Across the river and in a slightly less touristy part of Florence we found this great spot. "Less touristy" is all relative, there are tons of tourists everywhere in Florence, and this spot had its fair share, but we loved the atmosphere. It was classy and dark inside, and had great Tuscan wine displayed throughout the restaurant. Everyone working at the restaurant was nice, cordial, and didn't seem to mind serving American tourists. Pretty much all of the food we ordered was top notch. We started with the standard charcuterie and cheese platter that is popular everywhere in Tuscany. The selection here was similar to many places, but that's not a terrible thing, it was fantastic. We then ordered the spicy tomato pasta sauce, which was the spiciest thing i tasted in Italy. I loved it but it was definitely spicy. Also for the pasta coarse we had the asparagus risotto, great. For the following course we tried the stuffed calamari and beef carpaccio. Stuffed calamari was above average. The beef carpaccio was just OK, I probably wouldn't order it again but no real complaints. We started with two glasses of white wine and we had a reasonable priced bottle of red with our dinner. Bill was about 100 eur. All in all, a great place. Highly recommend. Casual atmosphere, not too touristy and a cordial/friendly staff. read more

Il Santo Bevitore - meat, cheese, and white wine! - Italian Near Me - Florence, FI

It is across the Arno and about a 14 minute walk. However, you will be walking though a very nice and hip part of non touristy Firenze. Along the way you will see craft cocktail bars such as love and craft, MAD. Santo's cousine is more nouvelle... So, do t expect the classic trattoria experience. That said, the food, service, and overall experience was amazing. We had the tartare, vitello, and octopus which where all pretty much home runs. It's a smaller joint so if you have a large group, call for reservations. read more

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We decided to cross the river, a friend told us the neighborhood was less touristy. We came across this nice restaurant and were able to get a table for two. The restaurant is so nice inside, nice table settings. We ordered a good bottle of wine, and both had a starter and main dish. I had a really nice salad with hard cheese shaved on it, and walnuts, followed by the most delicious creamy cauliflower soup. This soup was excellent, so delicious. My husband had the herby risotto with fish on top that was really good, followed by a chicken dish. The food was very tasty. Service was excellent, really nice atmosphere and reasonable price. I would definitely go back if I had more time. read more

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My two girlfriends and I made reservations to this place while waltzing the streets of Florence. What attracted us was the ambience of the restaurant. Hands down, one of my most favorite dining experience. The food was amazing dish after dish. The service was also very wonderful. We had a number of items to share --which isn't the Italian way. I am sure the Italians must think we are either very tight with budget or on a strict diet. The burratta is a must. So amazingly delicious. I don't think I've had better burratta. The Umbria Sampler was also unforgettable. Amazing choices between 5 different meats. Sphaghettino Martelli with marinated anchovies, pine nuts & friggitelli peppers. So tasty! I loved the anchovies and the texture was great! Marinated Beef Carpacio with balsamic vinegar and pecorino cheese. Very tasty beef and well aged balsamic vinegar. Can't go wrong here. Marinated Sea Bass Panzanella with lime and cucumber sorbet. Cold dish but very refreshing! Creme Brulle ala pera with gelato al cardomomo. So delicious to have the hot and cold combination! I met the chef on the way to the bathroom and told him the food was great. They seemed to appreciate getting feedback here (not that it matters too much but I think chefs like hearing that people enjoy their food). Whatever you chose to eat, you'll probably enjoy like we did. Just make sure to have reservations! The staff speaks English and they have an English menu. They also have a great wine list!l read more

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This was the perfect mix of things I had never eaten before and things that I frequently eat but have never tasted so good before. I personally ordered the crispy octopus which was not only spectacular, but also came with the most delicious cherry tomatoes and avocado pieces I've ever had. I tried some of my father's rabbit (new thing) and it was tender and tasty as well. Our waitress was sweet and spoke English, and they even called us a taxi as we were paying to take us right back to our hotel. Great, lively experience and incredible food. read more

Il Santo Bevitore - They hang the meat right in the front of the restaurant - Italian Near Me - Florence, FI

