Yummmmmmmmmmm, I have found a restaurant in the center that is tourist convenient without being tourist oriented. How uncommon is this you may wonder; the proverbial needle in the haystack is as many grains of sand on the beach in comparison. I had actually passed by on numerous occasions and not ventured in strictly because it was so tourist convenient. I was very surprised to be taken there as a destination when we went.

But, my prejudices were unfounded, (insert blush emoticon here) and we had a wonderful meal. The décor was typical Italian trattoria and the space was exceptionally cozy. The staff was friendly and I was amazed at how effortlessly and perfectly the dinner was timed; this is difficult to accomplish when one person eats like a Hoover and the other person eats like a snail. Plus, they happily accommodated time for a “cigarette course” in addition to the other three courses.

The wine selection was fairly extensive and included quite a few SuperTuscans in addition to the typical range of Chiantis and other Italian regional selections. A big plus was also the wine served at cellar temperature. The pasta was absolutely perfect, as were the assorted crostini, even the tomatoes were great, which is not typical in winter. The chicken, sadly, was not perfect, but just slightly overdone, but I believe that had something to do with my snail pace of consumption. The dessert selection was typical, and we both decided on the Vin Santo with biscotti and had a little granite, which was the perfect way to end a great meal.

If you are in the historical center I highly recommend Mamma Mia’s. It is literally a few minutes walking distance from nearly anything, the Uffizi, the Punto Vecchio, Piazza della Republica and Piazza della Signoria and the shopping along Tournabuoni. It is tucked in a little corner of the Piazza del Mercato Nuovo (where you buy trinkets and rub the nose of the wild boar) so it may take just a moment to find, but it is definitely worth it.

Piazza del Mercato Nuovo 18/r

50123 Firenze – Tel. 055 280594

www.mammamiafirenze.it.

As a rule I truly try to be positive and to find the bright side in everything, but…..sometimes it is just not possible.  As a food/wine/restaurant addict I am willing to try virtually anything.  The location of the restaurant is unfortunately its only selling point, on the always popular Piazza della Republica 15/r.

The waiters were more interested in roping in more customers than taking care of the customers that were already there. I felt as if once I was seated and had ordered I was completely forgotten, it was impossible to get a second glass of wine or pepperoncini. I observed other parties being treated in a similar fashion, and the waiters were on both the sidewalk and the Piazza inviting other diners to enter.

The food was mediocre, nothing really to criticize, but nothing I would try to duplicate at home or would induce anyone else to try, it was the only restaurant in Florence I tried were the pasta was actually overcooked.  The arista was fine, but also a touch overcooked and dry. On a second visit I had only a brioche and espresso at the bar because I will almost always give a place a second try—it could have just been an off day, right? Wrong, exactly the same behavior was going on the second time.

Unfortunately my biggest suprise came at the end of the meal, I actually read checks only when there has been some sort of dissatisfactory experience. I am accustomed to the coperto, it exists in virtually every restaurant and is typically about 2€. What I was not prepared for was a “Maggiorazioni” of 4.80€ on a 32€ check. I had never seen the word before so I asked the waiter if that was for the service and he said no, service was not included, it was the tax. Hmmmm, I think, I have dozens of receipts from restaurants, stores bla bla bla and the tax is ALWAYS included in the price of each item. So I decided to show my receipt to some Italians and they did not know what it was either.  I happen to be the type of person that actually leaves tips in Italy and tips 20-25% in the US, so was thinking maybe they are just trying to get more out of the tourists whom they think will tip also.  This turned what would have been a moderately poor experience into a very poor experience and made me question the motivation of the ownership.

This is the only restaurant in Florence I will never return to.

When you are in the cocktail and aperitivo mood and are on the west side of the city, anywhere within range of Santa Croce, you can not pass up Kitsch American Bar, Viale Gramsci 1r on the Piazza Beccaria.

