Please see the attached photos of the Bistecca alla Fiorentina, which Buca Lapi themselves tout as stellar -- I'll let the photo speak for themselves. When the steak arrived, I cut into a few random spots to check doneness, noticed it was sordidly overdone, and called a waiter over. They insisted this was normal and not overcooked, explaining that because it was from a female cow the meat turns a different colour than what we would be more used to seeing in bistecca alla Fiorentina. To their credit, they offered to redo it, but cautioned that it would come out exactly the same. Ironic, given their penchant for inconsistency. I was already wary of this place because of reviews of inconsistency, but for a restaurant that prides itself on bistecca alla Fiorentina, how does this even leave the kitchen? The chocolate cake they comped was stellar, though. read more

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Florence friend took us here, centrally located very nice atmosphere. It's a classic restaurant for Bistecca Fiorentina, excellent service and food! Would definitely recommend and come again. Definitely order the steak - it's so large you can share with a friend or two... they have other dishes but the focus is the bistecca! read more

Buca Lapi - Florentine style steak - don't miss ordering this! - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

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We went to this traditional restaurant. Food and atmosphere were okay. Seemed a little rushed and dated. We won't go back. To many other choices in Florence read more

Buca Lapi is an upscale, frills restaurant catered toward an exceptional fine dining experience. Our favorite part of Buca Lapi was being greeted by the owner upon arrival, as well as, having extremely attentive service. We had one of the best waiters named Giuseppe. It was fascinating to watch him gracefully move around his section serving his tables. Unfortunately, I think we dined in Buca Lapi on an off night. We heard they were known to have one of the best Florentine Steaks in the city. Naturally, always trying to find the best when we travel, we made a reservation weeks in advance. Our excited anticipation quickly fell short. The steak did not live up to its legendary write ups. Maybe, if we hadn't had a perfect Florentine Steak a few nights prior, we would have been wow'd. However, I'm not so sure. The steak we were served had a great open flamed charred marking and flavor, but it was very overcooked and unsalted. Traditionally, Florentine Steaks should be served more on the rare side. This was a flat medium tip toeing on medium well side. My husband and I are not ones to complain while at a restaurant, especially one that has as much critical acclaim as Buca Lapi. For every steak served, the waiters would cut it off the bone for the customers. In our opinion, this meant that this was how they serve their Florentine Steak. Their representation. Which, let me note, was not awful. It was just not the best Florentine Steak in Florence that week. After we left, we wondered why they served it to us. Maybe, they thought because we were tourists we wouldn't know the difference? I'm not sure and do not want to pass a judgement like that, however, for the cost of our meal we did feel a bit taken advantage of. Ultimately, I'm hoping that this was just a fluke of a night! On a positive endnote, my husband loved their pici pasta and I just loved their vibe. (: read more

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One cannot go to Florence without having Florentine steak. Do I recommend this place?? A THOUSAND YES!! I've had a lot of steak in my days. Not including wagyu, this is by far the best steak that I have had in my life! And that's a lot coming from me!! We ordered a steak FOR ONE to share and it was massive! The server doesn't ask how you want your steak and I absolutely LOVED that! One way, rare! The steak came sizzling hot, but not bloody. The first bite was heaven on earth! You can taste and feel the salt crystals (which was just the right amount) and then once the meat hits your mouth, you just knew everything inside (and outside) of you did the happy dance! We ordered the roasted potatoes and it just melted, MELTED in your mouth! But it wasn't mushy in any way. We had a nice yummy panna cotta for dessert and then ended with an espresso. We didn't have reservations so we waited until they opened for dinner in hopes to be seated. The inside of the restaurant is super lovely. This was the best meal we had in Florence! Make reservations because they fill up fast! Buca Lapi will always have a special place in my . read more

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Food, ambiance, and service were exceptional. You can really tell that the ownership and people who work here care about every guest's experience. read more

