MY FAVOURITE RESTAURANTS IN FLORENCE FOR EATING OUT (FOR EVERY OCCASION)
I have always been used since childhood to eating out at least two to three times a week. For many it is a privilege, in fact I consider myself lucky. We don't live very far from the centre of Florence so for us spending a day out to do our business in the centre and then getting together for a nice lunch or dinner is quite ordinary.
Many of these places I have known for years and I have come to the conclusion that they have become part of me, because I can relate so many of my past memories and emotions to them. These are wonderful, romantic, intimate places with great ambience and good vibes, many of them perfect for breakfasts, lunches, dinners, aperitifs and brunches. So let it be my pleasure to share them with you.
HARRY’S BAR
The first restaurant on the list is the one to which I can undoubtedly trace some of the best moments of my life. I am particularly fond of Harry’s Bar in Florence because it is a restaurant that will never go out of fashion. This has nothing to do with the other Harry's Bars we can find in Venice and Rome. It is an independent, classy and very elegant establishment, in which you can also breathe an international air. The cuisine is excellent, simple but at the same time refined, combining tradition and innovation. The food at Harry's Bar has an international character with a focus on Italy and on typical seasonal products. But the attention here is not lacking in even the smallest details, thanks to the impeccable service provided by the well-prepared staff working there (which helped Harry's Bar to be counted among Italy's historic venues in 2016).
As well as offering a restaurant service, the restaurant is also an American Bar. In fact, Harry's Bar Firenze is proud to have been included by the Daily Meal in the list of the 150 best bars in the world and among the top three in Italy. Here you can enjoy exquisite cocktails, maybe while chatting with the lovely barmen and listen to stories about Harry's Bar's famous past.
For some time now, the restaurant has changed location, moving from its historical spot on the Lungarno Amerigo Vespucci to the splendid setting of the garden of the Sina Villa Medici. Thus was born Harry's Bar The Garden at Via Il Prato 42. There you will find the entire Harry's Bar experience in an elegant and luxurious garden with swimming pool - a unique feature in the historic centre of Florence.
HARRY’S BAR FIRENZE 1953
Lungarno Amerigo Vespucci, 22r- 50123 Firenze
(+39) 0552396700
CAFFÈ DELL’ORO
Il Caffè dell'Oro is a bistro in a privileged location: along the Arno River with a magnificent view of the Ponte Vecchio.
The restaurant is part of the Lungarno Collection chain and is next to the Hotel Portrait in Florence.
As soon as you enter, you can find yourself in a place that is warm and welcoming, with a modern décor and a professional staff at your service.
I have had the pleasure of coming here for lunch many times with my friends and family, but the place is also perfect for a coffee break in the afternoon or a nice aperitif at sunset
In summer and spring you can enjoy the sun and a glass of wine at one of the outdoor tables, overlooking the Lungarno degli Acciauoli (a pedestrian street in the heart of Florence), all accompanied by a beautiful view of the Arno and the Ponte Vecchio.
Caffè dell'Oro's offer is All Day Dining: breakfast, coffee break, lunch, afternoon tea, aperitif, dinner and after dinner. The choice is only yours!
The restaurant's menu is refined and of high quality, curated by Executive Chef Antonio Minichiello, who offers “a contemporary interpretation of traditional Italian dishes that conquers even the most cosmopolitan palates, thanks to delicate contaminations of international ingredients and preparation techniques”. A must for me are surely the avocado tar tar, the moeche bun, the Fusilloro with pink prawns and saffron and the turbot in a black bread crust.
If you are looking for a nice, chic place to have lunch or dinner in the company of your friends, or simply for a coffee or an aperitif in front of the unbeatable view of the Ponte Vecchio, then this place will not disappoint you or your camera!
