a little bite of everything

A fish restaurant

If you happen to be looking for a fish restaurant to, say, spend your friend's Integrity Award on, I'd recommend the gorgeous Cenacolo del Pescatore. Interestingly, the Chef's name is Pescatore, which means "fisherman" in Italian. I don't know if the Chef can fish, but boy can he cook fish. These delicate king prawns amuse-gueule set the tone for the dinner, which is bound to be as beautiful as delicious. In other words, harmonious. The menu changes every quarter, so I won't spoil your surprise if I tell you what I had on my 2nd visit there: a marinated salmon carpaccio as a starter, fresh canelloni in fish sauce as "primo", octopus cooked in 3 different ways for main course -and, magically, a cheesecake for dessert. Everything was marvellous: the freshness of the fish, the inventivity and presentation of the dishes, the lighting, the pictures on the wall, the cooks thoroughness, the service, the paper the menu was made of, and above all, the company.  That was a celebration dinner without anything to celebrate except friendship, love for food, and my friend's exceptional slogan-making skills.

Il Cenacolo del Pescatore

Borgo Ognissanti 68r

Florence, Italy

A vodka & tomato sauce

 
Alla Vecchia Bettola is a typical Tuscan place. It’s simple, beautiful, welcoming and warm. You’ll be drawn to the picturesque decor, which consists of rustic heavy-looking wood and marble tables, numerous frames on the walls and exuberant Florentine regulars. This place is unique because it has character. You’ll fall in love with their divine signature “penne alla Bettola” (10 euros) in a distinctive sauce made of vodka, tomato and cream. Be aware that the pasta is cooked “al dente”, which means “not too soft, firm enough” in other words they‘re cooked the way they should be. They serve typical Florentine dishes: the usual bistecca, crostini, etc. and in particular, you have to try the "porcini" mushrooms (cepes), which are incredibly tasty. I have to say that’s my favorite restaurant in Florence even if (or rather, especially because) it is out of the center.  If you have to spend  only one evening in Florence and if you seek to experience the true Florentine atmosphere where people enjoy sharing great simple food, Alla Vecchia Bettola is the place to go. In this restaurant, you’ll feel Florentine, you’ll feel home. At least I do.

 

Alla Vecchia Bettola

34R via Luigi Ariosto

Florence, Italy

+39 055 22 41 58

A ramen

Let’s start with the terminology (for I have been rightly criticized for not translating or explaining enough the local terms I use, like “a risotto” or “a cappuccino”. Fair enough.). A ramen is a bowl of noodles in a meat-based broth. The pocket-size eatery Banki Ramen is in huge contrast with the rest of the gorgeous town: the decor is austere, there are 8 tables at most, the waiters are neither smiley nor exuberant, it’s the improbable annex of a classic Italian bar, no effort is made on the lighting, there’s no music in the background. It’s the least fancy place I’ve seen in town: it’s all about the ramen. You’ll find 10 different choices of ramens on the menu (ranging from 7€ to 10€): “Shoyu ramen” (with soy-sauce), “Ramen of Tokyo” (with dried seaweed), “Summer ramen” (with tomatoes), “Miso ramen” (with, try to guess.), “Summer-Miso ramen” (with tomatoes and miso soup. Did you guess correctly?). The picture shows the Shoyu-Chasyu-ramen (with soy-sauce and an extra-portion of pork meat).

On the wall, you’ll read the 4 ultimate rules on how to eat a ramen :

Rule #1: Eat it quickly without burning yourself

Rule #2: Swallow up the noodles being as loud as possible

Rule #3: Don’t complain to the waitress if it doesn’t taste as you like

Rule #4: Eat it only there at Banki Ramen

The broth is tasty, the noodles are homemade, the meat is tender. A real surprise. The presence of Japanese locals itself validates the high quality and authenticity of the ramen. I noted that they're only to be seen before 8pm, for after 8pm the place gets packed with Italian curious, young crowds. I’d recommend it for those of you who have had enough of pasta and bistecca during your stay in Florence, those of you who are seeking tourist-free places in town and those of you who want to experience the feeling of traveling to Japan while in Florence.

 

Banki Ramen

Via de' Banchi 14/R

Florence, Italy

A homemade pasta

Yellow is like a European capital city: chaotic but comfortable, cosmopolitan but culturally distinctive, popular but familiar. The menu at Yellow offers a great variety of Italian dishes: homemade pizzas, pasta, grilled meat, marinated veggies at an affordable price. I am always a bit wary of this kind of encompassing places that fall into all categories at the same time: "pizzeria-grill-trattoria-restaurant", but Yellow is an exception. It carries all the advantages of a varied menu (every customer can find something he/ she feels like eating) without the disadvantages (cantine-like quality of food, not-so-fresh ingredients and microwave preparation of dishes).

