We had a delicious dinner here about a month ago. The inside of this restaurant is beautiful and very classy. Our server was also very attentive. We started with the truffle caprese, which wasn't super flavorful and was missing some of the truffle flavor. We also shared the minestrone, which wasn't super flavorful absolutely delicious! For my main course I had the purple cabbage risotto with burrata and crispy bacon. The bacon added a nice salty flavor, which wasn't super needed because I felt that the risotto itself needed seasoning. My husband enjoyed the land with fresh black truffle and white truffle cheese sauce. He thought it was delicious and very flavorful! read more

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A variety of delicious food in a nice ambiance. Decent service. Good wine. Good times. I would recommend this restaurant if you want to have a good meal and make some nice memories while in Florence. read more

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We made reservations for dinner for our last night in Florence, and it did not disappoint. The food was fantastic, from start to finish. The servers were all very helpful and attentive, even though the place was packed. Would definitely recommend to others. read more

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I am reluctant to write brilliant reviews as I worry I won't be able to make a reservation... but HOSTARIA Il DESCO was out of this world. From the moment we entered, we were treated like family! Done was so helpful and funny and kind as we ordered. We tried several dishes... Asparagus with pistachios, truffle pasta, pasta with wild boar, Carbonara, Bistecca Florentine and a perfect bottle of Villa Donoratico '22. For dessert, a pistachio cheesecake and carnucci with vin santo. The service was perfect. the atmosphere lovely. And I haven't mentioned that the ENTIRE menu can be made gluten free so celiacs can eat safely. This place is a winner! Great food and a warm welcoming atmosphere. GO! Mangia! read more

Beautiful decor . Hostess kindly sat us a lot a nice table. Next person involved with serving our meal look very uninterested in us. Only later did I see him perk up with another couple. Our waitress was kind and energetic. We got the pasta with mushrooms; bland noodles. The minestrone was good. Had the chicken next: good. This place is a disappointment . Fairly average food almost like a tourist trap. read more

Hostaria Il Desco - Minestrone: good - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

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We had a fantastic dinner here. The ambiance in the restaurant was cozy and felt very Italian. The service was good and when we asked about the wine list or chose a bottle that was not available, they offered good suggestions. We started with the selection of cheeses and the caprese and both were wonderful. We had one person in our party with Celiac and they ensured that our shared dishes were free of cross contamination with gluten and offered him a fully gluten free menu. The only seafood on the menu seemed to be prawns, but there were plenty of pasta and meat dishes to choose from. I chose the tagliolini with gorgonzola and truffle which was fantastic. I also had the opportunity to try the baked rack of lamb and tomato soup, which were both delicious. Our table of 8 ordered 2 Florentine steaks to share after our pasta dishes, which was the perfect amount. I don't eat steak often but I enjoyed it. The steak lovers at our table said it was the best steak they ever had. read more

Hostaria Il Desco - Truffle and gorgonzola pasta - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

Doris approved 5 stars- my second in Italy. Guys- went for lunch. It's March. It rained off and on today so we wanted soup to warm our souls/bones. We made a reservation (I highly recommend you take the time to make them anywhere in Florence. We were seated right away and the waitress was lovely. ***My mother and I both ordered soup- both bowls were empty when our waitress collected them*** I had the bread soup, it was warm and buttery full of favor, like someone hugged me. My mom had the minestrone, it was fresh, light, and had tons of depth. The broth was a standout. Nothing watery about these bowls of love. We also got a side of beans. Guys, I highly recommend. I will crave this item for the rest of my life. These Tuscan beans were bold, bright, as if cooked for hours, the sage, tomato's, the amount of favor was so impressive. I mean there was a master back in the kitchen. *The place is romantic and full of charm. *Bathroom was clean. *Table was a perfect size (in my opinion for two) *Food was fresh. *Made of love. *The music was happy and made the restaurant less intimidating. *I wore jeans but I did go for lunch. It is white table cloth so for dinner, I wouldn't recommend wearing jeans- this is a place you can get dressed up and go have a beautiful meal. *Wasn't hard to find. *Seats about 35 people- up stairs small yet powerful restaurant. *The internet was the faster I've experienced in Florence. For everything, water, coffee, two soups, side of beans, 31,oo€ Best soup, I've had here. I highly recommend. read more