They open at 6:30ish and getting a table after 7:00 is not an easy task. The aperitivo here is top-notch, as are the cocktails, the wine is so-so.  The aperitivo is ABUNDANT, varied and high-quality. I was astounded the first time I went here.  They restock constantly and the food is so varied that it is the only place I have ever actually committed the crime of making a dinner of aperitivo.

The cocktail are great. A full selection of specialty drinks in addition to any standard you would like to have. They have an amazing selection of drinks that are not terribly high in alcohol as well, my favorite being the Rossini.

The decor and ambiance here are hip, colorful and more than lively and definitely fit the name of the place.  There is more than ample outdoor seating in good weather, roughly double the number of tables indoors. The bathrooms are actually decorated with the same sort of stylish humor as the rest of the bar.

The crowd is fairly young, late teens to about 35 and later in the evening they bring in a DJ and the prices very reasonable, 7-8€ for just about everything. In addition to Fusion Bar and Sei Divino this rounds out my Top 3 for aperitivo in Florence.

Kitsch American Bar

Viale Gramsci 1/r

055.2343890

So, if you love Italian wine and love Italian food and become addicted to the aperitivo concept  a must-try is Sei Divino. Open for lunch Monday through Friday, and remaining open all day in addition to having  wonderful aperitivo and wine.

The drink selection here is much more focused on wine and less on cocktails.  The wine selections are fabulous, not only the quality, but the extensive variety and actually having proper stemware. For a random house wine I am not a stemware snob, but when you get into the Barolo, Brunello etc categories I am a firm believer in proper glassware from years of experience.

The owners and bartenders know their wines, wine and cheese pairings are available in addition to an extremely reasonably priced menu, everything under 10€, and the aperitivo is a departure from every other bar in the city.  The aperitivo nights are themed; sushi on Tuesday, Mexican night on Monday, varying ethnic night on Wednesday and Tuscan cuisine Thursday through Sunday.

I loved the decor here and the rotating artwork, much what you would expect in an upscale wine bar. Almost all of the staff speaks fluent English in addition to Italian and a smattering of various other languages and the service was above average in attentiveness in addition to knowledge. They also will ship to your home if you buy numerous bottles, which I found very unusual for a bar here and I do recommend.

Near the Westin and Grand Hotels

Via Borgo Ognissanti 42r

Firenze

On a day when we had one large appetite (his) and one normal appetite (yours truly) I decided we should head to Trattoria dell’Orto, walking distance from home being a big deciding factor. If you have ever driven/parked in Florence you understand this. Take driving/parking in San Francisco or Manhattan then narrow the streets, eliminate multi-level parking garages conveniently placed, and add in the notorious driving.

I had been remiss in visits to Trattoria dell’Orto for a while after they remodeled and wanted to return. The menu, happily, had remained as I had remembered. Unfortunately, “my” waiter Enzo was not there that night, that whole vacation thing. So we began with proscuitto and melon and papperdelle con cinghiale (wild boar), which I for some reason can not get enough of. Then moved into the zucchini flowers filled with cheese and proscuitto and the tagliatelle con gorgonzola. The tagliatelle was good, the gorgonzola sauce was great, but the zucchini flowers were heaven. I had learned that dessert here is best left to coffee, but somehow we ended up chatting a bit much with the owner and were forced into also having grappa and limoncello, I do hate when that happens.

I absolutely love the appetizers here and all of the meat dishes appeal to my carnivorous nature, the house made pappardelle con cinghiale is a favorite of mine but I have found the desserts to be lacking. The nature of the cuisine is traditional and typical Tuscan and the restaurant is filled mostly with regulars and neighborhood people and a sprinkling of tourists.

There is an outdoor patio that is wonderful in the summer that some of the overfed neighborhood cats have found as well and somehow they manage to keep it remarkably free of mosquitoes. It is delightful in the evening but if you want a table outdoors in the summer I recommend arriving by 8:30 in the summer.

Via dell’Orto 35A, Florence 50124, Italy. Tel: + 39.055.224148