Buca Lapi - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

Since 1880 Buca Lapi has been a part of Florence, the vaulted Palazzo Antinori cellar lined in posters while formally dressed servers play well to crowds comprised mostly of tourists seeking an "Authentic" Tuscan meal. Maintained through slow restoration, old lampshades scribbled with the names of visitors adding to its charm, diners will find white tablecloths plus an extensive Wine list from which Reds such as house Chianti are more pricey than similar local eateries. The oldest Restaurant in town, and arguably the most straightforward, all tables begin with basic Bread followed by Antipasti including Salads or Soup and Charcuterie including warm Liver on Toast. Known to make all Pastas on-site, Pappardelle with Wild Boar Ragu frankly underseasoned while signature Cannelloni eat richer thanks to Cheese and Cream, most tables will splurge for €70 Bistecca alla Fiorentina served Rare while Veal Meatballs are overworked and forgettable. read more

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This restaurant is overrated. Of course we wanted to like it - no-one wants to have a poor experience - but we regret having gone there. Service was rushed and the server agitated. The hand-made pici pasta was horrid (none of our party remotely liked it); the bread was bland; the other dishes we had were mediocre. The decor is nice enough but any warmth of the interior is removed by the service. We did not try the steak, which is one of the supposed mainstays - at 140 euros for two perhaps it is a heavenly experience. Given the taste of the other food and the price for the steak I am glad we did not roll the dice on that dish. There are many better restaurants to go to in Florence. Unless you are friends with the owner I would skip this one. read more

I don't have much to offer that you won't see in other reviews. But, this was great food. This is where we decided to take the plunge and enjoy the steak of Tuscany. Steak for one was more than ample for the two of us, even if we hadn't also gotten appetizers! We enjoyed a veal and fresh pasta dish, a potato and squash gnocchi - both excellent. We had a side of spinach and a side of potatoes with our steak. There was no way we could eat it all but we tried our best! The interior is charming. It really is an old wine cellar, down a few steps from the street with lower vaulted ceilings. We sat in the front area so we're lucky enough to also enjoy watching them make all the food. read more

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When in Florence, you go to Buca Lapi! This restaurant is one of the oldest restaurants in Florence, opened in 1880 is located in a wine cellar- Ambiance- intimate, travel posters adorn the curved ceiling and you get to make your mark by signing the poster! When in Firenze, you must order the Bistecca alla Fiorentina - pretty amazing and way too much steak but tender, perfectly grilled, the star of the ristorante! Cannelloni Buca Lapi - ricotta cheese, spinach, veal ragu covered with a tomato cream sauce- divine! Other sides - sautéed spinach, roasted potatoes, fried mixed veggies (tempura style) - good! 5 stars for the best meal in Firenze! Giuseppe, our server was superb / efficient - he gets 5 stars for best server.. Highly recommend Buca Lapi read more

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Florentine steak!! That's the only thing to get at Buca Lapi. We ordered steak for two and the portion was MASSIVE! They don't ask how you want it cooked so we just got it as it comes. And let me tell you - it comes rare! We loved the roasted potatoes as well but honestly just the meat and complimentary bread would have been plenty. Get the house wine! Delicious, full body and smooth at only 20 or 22 euro, I can't remember exactly. I recommend making reservations far in advance because it fills up fast! read more

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This is a great find. You definitely need reservations. They have an amazing selection of different types of meats, rabbit, veal, etc.. We had pastas and the chickpea kale soup, which was phenomenal. The chocolate torte was very rich, but amazing. Staff was absolutely wonderful. It was our first night in Florence and a perfect, first night dinner. The restaurant is adorable downstairs and the wall murals and decor great. read more

Buca Lapi - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

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Buca Lapi is an amazing authentic Florentine food experience. The staff is prompt and professional. They are truly there to make sure you have the best local cuisine. The bistecca and tripe florentine were so delicious. The table side preparation of the insalata mista was a nice touch. Everything was fresh and cooked to perfection. I do recommend reservation. Buon Appetito! read more

Buca Lapi - bistecca - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

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Amazing food. Amazing service. Reservations are a must. It's a must visit when you are in Florence.