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Hands down the best meal we had our entire time in Florence. We are still talking about in weeks later. They also had one of the best gluten free menus for me! My husband shared a few of the naturally GF items with me and ordered off the regular menu with the same level of satisfaction that I had for my GF items (I have celiac disease). When it comes to service is Italy, if you need a quick meal you shouldn't dine at fine establishments like this one. Our service was wonderful here and hope to someday be back! read more

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Food was decent, location was great, Service was really nice. Our waiter was extremely nice, this guy was amazing. Accomadated us for our allergies and was very patient with us. Very sweet person. Overall I would recommend coming her, very allergy friendly place read more

This was our favorite restaurant during our week stay in Florence this past July - so much so that we ate here three evenings as a family of four! The decor is beautiful and the tables comfortable. The food was outstanding and the service friendly and professional. They even gifted us an additional appetizer and limoncello on our final evening for being loyal customers! When we return to Florence, we certainly be back! A special thanks to the manager who went out his way to be hospitable to our family. read more

Within the beautiful alleys of antique Florence with excellent food, friendly yet professional service and great comfortable ambience. We shared several appetizers including the board of cured meats, cheese board and zucchini salad, the picci pasta with buttata cheese was amazing and the secondi also really good. Good selection of wine. read more

Such a fabulous wonderful location just near the Apple Store ..tucked away Best food service coffee in all of Firenze Really friendly staff .. I was blown away by the coffee and sandwiches ..so fresh theyre walking off the plate Really lovely Barista and servers Really cute place to meet a secret lover or just a friend read more

We had an absolutely fantastic experience at Hostaria Il Desco! The experience began by finding it tucked away off the beaten path. Yes, it was close to a major piazza, but what isn't in Florence? We had made reservations in advance. So, it was easy to get seated in their intimate dining area. We began with house wine, tomato with truffle and bufala appetizer, two pasta courses (bolognese and risotto), and a delicious fluffy chocolate cake dessert. Every course was paced perfectly, and the service staff was super attentive. We probably spent about 2.50 hours during our dining experience and did not feel rushed at all. We will definitely be back during our next visit to Florence! read more

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We went to this restaurant without any expectations as it was quite late, and I must say it ended up being one of our best dining experiences in the city. Located off the road, this restaurant is definitely a hidden gem. We loved the ambience of the place and the service was unmatched as well. We tried some new dishes such as carpaccio and liver pâté crostini, which were both super flavorful and served as a wonderful introduction to our main course of roasted lamb and vongole (clam) pasta. I highly recommend getting the dark chocolate cake for dessert; it's a perfect balance of not being too heavy but also not being dry at all. Overall, this dinner was definitely one to remember for our trip and is absolutely worth visiting! read more

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The food was ok, ambiance was very good, the service was poor, not welcoming and visibly overwhelmed. The waiter who seemed to have some managerial responsibilities should consider working in another industry, extremely poor attitude. Florence is an amazing city but seems overwhelmed by tourists this year and the service industry including hotels appear to be quite frustrated. read more

Honestly don't waste your time especially if you are American. Waiters were blatantly choosing the French and Spanish speaking tables over us. Took over 40 minutes to get appetizers and then had the gall to tell us that at 9pm they had another reservation for that table. How about you serve a proper service for 2 hours and we would be happy to leave on time then? Other tables got free limoncello shots after dinner. Not us. Food was decent but the subpar pompous service isn't worth it. Try someplace else. read more