Service was extremely unpleasant. The bread, despite being made by artisans daily (as they made sure to note on the menu) was unbelievably bland and possibly not fresh. The waiter was quite rude when I requested plates and oil/vinegar. I ordered pasta with lampredotto (abomasum) which was quite good; it had a light sauce with crispy fried artichoke, sort of similar to carciofi la giudia-style artichoke in Rome. One friend had some sort of seafood buccatini, and another friend had a spicy pasta with 'nduja or 'spreadable' pork sausage. The buccatini was fine, if a bit oily and plain. My other friend was quite excited about her pork sausage pasta, though it was quite spicy. Their dessert selection was interesting with some novel-sounding combinations of spices and ingredients. I wouldn't necessarily come back for dinner but I might stop in for a dessert... read more

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If there was one restaurant that I could take home with me after 2 weeks in Italy, it would be Il Santo Bevitore! The intimate environment, the phenomenal food dishes and the polite service went above our expectations. Reservations are needed and we highly recommend dinner here. read more

Il Santo Bevitore - Italian Near Me - Florence, FI

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Lovely setting. A bit of a mad house at opening at 7:30 with a mad tourist crowd queued to try to get a table (and you have to wait in the same line even if you have a reservation). Inventive food with great presentation, though not as bone-deep satisfying as some of the other amazing Italian food we had in Florence & Rome. A nice place to spend the evening, non-the-less. read more

You can't beat the ambiance and the fresh food. We had the umbria antipasti and it was a great way to sample a lot of different meats. The buratta was amazing, and the bed of sauteed spinach that it came out on was delicious. We also tried the spaghetti with clams and the spicy pasta dish. We were hoping for a more traditional pasta experience, so be prepared for some experimentation here. The spicy pasta sauce was more similar to a buffalo spicy wing sauce (an american thing). The clams had a gummy-type fish roe which added a unique flavor to my dish. It was good. Dinner reservations are a must. We came in February and still had to make reservations for a Sunday night (as with all of the other local dinner spots). We liked the ambiance here with the dark wood and candles on the table. read more

Made a reservation for our 15 year anniversary. We were seated inside. It's a tiny place with perhaps 4-5 tables outside and a handful plus 4 seats at the bar inside. These guys live wine. We started with appetizers. And I have to say that it was likely my most favorite meal. We tried 8 different wines, all suggested by our hosts. 2 whites and 6 reds and we wish we has room for more! The cold pasta was wonderful as was the cheese plate. We shared all plates, split wonderfully by the amazing chef. We will most certainly be back!' read more

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We wanted some more refined Tuscan food and read about this place on Eater. After all of those heavy trattoria meals, we were looking for something Italian but a little less nonna style heaviness. Unless you want to wait, make a reservation. We showed up at 9:45pm and still had to wait, but it wasn't too bad since the first round of diners seemed to be finishing up. They have a good number of beers and also wines by the glass. Unlike most other places, they actually have reasonable bread since they have their own bakery. Wines: I like that they had multiple options by the glass. Our sever knew a good amount about the wines and how they would go with the dishes. We tried the following: - Vermentino - Nero d'avolo - Nebbiolo - Punto rosso ... pours were generous. The punto rosso was definitely my favorite (a super Tuscan), and I ended up getting two of these. Food: I appreciated that I wasn't judged for what I ordered (unlike some other places where you can't ask for dressing on the side or order foods in random orders). - Garganelli with cherry tomatoes, zucchini, onions - great fresh flavors - probably the first pasta I've had in Florence with seasonal vegetables. Even better with extra parmesan (they give you a generous bowl for the table) - Turanicum wheat spaghetti with uni: surprisingly didn't taste like wheat the way American whole wheat pastas taste. The uni was great, but I thought it could have used a little more salt. Definitely richer than the other pasta - Crispy salad: to appease my guilt over the lack of vegetables on this trip - it felt so good to eat a salad (greens, pickled onions, tomatoes, fennel, parmesan) - Leek flan: with blue cheese fondue and fried leeks, pear - rich but great flavors Instead of dessert, we I opted for more wine. We were pretty full from the meal, and it was late. They were really nice about letting people hang around at the end of the night. It was a nice change from richer pastas and steaks that are so prevalent in Florence. It was a much more refined experience with more seasonal / lighter fare, and I would definitely come back. For 5 glasses of wine and the food + cover, it was €76. Credit cards accepted. read more