A visit to Buca Lapi was a special treat for me from my wife, who doesn't eat red meat. Well I do, and this place is famous for a few things (1) being an ancient restaurant with a kitschy yet cavernous dining area (2) serving a "steak florentine" that is 2 f*%^ing inches thick. (That's 5 f*%^ing centimeters.) Or at least 1 1/2 inches. They are not shy about this steak. If you are interested in ordering it, they have one of the chefs cart the whole side of beef out and show it to you. Then they cook it, "sort of." I say "sort of," because you can't really cook a 2 inch thick steak in a reasonable amount of time. So they sear it pretty well on each side, and bring it out to you. The result is a steak whose edges are magically delicious, and whose central portions are basically blue rare - like steak tar tare that has not been sliced or seasoned. I mostly enjoyed the experience, but gave up about half way through and got a to-go bag. For the next day's brunch at our shared airbnb, I found a frying pan, some olive oil, salt and pepper, and fried up those leftovers, producing the best damn brunch steak my buddy and I had had in awhile. read more

Buca Lapi - Delicious meat pasta. But had to save room for Florentine steak. - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

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Amazing service and we're still talking about the food months later. The decor alone is worth going to see.

Just WOW! This was recommended by a neighbor so we made a reservation in advance which was good since they were turning people away w/o reservations. We didn't know this was the oldest restaurant in Florence, but they don't rest on the past. They have the usual Florentine Steak in 2 sizes, for one person or 2. We split the single since we also wanted to try the pastas and I had the French onion soup, I guess Italian onion soup which came out boiling! It was great, once it cooled off, and was not smothered in bread & cheese, just the right amount. The steak was far better than we had had in another recommended restaurant, a bit more expensive but worth it. The pasta was also good. Once done they brought a complimentary flourless chocolate cake, one of my favorites. Highly recommend . The Restaurant is in the cellar, fair warning if you are addicted to your phone, there is NO wifi or cell service :) read more

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We walked in with perfectly good money and decent clothing and we were turned away by the old guy. Yes, they had tables available. A member of my party went back in to ask if we could make a reservation for tomorrow and she was going to seat us but he gave the throat cutting motion to her not to seat us. The food may be good but the service is clearly exclusive. read more

We were lucky to secure the Last Chance table! The service was incredible! We tried the steak Florentine, and a myriad of other dishes...everything was phenomenal! Appreciate the restaurant and the staff - thanks for helping to make our Florence experience amazing! read more

Closer to a 4.5 but really a magical place all around. Welcoming, professional service (which is rare in Italy)....sublime food (even the mixed salad was heaven)....and the Bistecca.....pure bliss!! Really cool décor and ambience as well. A must-visit for sure! read more

If I could give six stars to his business, I would. It's located in a cellar & decorated with old poster shellacked on the ceiling. Without a doubt, the best steak I've ever had. The service from the waiter. I had was outstanding. He explained the pastas to my wife, and told her what to order. He got her a glass of wine, even though she didn't want one complimentary. The steak was absolutely outstanding,. The pasta out of this world . When you put the entire experience together, if you were in Florence and you missed his restaurant you made a mistake. Btw, the oldest restaurant in Florence read more