The informal atmosphere attracts all kinds of crowds: colleagues, students, friends, couples, locals, tourists, families. In other words, Yellow is a safe bet, especially if you dislike the modern formality and sophistication of some trendy restaurants in town. The pasta is prepared under your eyes by an Italian old lady. True, that’s picturesque, but at least you know who's cooking and you can actually SEE that the pasta is indeed homemade (in case you don't trust your palate). La pasta alla carbonara (8 €) is my all-time favorite, especially when they serve it in a pan. The pepper spices up what’s supposed to be a flavorless, unsurprising, easy dish. I can’t say this is a refined or extraordinary dish, but it’s definitely well done and good.

 

Yellow Bar Ristorante

Via del Proconsolo 39/R

Florence, Italy

A cappuccino

This is not a mere cappuccino. This is a cover.

It makes me look less suspicious I guess: I look as if I go to the bar to actually drink a coffee.  Of course, I don’t. To me, the Bar Simone is like any other coffee place in the world: a place where I go to read, to write, to think, to watch the passers-by, to listen to conversations, to discuss with locals or to offer a coffee-for-a-favor. The only difference here is the personalized treatment, that makes me feel unique and important. Every other customer feels that way I’m sure. But every other customer is Italian, and I’m French, so I don’t instinctively EXPECT a good service, let alone take it for granted. I don’t even need to order, you know? They know what I’m having, every single morning. I’d just step in, and smile and they’d smile back and I’d get my perfect cappuccino served at the bar in less than 1 minute. On my first visit, the oh-so-kind staff took 5 minutes of their hectic time to teach me that what I called a “croissant” was actually a “cremino”, a “donut” was a “bombolino”, a “sandwich” was a “panino”. The kind of stuff that makes you want to go again. In Florence you can find coffee places with various target customers: places for tourists (Rivoire), for writers (Caffe Italiano), for artists (La Cité Libreriacafé). And there are busy working bars like the Bar Simone, for busy working people like me. (Unfortunately, there’s no coffee place for posers, meaning no Starbucks in town -yet). Every customer gets the same welcoming treatment at the Bar Simone; blue collars, white collars, engineers, workers, managers, people of all kinds of background, whom you can hear (or watch, because it’s Italy) debating about last night soccer game, worrying about tomorrow’s weather, complaining about the new corporate initiative, the latest political scandal or the food price inflation. It’s convenient, functional, efficient. It’s busy but it’s comfortable. Needless to say, the cappuccino (1.10€) is good (and all the other kinds of coffee, for that matter), meticulously prepared, and you should know that if you want to look like a local, you have to have it standing at the bar, and not after 10 am. (Although it’s ok to have it in the afternoon after a long working day, but only in winters, as my brilliant landlord once told me).

 

Bar Simone

Via Felice Matteucci

Florence, Italy

A bistecca alla Fiorentina

First, you have to know the rule (see above). “Non si può fare più cotta” which means: “Rare, or nothing.”

Only if you commit to respect that very rule, you’ll be allowed to taste the authentic Bistecca alla Fiorentina. Otherwise, you can always go to any restaurant on the Piazza della Reppublica: they’ll cook it as you please. The typical 3 cm-thick, 600 gram-T-bone steak (40€/kg) will be cooked “al sangue” and carved up in front of your eyes. Don’t get distracted with the good selection of Tuscan appetizers: the bistecca is already quite massive! Made of Chianina meat of the highest quality, Perseus’ bistecca is tender and flavorsome and juicy. And colourful. Slightly burnt on the outside and strikingly red on the inside. One of my Florentine friends told me that the meat was hung a few days in a cool place before cooking.

What to serve your Bistecca alla Fiorentina with? Red (Italian) wine. That’s all. No bread, no fries. The bistecca alla Fiorentina has character and is prepared and served in the purest way. For that reason, it deserves your palate's full attention.