I made a reservation weeks in advance directly with the restaurant and when we arrived they did not honor it, even though I had (and still have) it in writing on my iPhone. The host acted as if it wasn't his problem, but after I protested he offered to seat my family and I as long as we could eat our meal in under 90 minutes. Challenge accepted, I thought. But after sitting at our table for twenty minutes, waiting to order I quickly realized that we would not have enough time to eat more than two courses. Yet again, I took it in stride and tried to remain positive. But after our waiter began treating us like we were somehow a thorn in his side, I began feeling the urge to just get up and leave. The food arrived and it was good, but certainly not good enough to justify the rude service, and certainly not the best food Firenze has to offer. We ended up skipping a course and leaving early due to the rude staff (I even had to pay our bill at the bar because we were so poorly treated by our server). There are too many delicious restaurants in Firenze to excuse this restaurant's terrible behavior. read more

Go for a great meal accompanied by good wine. Il Santo Bevitore is very welcoming with friendly helpful staff and a relaxed atmosphere. The food is not fussy but certainly more refined that your basic Tuscan fare. It might be advisable to book ahead over the weekend as tables can be hard to come-by - however it is worthwhile. read more

Il Santo Bevitore - Italian Near Me - Florence, FI

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I can't say enough good things about this restaurant, beginning with it's location in the Oltrarno (away from the madding crowd), and continuing through an wonderfully atmospheric setting with excellent service, an inviting menu, and well-crafted food. I ate here twice when I was In Florence recently, having already been there on prior trips. Reservations recommended. You won't be disappointed, especially with the cheese and charcuterie selections. read more

It was great! Definitely make a reservation. We didn't have one but got lucky to seat at the bar. The service was great and the food was absolutely delicious. The portion are perfect not small not too big. We'll come back! read more

Excellent!! This place was recommended by our tour guide. Classy atmosphere (white linen and candles) and excellent food. Service was excellent as well. I enjoyed the Ravioli! read more

I have been there during my last two visits to Florence. The first time was because a friend suggested it. Second time only because I loved it the first time. Il Santo Bevitore offers a quite complete menu with a large selection of traditional dishes as well as some more creative and contemporary creations. If you are into cheeses, the tasting of special sardinia cheese is an excellent option. Its pasta is also lovely and beautifully balanced. They also have a quite respectable wine selection. My pick was Villa Migliarina, an organic chianti that went very well both with the cheese and pasta. Enjoy! read more

Food was decent however the menus were all Italian and the wait staff struggled with English. We realize we are in Italy however this a major tourist city so to get 4 or 5 stars the establishment should be accommodating to foreign visitors. read more

A great, non-touristy dinner spot on "the other side" of the Arno that came recommended to us by our host. While waiting for a table, we started with a bottle of wine down the block at a wine bar that is operated by the same owner - fun place to hang out. We were barely halfway through our first glass when they came to get us and bring us down to the restaurant (coming from the U.S., it was a strangely liberating experience to be able to walk down the block holding a wine glass). Food was outstanding! I got the eggplant gnocchi...I'm not even an eggplant fan and I loved it. Service was awesome too - waiters were friendly, helpful and spoke pretty good English. Highly recommend this place! read more

I went to this restaurant because it was recommended by the Fodor's Guide and I have to say it was well worth the trip. Everything my dinner companion and I had was delicious. I had the chicken liver pate which was sublime and a spicy pasta dish that was equally good. My friend has a penne pasta and vegetable dish that was as beautiful as it was tasty. We each had a glass of wine and our entire bill was a very reasonable 42.50 euros. I will return to this restaurant any and every time I am in Florence. read more

That was my first dinner out in Florence, and in addition for a special occasion - my birthday - so my expectations were flying high. But still, Il Santo Bevitore did not disappoint me at all. The place looks like a trendy trattoria with candle light and tons of wood all around, very cosy and nice. It is not as hype as I feared and overall quite relaxed, which I liked. The service was very nice as well. And the food was great: a creative and fine Italian cuisine that brought some nice innovations to the usual recipes. We had for appetizers a shared plate of cheese of good quality; and the nice addition here was a delicious and original spicy fig jam: really creative and tasteful - really good even without cheese... i could eat that for breakfast.. Then, we had Angel hairs with lobster and gnocchis with burrata and eggplants. Those two recipes were both original and nicely done. After that, we kept on eating - and shared (some common sense left after all that food) a dish of beef with truffle and foie gras cream. I was a bit skeptical about this sudden irruption of foie gras here, but it was really really good. bravo. And although we asked to share, they still served us a very large portion and in two different plates, all nicely laid out. It really looked like if we had asked for two... very classy. And surprisingly for this quality and creativity, the prices were not crazy. Oh and the wine was good also. read more