CAFFÈ DELL’ORO
Lungarno degli Acciaiuoli, 2P – Firenze
+39 055 2726 8912
Whatsapp: +39 342 1234 710
oro@lungarnocollection.com
LA MÉNAGÈRE
La Ménagère is a place I have carried in my heart for a few years now. This restaurant in the heart of Florence is more than a restaurant, it is a true visual and sensory experience. The location is simply one of a kind: it is large and spacious with its stone vaults, a huge wall of roses outside in the dehor, an elegant room with a piano for a romantic dinner, a room downstairs as a privé, and a boutique of homewares and a large emporium selling flowers. But there's more: La Ménagère is also a library with a wide range of books on botany (which is the main theme of the whole restaurant) and a place where you can enjoy tea, a drink, a business breakfast, a romantic dinner and much more.
The place provides two restaurant (one of which is a bistro) and bar service, where the gourmet experience is simply at the top in each of these categories.
In the boutique at the entrance, you will find a homage to the traditions of Florence: various items such as table sets, collector's books and maybe even the perfect gift you have been looking for!
Downstairs, a delightful fumoir and private rooms with a live music corner and a billiard room await you.
The magnificent Ménagère experience does not end here: why not be tempted by interesting botanic art courses or wine tastings? But you can also attend exhibitions, book presentations, and organise business meetings, making the experience simply unforgettable!
A special thanks from the bottom of my heart goes to Massimo, Grazia, Ernesto, Alessandro and Angelo, for always making me feel at home whenever I have the pleasure of spending my best moments at La Ménagère.
via De’ Ginori, 8/R 50123 – Firenze
+39 055 075 0600
info@lamenagere.it
CANTINETTA ANTINORI
The Palazzo Antinori is one of the finest examples of mid-15th-century Florentine architecture in the city's historic centre.
The Antinori family has been dedicated to wine production for more than six hundred years. Through 26 generations, the family has always directly managed this activity with innovative and sometimes courageous choices, but always maintaining an unwavering respect for tradition and territory.
In the beautiful restaurant Cantinetta Antinori, which I had the pleasure of discovering years ago thanks to my family, you can enjoy ancient flavours in perfect symbiosis with contemporary style. If you have the chance, you absolutely must try: the pappa al pomodoro, gnudi alla fiorentina and guinea fowl with thyme.
The Cantinetta offers a refined food and wine experience, with proposals that are renewed every week in combination with a careful selection of Marchesi Antinori labels.
The ambience is elegant and discreet, with refined wooden tables and mis en place that are a pleasure to the eye. The wooden shelves decorating the rooms show us the magnificent bottles of the Antinori tradition, which has been producing wine since 1385.
I love coming here for lunch or dinner especially in autumn/winter time, thanks to the evocative ambience that reminds me of these seasons, but there is nothing to stop you from enjoying this lovely place any time of the year!
If you happen to be in the centre of Florence, you absolutely cannot pass up a magnificent gourmet experience like this!
CANTINETTA ANTINORI
Piazza degli Antinori, 3 – 50123 Firenze (FI), Italia
firenze@cantinetta-antinori.com
ATELIER DE’ NERLI
L'Atelier dei Nerli is an intimate bistro restaurant with a bohemian atmosphere, located in Piazza dei Nerli. The place is also an art gallery and craft workshop, the brainchild of owner Daniele Cavalli (artist and designer, son of fashion designer Roberto).
I have had the pleasure of enjoying this restaurant since its opening in 2019, and to this day it still remains one of my favourite places for an intimate, romantic dinner.
The restaurant is dominated by the pink colour of the walls, adorned with antique mirrors and ornaments that make us think of another era. Velvet sofas and soft lighting contribute to the elegant and refined atmosphere. The bar counter at the entrance can usher you into the evening with a nice drink and a chat, and then on to the large dining room, where tables are laid with white placemats, gold-coloured plates, crystal glasses and candles.
The cuisine is both sophisticated and simple: it offers a limited but nevertheless refined menu straight to the point, ranging from risotto to raw seafood and from meat to gourmet fish. A special mention must surely go to the desserts, especially the Vivoli ice cream with truffles!