Food in Florence and Tuscany is pretty outstanding, but dinner at this renowned Florencian Steakhouse with owner and Chef Luciano will be one of the most memorable meals you'll have! This restaurant is a favorite among locals and tourists. Reservations are required but are available online. Easily booked several weeks in advance, especially during peak season, you will definitely want to plan accordingly! Luckily, I came during mid-May and only needed a table for 1 so I was able to squeeze in a reservation just 2 days prior. The restaurant has a lovely ambiance! The decor is simple, elegant yet homey. Not pretentious or stuffy, but still sophisticated and neighborly. It's a great balance of fine dining meets home cooking! You get a peak into the kitchen and the restaurant is divided into 2 main dining rooms and a couple of tucked away private areas. Since it's a steakhouse, food is focused on meats but there are also several other options including seafood and pasta. I highly doubt you can go wrong with any choices here. Food is prepped daily, produce is always local, and there are always daily specials. I had the handmade pasta with peas and wild boar meat sauce, steak for 1, side of fried green beans, local house red wine, and chocolate torte. The pasta was perfection! Warm, buttery, with immense flavor but not overpowering. Simple but tasty! The steak was by far one of the best I'd ever had! I clearly couldn't finish it but I ate it 2 days later, cold and could cut it with a butter knife! It was divine! I don't drink wine in the US b/c I have a severe allergy to alcohol but I was able to tolerate this lovely house red that was so smooth. Chocolate torte is a house specialty made with no sugar, flour or eggs but tasted rich like chocolate ganache without all the refined ingredients, or the guilt! Service was stellar and I was able to meet and chat with head Chef and owner Luciano to learn about this amazing restaurant but also witness his love for food! One of the tables was a return customer, 2 nights in a row and was hoping for a 3rd during their week long visit! If a group of 10 hopes to eat at the same restaurant 3 times in a week, clearly they're doing something right! After dining here, I sent several other people I met during travel to this restaurant and all reported back with rave reviews! This by far was my best meal and Florence and one of the most wonderful dining experiences I've ever had in my life! I will always remember this wonderful meal and the amazing love and spirit that makes this food so delicious! If you're in Florence, I hope you don't miss out on this fabulous restaurant b/c it has a reputation for a reason! read more

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Went in without reservation and the owner found us a table for 2. The steak was incredible, polenta and beef divine. We ordered a glass of house red which was cab franc that the owner makes!!! It was amazing!!! Don't think twice about eating here! Make a reservation today!! read more

Buca Lapi - Incredible!!!!! - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

Our 3rd time to this beautiful establishment. We look forward to making our reservation here every time we are in Florence. It's the history and the experience that we love. Due to the pandemic, there was a shorter menu which allowed us to try some new dishes. We got there timely at 6:45pm according to our reservations. We were asked to show our vaccination cards or the green pass. For our first, we had Cannelloni "Buca Lapi" and handmade pici pasta with meat sauce and wild fennel. Our next course was the steak for 2 with spinach, olive oil and garlic. The steak is medium rare to rare which is how it is always cooked and should be cooked. If you want your steak medium or higher than keep walking to the next restaurant. Although, I did see someone send their steak back to be a little more cooked (tsk tsk). Reservations are a must else you will be denied seating ...even if you show up early. read more

In our visit to Florence (11/27/2019) we were hoping to give the legendary "Florentine Steak" a go and I'm glad that we went to Buca Lapi. The steak was fantastic along with the service. The waiter was both attentive and very friendly in making our (group of 5) experience a good one. The place was filled with locals and it felt like we were the only Americans there. The interior was really neat as the walls were plastered with old travel posters / airline posters. The steak was wonderful. My understanding is that Florentine Steak is often served rare or medium rare at the most. The waiter gave us the lowdown saying it will be bloody and was actually super fine with us getting it "medium". It was super flavorful and one of the highlights of our trip. A table of Italians next to us ordered the "Beef Steak for two" and it was wheeled over on a table with the waitress cutting the steak up for the table. Super interesting and entertaining! Once this COVID19 thing goes away, definitely give this place a shot. Great Steak, great environment, and a solid staff. read more

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I went to this place because it was highly recommended by family and friends The atmosphere is amazing The staff very helpful Presentation of food was great The soups we ordered were delicious I was slightly disappointed with the steak ... don't get me wrong it was great yet expected it to be much better than that Maybe I had a bad piece of meat or was just unlucky Strong recommendation to visit this restaurant read more