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Michel was the most phenomenal waiter. I have dined in multiple Michelin star restaurants around the world, and he has a true talent. Best service during our Italian trip. Highly recommend. Ask for Michel. read more

This was our date night where we planned to go all out for dinner. Arrived and could tell the restaurant had a following. It was packed and buzzing at 845pm. We were immediately seated in this tucked away section of the restaurant that was perfect for our night. The restaurant is stunning. Dim lights, candlelight and wood floors set the tone for a perfect night. We started off with their signature charcuterie and cheeses. Selection was beautiful and even had some tartufo cheese! For mains I had risotto with cuttlefish and the lady had a pasta dish that we cannot remember but can say we both enjoyed it. Wine was a riserva chianti that was perfect for our meals. We finished with a salad to share and talked ourselves into a very dense chocolate tort. Complimentary vin santo was provided and it was magnificent with the dessert. All for 75 euros. I would come back again as I feel the atmosphere provides a great vibe for your night. The food was very good for the price. read more

First off make a reservation you'll need it then enjoy!! The food here is amazing!! One of my favorite meals while visiting Italy. Everything we had was mouthwatering and memorable truly fantastic! We started with chicken liver terrine with brioche toasts. Fabulous melted in your mouth so much flavor and the brioche was so delicate. We then had the suckling pig which was cooked to perfection no knife needed it was like butter amazing. For dessert we had the white chocolate mousse with pistachio lime dacqouise, yogurt ice cream and fresh figs so good it was ridiculous. The staff was great and extra helpful somehow our reservation was lost but they got us a seat at the bar and I'm so thankful they did I would not want to miss out on this meal. I highly recommend you try Il Santo Bevitore if you have the chance you won't regret it. read more

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Incredible meal! Lemon tagliatelle might be one of the best pasta dishes I've ever had. Can't wait to get back to Florence and see how the menu changes. read more

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We ate lunch here, based upon a recommendation from a co-worker. I had a very flavorful red sauce on spaghetti that was very tasty. Our other entrée was their risotto, which I thought was just okay as I've had better risotto at restaurants in Seattle. The service was a bit slow and it was strange that our risotto came out before our salad and separate from the other pasta dish (we couldn't tell if they just tried to make it in batches?). The menu is all in Italian (and doesn't have a lot of options) and our waitress didn't speak English (nor was very friendly), but Google Translator came to the rescue. It was also fairly busy (we came in around 2 p.m. and got the last table for two), so it might be wise to make a reservation or just have a backup plan. It was probably half filled with tourists vs. locals and the other entrees looked good coming out, so we debated on coming back to see if might have a better experience, but never did. read more

This restaurant had been recommend by the owner of "Local" restaurant when in Venice & a food writer here in Florence, it did not disappoint! We started with the mushroom soufflé and it was truly amazing! The burrata with simple pomodoro sauce over spinach was good as well! For our second course we had the pigeon torteloni with fresh peas, a little broth and a sweet thick sauce of orange and ginger. Unusual, yes, but get it!! The other pasta was the lampredotto (stomach) with fried artichoke. This was good, but for me it was very one note...earthy flavors, but it really needed the punch of some fresh herbs to brighten it up. Our last dish was the rabbit and this was a "must get" as well! Lamb saddle with leg rolled in a cured pork(?) it was wonderful and we would get it again! Molto bene! read more

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Cozy but trendy Italian, seems popular with young locals. We definitely over-ordered but everything was so good, perhaps we should've brought a few more friends :) Meats Ribolita- was more like a thick stew than a soup. Concentrated flavor Spelt pappardelle with boar ragu and cranberries Beef carpaccio Burrata with spinach- melt in your mouth good, with fresh spinach Greens with green apple and bacon- a nice palate cleanser after the rest of the rich meal read more