This is my favorite restaurant of all time. OF ALL TIME. I spent 5 nights in Florence and, though I had about 20 restaurant recommendations, I had dinner here 3 of those 5 nights. I am gluten free and pescatarian, so it can be hard for me to find food at Italian restaurants. That was not the case here, as they had a complete, multi-page gluten free menu with TONS of options. They bake gluten free bread fresh in house every day and it is phenomenal. For starters, I had the cheese and honey platter the first day. It was a perfect starter and the truffle cheese (which I believe they told me has won several awards) had me in tears. I also got the asparagus flan and the truffle cream toast (not all on the same night) and they were very flavorful and amazing comfort food. For entrees, I stuck to gnocchi, which I believe is one of their specialties. The first and third night I got the gorgonzola pear gnocchi (I really wanted to explore the expansive menu but just HAD to get it twice). The gorgonzola cream was super rich and sprinkled with walnuts and caramelized pears. I think about this dish daily. I also tried the mozzerella marinara gnocchi and it was amazing too, but the pear one was unique so I had to get it twice. The servers were really fun too, they did some magic tricks for us at our table (balancing wine glasses and bottles) and had amazing wine recommendations for us. They were so friendly and a big part of the reason we kept coming back. As an American, I am also shocked at how reasonably priced things were. My friend and I split a bottle of wine each night, got appetizers, and two entrees and our total was generally what I would pay for ONE entree in America. You HAVE to go here if you are in Florence! read more

We went here on our honeymoon after traveling for 26 hours. Small adorable place and got the capers e, pappardelle with beef ragu, spaghetti, grilled veal, and beef with truffle cream sauce. Delicious! read more

In Florence for 3 nights and this was the best place yet, my hubby and I both agreed! Service, ambiance, and THE FOOD! Started off with a bottle of red wine Tuscany blend, because, well - because. Saw an earlier review about no olive oil? They're now sitting on the tables! Not an issue. They bring water and bread - the tomato bread was delicious. Then, the cheese plate starter. The restaurant won #1 sheep cheese in the world. In. the. World. Like in London, where they have sheep cheese competitions? They took their sheep cheese there, and, they won it! Don't know if that's a real thing, or, tourist trick? But, I will vouch, that sheep cheese was world's best yummy. It also came with some delicious jam and honey. Next, I got the much acclaimed gnocchi and my husband got spaghetti with clams. All home made pasta, in the restaurant, and both dishes were delectable. We added a side salad. We both agreed after Venice and 3 days in Florence, this was our best meal yet! Go here, now! read more

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We were only in Florence for two nights and we ate here both nights!! That's how great it is. The first night, we happened to stumble upon it when walking back to our Air Bnb. We ordered takeout because we wanted to enjoy our apartment. We ordered Spaghetti, Minestrone, and the Half Chicken w/potatoes. All 3 were fabulous. The spaghetti was the best we've had in Italy so far. And their potatoes are so delicious. The second night we ordered the zucchini salad, sliced beef, gnocchi, and potatoes. Once again, all of it was amazing!! I wish our Italian restaurants in the states tasted half as good. We also met the owner, Gabriel. He's probably the nicest guy in the world, and was so kind to us. If it weren't for our awesome Air Bnb apartment, we would've stayed to eat in the restaurant. The interior is very romantic and quiet. I'm only coming back to Florence to eat here again! Thank you Gabriel! read more

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Let me start off by saying the service at this restaurant was great! Our waiter was probably the friendliest, liveliest waiter in all of Italy. He was very attentive and friendly to us. He even gave us free limoncello shots on the house after dinner. I ordered the Veal Chop with Asparagus and Cheese. The dish itself tasted very good. The asparagus and cheese gave the veal chop a lot of flavor. However, as I started to cut through the veal chop, I noticed that the inside was not cooked at all and was completely raw. I love to eat my steaks medium-rare and have no issue eating carpaccio. However, I was unable to finish the dish because of how raw it was inside. If it wasn't for the meat being completely raw, I would have loved this dish. But unfortunately, it was raw and it completely killed my appetite. read more

Restaurant was pretty and food was incredible. Reasonably priced and staff was so friendly and respectful.