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We were recommended to this restaurant by a friend who rated it very highly, but we were disappointed by the service of our waitress. Even though there is a language barrier that caused some confusion, she was very impatient with our attempts to speak italian. We were just trying to tell her we wanted to order our appetizers and still needed to decide what we wanted for our entrees, and she was very impatient with us. Also, snarkily corrected our italian, when I accidentally spoke Spanish. Last, the food left more to be desired. I don't remember our servers name but she had bleach blonde hair with yellow tips, and we were there Monday, January 9th. Ci è stato consigliato questo ristorante da un amico che lo ha valutato molto bene, ma siamo rimasti delusi dal servizio della nostra cameriera. Anche se c'è una barriera linguistica che ha causato un po' di confusione, era molto impaziente con i nostri tentativi di parlare italiano. Stavamo solo cercando di dirle che volevamo ordinare i nostri antipasti e dovevamo ancora decidere cosa volevamo per i nostri antipasti, e lei era molto impaziente con noi. Inoltre, ho corretto sgarbatamente il nostro italiano, quando ho parlato accidentalmente spagnolo. Infine, il cibo lasciava più a desiderare. Non ricordo il nome del nostro server ma aveva i capelli biondo candeggina con punte gialle, ed eravamo lì lunedì 9 gennaio. read more

We had a fantastic dinner that far exceeded our expectations, the food, service and circuses were exceptional!

Really one of the best restaurants I've been to in Florence. The service, the ambience... Especially the food was absolutely extraordinary! It was really perfect. Best food I've had in Florence. Absolutely love this place!! The manager loved us so much he gave us 3 bottles of wine/champagne and dessert on the house. Average-priced IMO but with great service and ambience. P.S. Do not be late for your reservation because they will give the table away after 15minutes. If you make the reservation on line be sure to bring confirmation with you. read more

The experience starts off with you heading down a set of stairs used centuries ago as the entrance to the Antinori palace wine cellar. It reminds me more of a traditional Steakhouse in the States than a Tuscan restaurant... that being said the ambiance is great, while the service and management is truly top-notch and professional. All of your favorites are done extremely well with high quality ingredients being used all over the menu. You should not attempt Bistecca alla Fiorentina anywhere else! read more

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As a first time visitor to Florence and someone who booked a reservation at Buca Lapi exactly 30-days out (which is the furthest they will confirm) I wanted to love my experience there from the beginning. We just visited tonight (Wednesday) and we're going solely for the bistecca a la fiorentina as a final night celebration dinner. The restaurant and ambiance look exactly as shown on the internet. Unfortunately, I found many of the reviews of the food and service to be an exaggeration. My wife and I ordered the house wine, which is not on any menu but excellent along with the bistecca for two, roasted potatoes and the sautéed spinach. While the potatoes and spinach were both excellent and the better part of the meal, the steak did not live up to expectations. We received an extremely fatty cut of bistecca. The two separate slabs cut by our waiter left each my wife and I with essentially an 8-10 oz. Piece of meat from what was advertised as a 2Kg steak. What was edible was good, despite being more on the rare side than requested. However, it's hard to justify the $140 euro price when half of what you pay for is discarded as bone and inedible fat grizzle. There are surely better restaurants of the hundreds serving bistecca in the city center offering better value for the price including those offering traditional chianina beef which Buca Lapi does not (they serve Marchigiana breed). Our waiter was largely non-existent or particularly engaging with us at all other than to take the order and deliver food. He was not helpful in selecting the single or two person steak, nor did we get steaks presented to us before or after ordering as some reviews suggest is commonplace. Overall ok/good but not great. Likely many better options for the price and wouldn't go back. read more

We were told by many people that Buca Lapi had the best bistecca fiorentina so we went there right when it opened at 7pm and were thankfully sat immediately. We got a table right in front of the kitchen, which was a great vantage point. We got to watch the chefs slice huge pieces of steak right off a giant loin for each order. The space is warm and inviting, and the main dining room is decorated with decoupaged images all across the ceiling. Service was excellent and prompt, and we were recommended a wonderful bottle of wine. Our main objective was the bistecca, so we started with an order of ribollita to share. It was by far the BEST ribollita I've ever had, and a must for visiting guests. It's a traditional tuscan dish that can really only be found in Florence. We ordered the steak for two along with roasted potatoes and fried zucchini. The steak was incredibly juicy and the side dishes went perfectly with it. We tried as best we could to finish the meat, but it was an impossible task. We probably would order the steak for one next time. Everything there was so well-cooked and authentic. Even though the people dining around us were mostly all tourists, it is certainly not a tourist spot in terms of quality of food. It was one of my favorite meals in Florence and I can't recommend it enough! read more