 

Perseus

Viale Don Giovanni Minzoni, 10/r

Florence, Italy

Tel +39 055 5048120 (booking is recommended)

A crostini

Coquinarius doesn’t get enough credit if you ask me, so I’ll write a few words about it. When you go there, you’re not only a customer; you’re a friend, even on your first visit (which in my case occurred 2 years ago). What I love there, more than the lovely staff, the simple food or the jazz soundtrack, is the bistrot-like atmosphere –which is the sensible mix of all of the above. It’s such a pleasant place that I’ve heard many foreign customers saying they’d go back there on the next evening. That means a lot, considering that there are hundreds of other restaurants to discover on a trip to Florence! Practically, how do they make you feel like a friend? First they greet you. I mean, they really greet you. Not in the usual, polite way but in a sincerely warm and cheerful way: they greet you as if they were actually happy to see you. When they keep you waiting 2 minutes while setting the table, they’d apologize and offer you a drink. When you hesitate between 2 wines, they’d have you try both of them, describing them concisely, highlighting the differences between both and letting you choose. Only if you ask for a recommendation, they’ll dare to give you one. They’re present enough during your meal, but not too much. In other words, they’re discreet but careful. Let me tell you: all along the restaurant-marathon that keeps me busy and entertained, I’ve never been so impressed by the competence of the staff. To me, they set the bar in terms of service. Ok, a few words about the food, just for those of you who go to a restaurant to actually eat, and not to enjoy the atmosphere. In Coquinarius, the variety of crostini (little toasts made from thinly sliced white bread that can be topped with anything from cheese to chicken liver, ranging from 3.5€ to 7€) is wide and interesting. I particularly like the ones with cheese, like the taleggio-honey one or the goat cheese-fig one (see picture). The crostini with chicken liver paté is a classic Florentine one. If you’re still hungry after the crostini (which are usually served as starters, but feel free to have an assortment for diner, you won’t be misjuged), try the torta di verdure (vegetable quiche with slices of mozzarella, aubergines, tomatoes and scourges, 10 euros). It’s like a beautiful ratatouille tart. Again: simple and good food, good people. In other words, a place that makes you feel good.

Coquinarius

Via delle Oche 15r

Florence, Italy

Tel +39 055 230 2153 (booking is recommended)

A risotto

My friend TSL tells me that the best risotto he has had in Florence was the “risotto alle triglie”. I’d say mine was the “risotto alla crema di rughetta salvatica con scampi marinati al pepe d’Espellete”. We both agree that we respectively had our best risotto at the same restaurant, though: Il Santo Bevitore.

Serves are generous. All the dishes do not only taste good, they also look nice. Look at these colours! Look at the design! Be aware that everything else on the menu is good, so don’t hesitate too long on the “tonno panato di semi di papavero e sesamo”: it’s definitely worthwhile. The staff is fast, efficient, energetic. The place looks intimate from the outside, thanks to the candles, the bottles of wine on the walls and the adequate distance between the tables and yet, the overall noise level needs to be highlighted. It may be a bit annoying if you’re on a romantic date. It’s fine if you’re with friends or colleagues. Great value for money: prices are fair (9€ for a risotto) given the high quality of the ingredients, the creativity of the recipes, the efforts made on the presentation of the dishes. If you’re looking for a place that combines sophistication with simplicity in many ways, Il Santo Bevitore is the answer.

Il Santo Bevitore

Via Santo Spirito 66r

Florence, Italy

Tel +39 055 211264 

(booking is recommended)

A gelato

Take my word for it: GROM is the best gelateria in the world (ok, at least the best I’ve ever been to). Contrary to common gelaterie where supernaturally colorful ice creams are preposterously displayed in order to catch the tourists’ attention, here they’re carefully stored in closed stainless steel buckets. As if they were precious. Soon enough, you find out that they actually are. GROM’s gelati (ice creams) do not distinguish themselves only by their elegant displaying, but also by their delicate, perfectly balanced taste. Flavors are rich and dominant and pure. Textures are dense. They’re just exquisite. You can find all the traditionnal flavors (vanilla, chocolate, etc) and some more unusual ones such as caramello al sale rosa dell'Himalaya (caramel with pink salt from the Himalayas) or marrons glacés (my favorite, available only in winters). The excellent sherbets are prepared with fruits of the season. GROM brand its products as “natural”: indeed ice creams are made of full-fat milk and organic eggs. Some of them are prepared in accordance with Slow Food processes, a movement against fast-food that was founded in Italy two decades ago.

The secret of GROM’s excellence lies in the selection of raw materials of the highest quality, so they say. GROM’s attention to detail does not stop with the production: even the way it is served is carefully considered. Last week when I asked for a caramel ice cream in a cone, the GROM staff member told me: “You should take a cup, this one won’t hold in a cone.”  

All in all, GROM IS “offering the very best”. I am an absolute fan. If you have to try only one gelato in Italy, it must be at GROM’s.

 

GROM

Via del Campanile

Florence, Italy