We visited this restaurant based on the reviews and all the gluten free options. We were there at the end of their lunch hours and ordered one gluten meal and one regular. I needed gluten free and was happy when they brought gluten free bread to the table--until I tried it. It was typical gluten free "dry" and completely lacking flavor. We ordered gnocchi's with gorgonzola sauce with pears and walnuts. The gnocchi were good enough, but the sauce was lack luster as well. A gorgonzola sauce should have a distinct flavor. We ordered gluten free tiramisu for dessert and that was very good. Good flavor and a definite repeat. The prices were in line with what other restaurants charge for similar dishes. The service was fine, but as much as I want a restaurant that offers gluten free to do well this is not one that I would return to or recommend. read more

I had the most incredible dish here! It was the spaghetti with the Chianti pomodoro sauce and pancetta. I had never tasted anything like it, it was just bursting with so many different flavors. It was one of those dishes that you know you're going to daydream about once you leave Florence. It was beautiful! Highly recommend this restaurant and the spaghetti dish, that I already miss. read more

We first visited 4 years ago based on a recommendation of a local shop owner and love returning this year. What a gem!! They are busy with locals at lunch time, reservations are recommended but not required. Great prices...they have a daily menu with great selections and prices between 7-10€. Wine was 1€ and cafe was 0.50€ with the lunch. My kind of prices! We always love the food, every dish has been amazing! read more

Hostaria Il Desco - Fantastic dessert! - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

We spent 3 nights in Florence & decided to eat here since it was close to where we were staying and because it had Florentine Steak that everyone told us we just had to try! It did not disappoint. It was a very small restaurant, but it was full when we went in Sep. & everything was excellent! I highly recommend it & definitely try the Florentine Steak! read more

Hostaria Il Desco - Florentine Steak - A must try when in Firenze! - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

All gluten intolerant individuals, mark your next destination!! The food is authentic, the ambiance is romantic, the service is exceptional, and There is a gluten free menu!! Every course, has a variety of gluten free options, where it truly felt like the entire menu could be prepared for anyone with any gluten allergies! It was such an amazing experience in Italy! Hands-down the most forward thinking restaurant and menu I've seen and now I cannot wait to return to Florence! This will be my restaurant of choice daily. While we were in Florence 3 days, we ate here 2 days in a row and we couldn't stop in on day 3 because I had a slight cold... otherwise we would've been there! The menu and place is truly that worth it!! Gensi- was our waiter and he is humble, sweet, and very professional. Thank you Gensi for showing us an amazing time, and making our trip even more sensational!! Ciao!!! read more

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I read in a travel blog that this was one of the places I had to go while in Florence and it did not disappoint. It is recommended to have a reservation and I was glad I did. Usually there are many locals there are night. I had the gnocchi with Gorgonzola cream sauce, pears, and walnuts. I could not get enough of the sauce! I tried to get as much as I could in every bite and when I had finished the gnocchi, I used bread to get the rest of the sauce. I also read that the cheesecake is incredible and it truly was. I savored every bite. I was so light and creamy and had a delicious raspberry sauce. The service that night was not the best, but I was not rushed and relaxed. Later when saying I wanted to come back again, the waiter said that I should because they were having a bit of a rough night and that they had been short staffed so I am assuming that it was just an off night for their service. I definitely recommend coming here and definitely get the cheesecake! read more

Hostaria Il Desco - Cheesecake - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