Make a reservation if you want to come for dinner. Thankfully, we did, but when we arrived there were two girls in front of us, who they told they could stay as long as they were done within an hour (yikes!) However, our meal was lovely. Our server was fantastic and keen to keep both our water and wine refilled. It was fun to watch the waiters reach up to the shelves containing a bevy of bottles to select wine like they were picking grapes off the vines themselves. All the wines were fantastic. For a starter, we shared the antipasti platter. I really liked the selection of meats and cheeses. For our soup course, the seafood stew was heavenly with chunks of fresh fish and prawns in a savory tomato. I picked the wrong primi piatti though with the squid ink risotto. It was a good taste but there's no way to eat that entire plate. My husband and dad both liked their sea bass, and my sister raved over the crispy rooster. The only reason I can't give this place 5 stars is because the staff allowed some obnoxious gypsy into the restaurant who walked around trying to sell roses. It's bad enough these asses are all over Italy peddling flowers to tourists, but they need to stay out of fine dining establishments. If you're looking for a fabulous meal in Florence, consider "The Holy Drinker" but make a reservation. read more

We went twice to this place, awesome both times We ordered Sotolio for starters which was marinated devine set of artichoke, green onions and sun dried tomatoes .... for second course we got weat spaghetti, with squid, green beans, and urchin sauce .... it was very good flavour, texture was great, green beans were super fresh. The ambience is great for a nice dinner. There is a quiet part and a bit more upbeat section of the restaurant so it's great for whatever you feel like. Next day we had a duck and it was super soft, tasted divine. read more

Il Santo Bevitore - Sotolio - Italian Near Me - Florence, FI

So happy we went here! With so many wonderful restaurants in Florence, it's hard to pick and choose. One of our favorites! Get reservation if you can! The pappardelle with boar and cranberries & burrata and spinach is a must! Amazing prices for the quality of food. read more

This was a perfect spot for a romantic dinner on our last night in Florence! We started with the Degustazione. The pairings were delicious and I loved every bite. Our entrees were wonderful- so fresh and flavorful! We ended with the hibisicus creme brûlée that I'm still dreaming about. Highly, highly recommend! read more

Il Santo Bevitore - Romantic and cozy ambiance - Italian Near Me - Florence, FI

Tried the pork per earlier reviewer and it was amazing. Love the name: Holy Drinker. Husband was not as thrilled with his meal as I was as I would have given my meal a 5. read more

Food was delicious , great atmosphere, and friendly staff. We arrived with no reservation and the host got us a table right away, however, we could only stay for 1 1/2 hours. That gave us plenty of time for us to eat appetizer, salad, and dinner. read more

Il Santo Bevitore - Italian Near Me - Florence, FI

Really can't go wrong here. This is the place to be and you so do need a reservation. The food, wine, and service are all top notch. This is truly a gem on the Oltrarno. I will make it a staple for my visits to Florence. read more

Quite possibly one of the best meals I have ever eaten. So good I did not stop to take photo's; food is after all for eating and if you want to see some example you can always visit their website. The service here was very good, we were a table of seven and were looked after. If you are going to eat here you really need to me a reservation as they were turning people away before they even opened. The wine list was good and we had our fair share, the food blew my mind, there is some fusion going on back there in the kitchen along with a few local dishes and just solid good cooking. Our bill seemed very reasonable considering it was an occasion only made better by them sharing a beautiful dessert wine with us towards the end of the meal. This place is worth a visit for a special occasion. read more

Didn't get to try burrata ravioli but my risotto left me full and was very tasty for a simple dish. The waiter warned us about the handmade pasta dish being spicy but it was definitely tolerable for most. Our waiter was very helpful and sweet and other waiters were also cheerful and interacted w us. Waiter gave good wine recommendation based on our criteria. Dim lighting makes it for a good romantic candle lit dinner spot. read more

Il Santo Bevitore - Risotto - Italian Near Me - Florence, FI

We were very excited about visiting this restaurant given the rave reviews. The food wasn't bad, I'd say it was just "okay". However, the one star review comes mainly from the cold, rude staff. Their attitudes and comments really made for a disappointing experience. read more

Amazing. I love the how each dish keeps true to natural flavors and plays with a little molecular gastronomy such as the egg yolk bottarga. Amazing. read more

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My favorite "nice" restaurant in Florence. I've been to other restaurants that are on must-try lists and none are as good as Il Santo Bevitore. You absolutely need a reservation, this place is always full. I've been here four times and have never been disappointed by the food or service. Their menu changes often or according to season. Their philosophy is to use fresh, seasonal ingredients that are locally sourced to make creative Tuscan home-style food. The ambiance is romantic, dark wood paneling and low lighting inside. They're also open for lunch, which could be a great option for people that are in Florence on a day trip. Do not hesitate to try this place. read more