Ganzo Via de Macci 85r - tel. 055-241076
Ganzo is a cultural association for art, wine and gastronomy, born from the hard work, will, and experience of Apicius International School of Hospitality and the Florence University of the Arts. The association, which is managed by students from both the schools, offers lunch, dinner, aperitivi and a full wine list to both the Florentine and international public. The various dishes available are characterized by quality and attention to detail, whilst the prices are well below average, starting from 7 euros for lunch and 18 euros for dinner. Ganzo is open from midday to midnight, Monday to Friday; you can eat, drink and…..there’s also wifi! |
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LUNCH
La Locanda Pensavo Peggio! Via del Moro 51r, Phone 055-285486
Friendly atmosphere in the historical city center. Wonderful selection of traditional Italian dishes and seafood. Mobile 3928878282 for reservations
Cantinetta da Verrazzano Via dei Tavolini 18r Phone 055-26 85 90
This place is a combination of bakery-winery-cafe. You just buy your bread and eat it outside or sitting down in the back room. Good selection of crostini, salumi (including boar-prosciutto) and cheese. Wine served by the glass. One dish and a glass of average wine about Euro 15-20.
Enoteca Via de’ Giraldi 4r, Phone 055-21 65 18
They are not allowed to serve hot meals, so you can get all the Tuscan salumi (cold cuts) served on a wooden board with pecorino cheese & schiacciata (flat bread) Specialty: lardo di Colonnata, a very rare delicacy (pork fat). Good crostoni (slices of toasted bread with different toppings) Around Euro 15.
Cantinetta Antinori Piazza Antinori 3 Phone 055-29 22 34
This is the cellar of the Antinori family’s winery. Very refined and glamorous atmosphere. High quality food with a spectacular wine list. You can have a light lunch in there with a glass of wine (try the Tignanello, one of the best Antinori wines) for Euro 40.
Osteria delle Belle Donne Via delle Belle Donne 16 r Phone 055-23 82 609
It’s a small trattoria (watch the entrance: no sign outside, only a tiny door!) where you can pick the dish of the day from a blackboard , sit next to a lot of Florentine VIPs, or just have a huge wonderful salad from the counter where you can choose from the range of beautiful buckets full of different vegetables! Buon appetito! Euro 20.
Vinaio Via Alfani 70r. They serve pasta (only a couple of sauces) and there is a wide selection of affettati (cold cuts) and vegetables. They serve wine by the glass and it is cheap!!!!
Capocaccia Lungarno Corsini 12r Phone 055- 21 07 51
Very young and trendy atmosphere. Brunch is served on Saturdays and Sundays. Nice salads and sandwiches. Cost about Euro 20.
DINNER
Enoteca Pinchiorri Via Ghibellina 87 Phone 055-24 27 57
The TOP. Very expensive. The chef Annie Feolde is French and she gives her interpretation of Tuscan food. Wide selections of wines. Menu at fixed price about Euros 100. A la carte 150 depending on the wine you select.
La Locanda Pensavo Peggio! Via del Moro 51r, Phone 055-285486
Friendly atmosphere in the historical city center. Wonderful selection of traditional Italian dishes and seafood. Mobile 3928878282 for reservations
I’ Garga Via del Moro 49r Phone 055-239 88 98
Garga, the owner, is in the kitchen and he gives you a very personal, sophisticated interpretation of the Tuscan food lore. Try the spaghetti with raw artichokes and shaves of parmigiano, or the penne with gorgonzola sauce and julienne of raw zucchini. Recently, it has become too popular among the tourist population, and it is hard to find Italians eating in there, although the food quality is still very high.
Cibreo Via de’ Macci 118r Phone 055-234 11 01
This restaurant has two different versions depending on how much you want to spend: the Cibreo, and Cibreino, right round the corner. The kitchen is the same, but in the Cibreino you can get only a couple of first courses and a few main courses. Typical Tuscan food. Fabio Picchi, the owner, gives a very strong and personal interpretation of Tuscan food. Cibreo Euro 50/60 Cibreino Euro 20/25
Targa Lungarno Colombo 7 Phone 055-67 73 77
Charming restaurant right on the banks of the river. Very good Florentine beef steak (T-bone). Romantic Atmosphere and very good selection of desserts. App. Euro 60/70
Taverna del Bronzino Via delle Ruote 25r Phone 055-49 52 20
Nice atmosphere, good selection of wine, good fish. The desserts come directly from the pastry chef “Dolci & Dolcezze” (Piazza Beccaria) one of the most well known Pasticcerie in Florence. Euro 50/60
Alle Murate Via Ghibellina 52r, Phone 055-24 06 18
Elegant atmosphere. Very nice selections of wine. Try the soffiata di caponata, a very light vegetable soup. Good desserts. Euro 50/60
Cavolo Nero Via dell’Ardiglione 22 Phone 055-29 06 18
Garden in the summer. Andrea in the kitchen gives a very nice interpretation of local dishes. The best pasta alla bottarga in town (pasta with fish-roe sauce) Great wine list, ask Massimo the restaurant manager for advice in the choice. Reserve on Fridays-Saturdays. They had a full page article in Bon Appetit May 2000 issue. App. Euro 40/50