L'Atelier dei Nerli is a perfect meeting place for a romantic dinner, but even if you are in the company of friends, to celebrate an anniversary or simply to enjoy good food in a different atmosphere, forgetting even for just an hour in which era you live in!
ATELIER DE’ NERLI
Piazza Dei Nerli 8/9r, 50124 Firenze
+39 055 760 2982
COCO LEZZONE
If you want to try a real, authentic Florentine trattoria, you cannot miss Coco Lezzone.
The trattoria Coco Lezzone is located in the heart of the historical centre of Florence, in Via del Parioncino, a small street, transversal to Via del Parione, a stone's throw from the luxurious Via de' Tornabuoni.
The restaurant was established in the early 19th century. The singular name comes from the nickname of the first owner, Corrado, nicknamed 'Coco Lezzone'.
My grandfather used to come here to eat very often and he had become so much familiar with the place that the owners ended up gave him the same table every time he showed up. Even today, many years later, when I go to eat there I have the pleasure of sitting at the same table where my grandfather used to sit.
The cuisine at Coco Lezzone, thanks to the love of the Paoli family, carries on the tradition of the trattoria fiorentina with grace and honour. Here you can enjoy, in a typical and familiar environment, the dishes of the Florentine gastronomic tradition, the freshest and most seasonal ingredients, prepared slowly and patiently over the fires of a wood-burning cooker, in the old-fashioned way, accompanied by excellent Tuscan red wines.
The interior is that of a classic Florentine trattoria, with walls covered in white ceramic tiles and wooden tables, warm and typical.
At Coco Lezzone my favourite dishes are undoubtedly the Ribollita and Arista al forno. The kitchen is lit every morning at 6am with wood. The cooking of the meat starts early in the morning just as Florentine grandmothers used to do. The arista cooks in the kitchen for a good six hours before being brought to the tables, while the sauces for the pasta are boiled for at least four hours.
If you are looking for a humble, traditional place with real, deep flavours, then Coco Lezzone is just waiting for you. You will not be disappointed!
A special thanks to Gloria and her family for the affection and love with which they always welcomed me and my family in their special place.
COCO LEZZONE
Via del Parioncino, 26/r
50100 Firenze, FI - Italia
+39 055287178
trattoriacocolezzone@gmail.com
VILLA CORA
Villa Cora is one of the most beautiful places in Florence if you are looking for the perfect Sunday Brunch. This is usually held every Sunday from November to January, while in the spring and summer months you can enjoy the hotel's magnificent Bistrot restaurant and the Bellevue Roof Terrace.
Villa Cora is an aristocratic residence built at the end of the 19th century, set in a centuries-old park overlooking the Boboli Gardens, in the hills just outside the historical centre of Florence.
Inaugurated during Florence as capital of the Kingdom of Italy, over time it has become one of the major social and cultural symbols of Florence, hosting international personalities of great prominence such as Princess Eugenia, wife of Napoleon III, and the French pianist Claude Debussy, to the point of being considered the most beautiful of the Tuscan capital's residences. After several changes of ownership, Villa Cora became an exclusive Grand Hotel in the late 1960s and, following a series of renovations lasting a few years, the Villa reopened its doors in 2010.
Villa Cora's magnificent and thematically varied common rooms have been renovated with full respect for the original elements and offer multiple solutions for meetings and business lunches, events and presentations. In the marvellous Sala Moresca, with its oriental atmosphere and domed ceiling with an original fresco by Antonio Caremmi, you will find Le Bistrot Restaurant, which presents a continually researched proposal with seasonal and mainly local products, selected by Executive Chef Alessandro Liberatore. At lunchtime the menu is casual and offers the great classics of Italian tradition for an easy but tasty meal, at dinner the menu is more gastronomic.
