AM
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Kakalena, WOW.
What a wonderfully detailed thread. We leave in 10 weeks and I am back into the restaurant research phase yet again. (I had to take a break for a while!)
To my husband, this is the best kind of thread, ha!
Thank you, I have copied and pasted it in it's entirety!
Tiff
What a wonderfully detailed thread. We leave in 10 weeks and I am back into the restaurant research phase yet again. (I had to take a break for a while!)
To my husband, this is the best kind of thread, ha!
Thank you, I have copied and pasted it in it's entirety!
Tiff
Nov 15th, 2005, 09:46 AM
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Glad that the reviews may have been some help.
I'd like to emphasize that the Food Lovers Guide book map (in the back) is good for a ballpark location and for coordination with the restaurants listed in terms of the grid.
But you'll need another map of Florence to find the restaurants in some cases. We used Knopf City Map Guide. It is about 4inches x 6 inches and folds out beautifully into small maps of each neighborhood in Florence. (Centro, Train Station, Lorenzo, Croce, Spirito and San Miniato al Monte). It has some guide info in it too (cost $8.95) and was very, very handy.
Some restaurants are in the environs of Florence and Bus numbers are included.
Have a wonderful time during your visits! K.
I'd like to emphasize that the Food Lovers Guide book map (in the back) is good for a ballpark location and for coordination with the restaurants listed in terms of the grid.
But you'll need another map of Florence to find the restaurants in some cases. We used Knopf City Map Guide. It is about 4inches x 6 inches and folds out beautifully into small maps of each neighborhood in Florence. (Centro, Train Station, Lorenzo, Croce, Spirito and San Miniato al Monte). It has some guide info in it too (cost $8.95) and was very, very handy.
Some restaurants are in the environs of Florence and Bus numbers are included.
Have a wonderful time during your visits! K.