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Great ambiance in a cellar atmosphere. Server was very nice. Lots of food. Known for steaks, but pastas were very nice as well. Good wine list. Definitely recommend. Quick note: Apple Maps put us on wrong end of block, so keep looking on other end of block. read more

Fabulous, phenomenal, etc. it's a Florentine steakhouse. Ordered the steak for 1. It was very good but enormous. Larger than any American serving I could have imagined. I'm guessing close to 3 lbs. just wow read more

This is the only steak place that I can give 5 stars too. I am love my steak therefore very fussy with the way it is handled. All I ask for is a good piece of meat done to my taste (medium rare) with nothing but some veggies on the sides. I always struggle to understand how restaurants can actually screw that up. This is the only place in this whole world where I absolutely enjoyed my steak. Based on reviews online, I was prepared to share the steak with my not so steak loving hubby. The portion is massive. No offence to other steak lovers who do not like to have medium rare or rate meat. I was told that this place used to turn off customers who could not eat their meat rate or medium rare. I think they have become a bit more accommodating with that now considering they actually have lots of American tourist who actually come there to eat pizza and pasta (I was shocked). Maybe that makes them accepting towards other steak consumers (in any form). But the steak itself is the best when it is rare or medium rare. The meat is so good that there is nothing much required. Please go to this place to have heavenly steak and respect the steak and do not order pasta and pizza. I personally would not mind visiting Firenze just to eat here. read more

Buca Lapi - My steak - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

I never really appreciated the value of good service until I got to Italy...where good service was often hard to find. Truly friendly and kind interactions stand out when you're otherwise dealing with waiters who are tired (understandably so) of dealing with Americans. At Buca Lapi, our food was good but moreover the service was an island of kindness in a sea of haughty formality or fake friendliness. Anyway, about the food, which is probably what you care more about: - Florentine Steak - omg this thing is seriously massive. The serving for 1 is really for 2. FYI it's not seasoned with much of anything, and even the fattier t-bone cut is on the leaner side, so don't expect some sort of wagyu flavor bomb. This was good, but I would say looks were more impressive than taste. - pasta with veal and tomato- this was in wide-ribbon form, and one of the specials of the day. It was savory and delicious without being heavy. - chicken stew- this was salty and tasty. Hope you like tomatoes and olives if you order this. Oh also I hope you like dark meat, bc my portion was ONLY dark meat*, which I thought was amazing (*it had 3 chicken wings- yes 3- and chicken wings are technically white meat but no one ever thinks of that way) - fried zucchini- these were fried in light airy strips- I could swear that it's tempura batter but the waitress said it wasn't read more

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Exquisite! You must eat at this special restaurant if you are in Florence. The food, ambience and energy in this restaurant are unmatched. My husband and I shared a bottle of Guado Del Tasso with the delicious Tuscan Bean salad with Tuna as an appetizer, a homemade pasta with tomato and basil and the Florentine Steak for one with a mixed green salad. It was delicious. Highly recommended. read more

In our 7 day trip to Rome and Florence this was far and away our favorite restaurant. The service was amazing and the food was even better. We started with a veal and porcini pasta that was insane followed by one of the better steaks we've had. Seriously top 3 steaks I've had in my life. We got fried zucchini to go along with it, also good, cooked perfectly. For dessert we got a fresh ricotta special served with strawberries. Simple but so delicious. We wish we ate here every night of our trip! read more

The oldest in Florence they say. Our service wasn't very good. Meat undercooked. Waiter didn't bring olive oil with bread. Quality ok but not great. There are better places. read more

Honestly. It was just ok. We were super stoked to eat here and so thrilled we got a last minute ressie..but quite honestly- it was just ok. The steak was actually overdone- and we asked for rare. Strange right? The pici special pasta was mushy- flavor was good- but texture? Notsomuch. We went as part of our honeymoon and they did not even congratulate us...again strange!! Needless to say- next time we are in Florence, we will not return and most likely not recommend. read more