Pandemonio Via del Leone 50r Phone 055-22 40 02
Very friendly atmosphere in the heart of Oltrarno-Santo Spirito area. Nice menu and good wine list. Local dishes along with new recipes. Try pasta di Cecco, with fresh artichokes. Special desserts, all home made. They also serve Dai-Dai gelato; special double cream ice cream with pine nuts. They also offer, from the same brand, nice bite-size ice creams with your coffee. They recently had a full-page article in the New York Times. App. Euro 50/60
Acqua al 2 Via della Vigna Vecchia 40r Phone 055-28 41 70
It’s right behind the Bargello Museum. The specialty is a selection of 5 different types of pasta (assaggio pasta). Very informal atmosphere. Average cost for full meal (but you can have just the pasta) about Euro 25
Beccofino Piazza degli Scarlatti 1r (Lungarno Guicciardini) Phone 055-29 00 76
Restaurant and wine bar. Very nicely designed and decorated, their menu doesn’t recall Tuscan cuisine, but the food is really good and very well presented. If you are looking for the old type Tuscan trattoria, don’t go there. Very young and trendy atmosphere, very nice attention to detail. The location is beautiful, facing Palazzo Corsini from the other side of the river. In summer you can sit outside with a gorgeous view. App Euro 50/60
WHERE TO BUY GOOD WINE
Zanobini Via Sant’ Antonino 47r Phone 055-239 68 50
In the heart of S Lorenzo Market one of the oldest “vinaio” In Florence. Good selection of national wines. Try a white Vermentino Sardo or Cervaro della Sala. Red: Tignanello, Brunello di Montalcino. A good cheap Chanti is Santa Cristina.
Alessi Via dell Oche 27r Phone 055-21 49 66
Right behind the Duomo, they have a cellar with all the most famous regional wines. Grappa and Limoncello are also available. They ship overseas.
CHOCOLATE
Rivoire Piazza della Signoria
Rivoire is famous for its special chocolate, and semi-sweet type made in its own pasticceria. You can sit in the beautiful tea-room inside in winter or, in the warm season, outside at the tables facing Palazzo Vecchio. The specialty is “cioccolata con panna”, hot chocolate with whipped cream, but you can also buy beautiful boxes of chocolates or, at Easter time, one of the most beautiful eggs
La Bottega del Cioccolato Via de’ Macci 50 Phone 055-200 16 09
Chocolate Lab owned by one of the best Tuscan maitre chocolatier, Andrea Bianchini.
Large varieties of filled chocolates.
Hemingway Piazza Piattellina 9r Phone 055-28 47 81
You’ll go crazy in this all-chocolate place! Brunch available on Sundays. Tea-room open until 2.00 am. All the different types of chocolate, with fruit, with jam, melted in a cup, etc. Good selection of teas.
GELATO / ICE CREAM
Cavini Piazza delle Cure. Get your best gelato or, really a treat, a “Millefoglie ripieno di gelato” (it is a dessert which doesn’t come in individual portions with layers of puff pastry and vanilla ice cream with chocolate chips-It’s a gelato, so it must be kept in a freezer and not in a regular refrigerator!)
Carabè Via Ricasoli 60r Phone 055-28 94 76
Carabè presents a wide range of granita and gelato, and specialty items like cannoli, cassata, and brioche, the Sicilian version of the ice cream sandwich. Antonio and Loredana use no preservatives or artificial colouring, and only the finest pistachios, hazelnuts, almonds, and “bumpy” lemons, the latter imported weekly from Sicily.
PASTICCERIE/PASTRY SHOPS
Robiglio Via dei Servi 112r Phone 055-21 45 01
(r stands for red- in Florence we have black numbers for private houses and red numbers for commercial premises, so in the same street you have numbers twice, in black and red) (closed on Sundays), one of the oldest and best Pasticcerie in Florence. Try a bombolone (doughnut filled with pastry cream) or Fedora (a pastry with a bottom of puff pastry, two layers of angel-food cake, with whipped cream in between and topped with chocolate curls) or any other of their wide and wonderful selection.
FOOD
Pegna Via dello Studio 8. Phone 055-28 27 01
The best grocery shop in Florence. Anything you need for cooking, in addition to the best brands of wine, olive oil, pasta, etc.
VIVI Market Via del Giglio 20-22r Phone 055-29 49
International food: Chinese, Mexican, Tahi, etc.
African Shopping Centre Via Panicale 22r Phone 055-21 33 51
African food: Cous-cous, etc.
Mercato di San Lorenzo Piazza del Mercato Centrale.
Open from 8:00am till 2:00pm Monday through Saturday. First floor: Meat, Fish, Grocery. Second floor: Vegetables and Fruit.
Standa Via Pietrapiana 42/44 . Open on Monday 3:30pm 8:30pm Tuesday through Saturday 8:00am-8:30pm. This supermarket is open on Wednesday afternoon when all the other grocery stores are closed.
KITCHEN EQUIPMENT
Bartolini Via dei Servi 30r Phone 055-21 18 95
The widest selection of kitchenware, tools, pots, etc.
Coin Via dei Calzaiuoli 56r The Kitchenware is located in the basement. Good quality for a good price.
