Where's your favorite place to eat in Florence?
 

My husband and i will be arriving in Florence on Oct. 8 supposedly we will land at 1pm. I want to email the concierge at the hotel and ask that they make us a dinner reservation. I just can't decide where.Being from Louisiana we love good food, so I want a good restaurant. We will be staying at the Hotel Helvetia and Bristol, which Fodor's says has a decent restaurant. Just thinking since we'll be tired from traveling that might be the place to eat that first night. Any suggestions?

No suggestions on dining at your hotel or not, but my favourite restaurant in Florence is Cibreino, a deliberately simple trattoria run by a famous chef who is also responsible for Cibreo, the famous (and very expensive) elegant restaurant next door. But the food at Cibreino is coming from the same kitchen. Attention: no possibility to have your hotel make a reservation - Cibreino doesn't accept reservations. If the place is full, you'll just have to take an aperitif somewhere in the neighbourhood and come back later.

Baldovino's. We have only eaten at one of their two locations...the one located on the north side of Santa Croce. Their second location is supposedly a little more upscale. The food is consistently delicious.

Although Franco's restaurant is wonderful, waiting in line your first night, as you stated, will not be fun.

Your hotel can make a reservation for you at Il Giosto for the first night. We ate there in July. Big Bistecca alla Fiorentina ...enough for 4!

Check it out on google or ask your concierge about it. Franco probaly has an opinion on this one too ;-)

I suppose you mean La Giostra? But no, I've not been there - I found it overly expensive, and was too enthusiastic about Cibreino. I never had to wait in line, and I was in Florence in high season. Ten minutes of waiting at the most. And if it's actually worse, there is a third place run by the same owner around the corner, a café (don't recall the name) that's extraordinarily nice and beautiful and upscale. I'd wait there, sipping an aperitif...

Some years ago friends, locals, recommended this restaurant; Ristorante Celestino. We go here whenever we can. It's right across the Ponte Vecchio at Piazza S. Felicita 4/r - Firenze

Phone:
055-2396574

Web Site http://www.ristorantecelestino.it

Paco's near the central market or Aqua al Due. Both are fabulous. Paco's is a local gem.

Here are some of our favorites:
<b>Trattoria Nella</b>
http://www.trattorianella.com/

<b>Olio &amp; Convivium</b>
http://www.conviviumfirenze.it/index.asp

Trattoria Nella is a cozy, family run place. The food is simple, but delicious. We celebrated New Year's Eve here and then went back a second time for a more simple meal of soup &amp; pasta.

Olio &amp; Convivium is in the Altarno and is a little more upscale than Nella. For dessert I had a poached pear with glaced chestnut ice cream. I told the waiter it was too beautiful to eat (but I ate it anyway:).

We stumbled across Trattoria Quattro Leoni quite by accident (and a happy accident it turned out to be). It's across the river from your hotel but not enough so to be tiresome. Now on your second night (or any night thereafter), I'd heartily recommend Omero.

http://www.ristoranteomero.it/

Mrs. K and I had a most enjoyable and memorable meal there and I'd recommend it without hesitation

HTH
K

from my trip report:

1. TrattoriaSostanza -- this is one of our all time favorites. Consistently fantastic -- we’ve eaten dinner here five times.

2. Osteria Del Cinghialia Bianco (The White Boar) -- this is my new favorite. We ate here twice, recommended by a friend in Los Angeles who said it was the inspiration for the Italian restaurant he opened here.

3. Trattoria Mario -- they only serve lunch. Limited menu and simple dishes, but beyond belief flavor. Always crowded.

4. Osteria L’Antico Noi -- bar none the best sandwiches we have ever had in our lives.

HAVE A GREAT TRIP!!!

We stayed at Hotel Helvetia and Bristol in 2005. Included in our package was a dinner one evening in the hotel's restaurant. We thought the food was quite good.

We also enjoyed our dinners at La Giostra and Cantinetta Antinori.

Isugirl01, forgive me for hijacking your post, but, Franco can you tell me where Cibreino is located? I'll be in Firenze for two weeks in October and would love to check it out.

Isugirl01, have a great trip! I love Firenze and sure you will too.

jdc

we'll be in Florence for 3 days next month. I am trying to budget my time but could use help. We arrive in florence early afternoon on Friday oct 10. We leave monday morning for rome..That gives us about 1/2 of fiday and all day saturday and sunday. The only thing we have planned(we have our reservations) is on saturday...the Uffizzi in the morning and the accademia in the afternoon. Any suggestions on what to do..and where to eat(without spending too much would be appreciated. We were considering a day trip to sienna on sunday..but perhaps that is too much to fit in?

Thanks jdc26. I know i will love Florence. I've been once before with my daughter's class on a school trip, but we only were in Florence for an afternoon. I can't wait to go again. Although I loved it then, it will be nice to go where i want when i want, without 30 15year olds! They just wanted a McDonald's!!! It was a great trip, but too fast paced to really enjoy things. My daughter fussed at me cause I was always last - trying to get a picture! Our tour guide really kept us going. I heard &quot;Andiamo everyone!&quot; in my sleep!
Thanks to everyone for your suggestions. You just can't have too many places to eat! After 3 days in Florence we drive through Tuscany. Haven't really picked out an itenerary. We'll just go where the road takes us i guess. Sometimes those are the best trips. Keep those restaurant suggestions coming!

jdc, it's on Via de' Macci, 122r. Since Florentine street numbers are far less than practicable: it's at the corner of Borgo della Croce, i.e. on Via de' Macci's northern end.
(Btw, I don't link to Fodor's official review of Cibreino since it's a shame; not even the address is precise, and they're translating zucca gialla as yellow peppers!!!!!! Is it asking too much that somebody at Fodor's speak Italian??)

Thank you Franco. I will definitely look for it while in Firenze.

jdc

Isugirl01, this is my third trip to Firenze within a year. It just keeps calling me back and because I so enjoy being there I keep going back. Sometimes I think it's best when you have no itinerary and just go, as you say, &quot;where the roads takes you&quot;. You will definitely enjoy it this time without the 15 yr. olds and tour guide.

Do have a wonderful trip.

jdc

Perseus-best bistecca but you need reservations
La Giostra-overrated &amp; expensive
Lo Scudo (at the far end of the Duomo complex, away from the Bapistrey)-mix of locals &amp; tourists, inexpensive but very good-the only place in Italy we did a repeat performance
Il Latini-loved by most, disparaged by some, it is an experience no matter what &amp; the food was good regular Tuscan (I would compare it to a great NY diner w/all the sterotypes)-make reservations.
See other reviews &amp; Good Luck

I do intend to have a wonderful trip. We just went through hurricane Gustav and got some of the worst part of the storm. I'll be so happy to get away. I think I'm suffering from post traumatic stress syndrome! A trip to Tuscany will be just the right cure. A little shopping therapy while I'm there won't hurt either! As a side note, if any of you are college football fans, How 'bout them tigers?!!! (LSU tigers that is)Go tigers!

Ciao, Franco! It has been too long!!

From your comment about the translation..zucca gialla sounds like yellow squash to me...are you saying that that soup they make at Cibreo Trattoria is not yellow pepper..no wonder the version I tried to make at home did not come out the way it was in the restaurant!!

Greetings from Camogli, la bella!!