Continuing on, you enter the magnificent Salone degli Specchi, the largest and most majestic room, thanks to the charm of its original Baroque decorations. The Sala delle Carte, on the other hand, is dedicated to tranquillity, afternoon tea or reading and is adjacent to the Sala Bianca, characterised by the majesty of the Carrara marble fireplace. The spacious and elegant Rooftop terrace, with its breathtaking view over Florence, is the ideal location for spectacular sunset events.
As already mentioned, in winter the Bistrot Restaurant is located inside the Villa, in summer it moves to the winter garden by the pool, which allows to enjoy the beauty of the park in an elegant but informal setting. Here, in the evening, surrounded by the beautiful park, you can enjoy the Signature Cocktails of the Santa Garden Cocktail Club, which offer an experience characterised by an explosion of flavours, fragrances and emotions that will accompany you on pleasant summer evenings in the Villa's gardens.
I have spent many evenings here and celebrated many occasions such as Easter and birthdays together with the people I love most. Villa Cora is a place I will always carry in my heart. A special thanks to the Fratini family and staff for all the love they dedicate to their guests and to the facility.
VILLA CORA
Viale Machiavelli 18, 50125 Firenze
+39 055 22 87 90
Info: info@villacora.it
Reservations: booking@villacora.it
Concierge: concierge@villacora.it
ATTO DI VITO MOLLICA
ATTO di Vito Mollica (formerly known as Chic Nonna) is a restaurant located inside the magnificent Palazzo Portinari Salviati, a cosy and exclusive environment offering unique tasting experiences.
The historic palace was the residence of Cosimo I de' Medici, whose statue remains today in the centre of the palace courtyard. Here we can find the beautiful Bistrot Salotto Portinari, accessible directly from Via del Corso, perfect for a business lunch, an informal dinner or even simply for coffee or a signature cocktail. Here, in the lunch and dinner menu you can find a mixture of international dishes such as club sandwich and Niçoise salad and signature dishes such as cavatelli cacio e pepe with red prawns and marinated baby squid.
If instead you wish to celebrate an important and unforgettable evening, you can dine at Vito Mollica's refined Michelin-starred restaurant ATTO, located in the heart of the Palace, within the splendid Emperor's Court. The place truly reflects the chef's words, namely “a place where the past is in constant balance with the present and the authenticity of flavours, albeit skilfully revisited”. You will be fascinated by the evocative rooms with vaulted ceilings decorated by the artist Alessandro Allori, one of the protagonists of the Florentine 16th century, by the evocative mosaics protected by a glass floor on the floor, and even more by the flavours of the kitchen, elegant but highly readable. Chef Mollica knows how to make sublime use of Italian raw materials, astounding palates with apt combinations. Each of his creations is a balance of clear and decisive flavours, combinations that are never predictable and continuous interplays of textures such as the Cappelletti with Roccaverano robiola cheese and nettles or the Candele di Gragnano with cooked and raw rockfish, two simply extraordinary first courses.
The mise en place are elegant, with white and warm colours that blend perfectly with the historical setting without weighing it down, this is especially so as not to distract the eye from the wonderful surroundings.
The ATTO restaurant is definitely more suitable for a special evening (it is only open in the evening for dinner) I personally had the pleasure of spending the evening here with my boyfriend for our 5th anniversary together. It was simply an unforgettable evening! But if, on the other hand, you are looking for an experience that is still refined but on the simpler side, the Bistrot Salotto Portinari will absolutely not disappoint your expectations.
ATTO DI VITO MOLLICA
Palazzo Portinari Salviati
Via del Corso 6
50122 Firenze
+39 055 5353555
firenze@attodivitomollica.com
These are my suggestions for all kinds of occasions if you are looking for a culinary experience in the beautiful historic centre of Florence.
Whether for a coffee, a romantic dinner or a business lunch, these restaurants are sure to make your day unforgettable!
FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM
