Plagerizing my trip report:

"While Tracy sat out Pisa the day before, she had discovered a little restaurant near the Duomo called Ristorante Il Caminetto, and I made nine o’clock reservations with the owner later that day.

Sure enough, our table was ready at 9 pm, and this turned out to be my favorite restaurant on the trip. The inside of the restaurant is very charming, but the evening was nice (a little chilly, but they have heat lamps) and we had really wanted to dine outside.

My meal was as good as it got on the trip, and that includes Ristoro di Lamole along with Cane & Gatto in Siena. I started off with the pumpkin risotto, which was absolutely unbelievable.

The waiter was very excited when I ordered the evening’s special the beef del Imprunetta (that might be a little off, but the 9 euro, one litre wines were going fast and furious this night). The dish is a peppery beef stew in a Chianti sauce that they don’t serve all the time, but the waiter felt it was the best dish of the night, and it was (if it is on the menu, order it).

Not that anyone had a bad meal, but my two dishes were spectacular, so it became my Numero Uno restaurant of the trip. It was so good that Dan and Linda ate there two nights later, and said it was just as terrific. Total cost for the six of is was 168 euro.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot the incredible side dish. The roasted rosemary potatoes here are incredible. The table ordered extra helpings."

((H))

We're back from Rome, Florence and Venice. We ate at La Giostra and while it was lovely it was expensive for what we ate. We LOVED Leo's in S. Croce and Il Guscio. You can read a very detailed food report if you're interested by clicking on my name and looking for "Donkey" in the title. Yes, we ate donkey...at La Giostra.

bookmarking

I agree with the recommendation of il Cinghiale Bianco, although I was there quite a while ago, in 2001.

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I second ZaZa's outdoors. We had dinner there twice - reasonably priced and the food was quite good.

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May 2008 :D

We just returned from a couple of weeks in Italy and one of the best meals we had was at Al Vecchio Carlino (http://www.vecchiocarlino.com/eng_main.htm). Man, the spaghetti allo scoglio I had was fantastic, still dream about that....

Bookmarking. Thanks to all.

bookmarking as well
thanks

bookmarking too

Plafield,

Thx for the great details and information. We'll be in Florence next month and I've printed your list.

Grazie!

La Giostra is a very nice restaurant, it is, however, made up almost entirely of tourists, and it is very expensive. It was down the street from my apartment, on the Borgo Pinti-so I could look in on it most any night-Florentines you will not find there. Here's their website, if you want to peruse their menu:

http://www.ristorantelagiostra.com/

I think a better restaurant, that I have liked for many years, and where you will find not so many tourists, but lots of Florentines, since it is a very local, Florentine specialty restaurant is LA CASALINGA (the housewife) located very near the Oltrarno, Piazza Santo Spirito on Via Michelozzi-excellent ribollita, ravioli, trippe, an entire meal for around $25.00US, and locals to boot.

I've not been to La Giostra but have to agree that La Casalinga is an excellent choice for a homey trattoria serving local fare.

Bookmarking, Grazie!

bookmarking. thx

my all-time favorite is bocca negra http://boccanegra.com/web/index.php -- my favorite and also antico noe both for the cheap and delicious paninis at lunch and their unique and more expensive dinners http://www.fodors.com/miniguides/mgr...erty_id=315930
i just got married in florence at the palazzo vecchio and had our reception catered in a villa at the end of May. we had two communal dinners the two days preceding the wedding with 60 people at ristorante belcore http://www.ristorantebelcore.it/ and il latini http://www.illatini.com/ both were crowd pleasers and I recommend them both as well. have a wonderful time!!

If you are looking for an upscale, elegant, authentically Florentine restaurant that serves some of the best "bistecca alla Fiorentina" in the city, handles their own cuts of beef, has house made pastas and great desserts (some fish dishes as well) you need to try BUCA LAPI-one of the oldest restaurants in the city, -but not cheap-dinner for two will run you over $150.00US now, without wine-but they have a stellar list of reserve Chiantis to complement their food. Located on the corner of the elegant Via Tornabuoni and Via del Trebbio, right in the heart of Florence's historical center.

http://www.bucalapi.com/home-eng.htm

Also, just like the "aperitivo" of Venice and the Veneto is "lo spritz" Florence has its own special "aperitivo-the NEGRONI -gin, sweet vermouth, Campari, with a slice of orange. Try one in the many bars or enoteche of Florence during aperitivo hours-generally, 5pm onwards.

Thanks for all the great ideas! I am so grateful.