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This is where Yelp falls short. There is no ability to rate businesses in more than 1 category, only an overall rating, which is hard to do for certain places (in this case Il Desco). We had done some research online about Il Desco and decided to try it out for dinner 2 nights ago. We've been very lucky for the most part, being seating without more than 3 minutes wait without having reservations. As usual, we were seated quite quickly. Already, I was disappointed by the fact that most of the tables were occupied by English-speaking patrons (all tourists), so I was skeptical as to the legitimacy of Il Desco. Long story short, we waited a good 30 minutes before we placed our drink order. We just decided to order everything at once in case the server never came back for the food order. The food is very very good. This has to be the only reason to come here, because the customer service won't cut it. We ordered a beef carpaccio with raw veggies julienned on top (carrots, radicchio, lettuce, etc), and a Fiorentine Steak. The steak was perfectly cooked, salted and charred on the outside to give it a grilled flavor only the pros know how to make. Unfortunately, having stellar food cannot be the only reason why you go back to a place in a city filled with other amazing restaurants where the wait staff are actually nice and attentive. read more

Reservations are helpful for this local delight. Small and intimate the regular diners enjoy wonderful lively conversation. Visitors are greeted promptly and a little less attentively but the food more than makes up for this extremely tasty meal. read more

Hostaria Il Desco - This is a sumptuous seasonal desert of Mascarpone with Beira and fresh peaches departed by biscuits - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

Our best meal in Florence. Bistecca alla Fiorentina was tender and perfectly seasoned, ribollita soup hearty and delicious. They have an extensive gluten free menu, too. We tried to return another night but hadn't made reservations and they were full. The waitstaff were very pleasant both nights, very apologetic the second time about having to turn us away read more

We had 24hrs in Florence and squeezed in two meals there since our first dinner there was outstanding. They had the most extensive gluten free menu for my wife and often adjusted the daily special for her as well. We received separate bread baskets to start, with her receiving several different breads and crackers. All of our food was creative and excellent, not just your typical pasta and pizza at every other restaurant. Pricing? I saw the negative comment by another and he is wrong. It is an extremely reasonable restaurant for the creativity and quality of the food. Their specials were the highlights and often included water, wine,coffee. Espresso only 50cents? I had to tip as there was no service charge. We just want to thank the staff at Hostaria Il Desco for two of the best dining experiences on our introductory trip to Italy. Previously posted on trip advisor. read more

Hands down my favorite place in Florence. The service is amazing. The food is even more amazing. I was only in Florence for a few nights and came here twice! The gnocchi and the truffle pasta -- to die for. The pear flavored gnocchi melts in your mouth. And the truffle pasta is paired beautifully with white wine (generous on glass pours too! Best place in Florence. read more

Best pasta and house red wine! This place was right next to our air B&B. We had the spaghetti and bacon...wow! The house red wine is so good too! Definitely a great choice! read more

Best place ever! Waiter and staff were so attentive and funny. Received several dishes on the house, and the staff was very informative when we asked about the menu. One of my friends is gluten free, and they had an extensive gluten free menu. She said the gnocchi was delicious and filling. We also ordered the spaghetti, boar stew, and picci pasta. All delicious. At the end, they gave us free limoncello shots and even showed us a few magic tricks. Definitely an experience you don't want to miss out on. Shoutout Genci from Albania we love you!! read more

Gluten free paradise. Fresh mozzarella and prosciutto, homemade pasta, full bodied red house wine. Even fresh GF bread to soak up the flavorful olive oil. Charming atmosphere, and celiac safe. read more

Avoid it!!! Repugnant strive. Stuck up. "We can do no wrong". Entree for half of our group before others. Salads after all meals. Wine list not available. Needed to go to back room to get "current list". Food not fresh. Veal horrible. When asked the owner he said "that's the way we do it". DONT COME HERe read more

Awesome restaurant! reservations are recommended but not required. Love their spaghetti!

Easily one of the best restaurants in Florence. The staff are all some of the most friendly people I have ever met and I'm so glad I could find this place. read more

Very good and reasonably priced dinner! The restaurant itself is elegant and intimate. Food was delicious and we enjoyed the welcome drink and appetizer soup as compliments of the house. When traveling in a different country, and i have so many choices for dining out, I really do rely on the recommendations on Yelp...so I'm trying to pay it forward with adding pics and a review for this wonderful and highly recommended dining experience! Ciao! read more

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