Coco Lezzone is one of the principal reasons I was in Florence…read more
Eight of us traveled too far for too short a trip (we regret nothing) because one of us was celebrating a milestone birthday, and Coco Lezzone's steak is his favorite place that he wanted to share.
This might seem strange to...anyone, because this is not a famous restaurant. This is a mom and pop shop that was stumbled upon only because after a couple touristy meals in years past, my friend asked the right person, "Where would you take your family?"
Before we got there, we were warned: "The bread is bad. The owners are mean. And you may not like it."
The bread is not great, and only fit for scarpetta (common in these parts), but the owners are just a little grouchy if you don't speak Italian (luckily we had an Italian with us), and I FUCKING LOVE COCO LEZZONE.
If you're lucky, they'll bring you a platter of all the veggies they've got (you have to ask nicely), a hearty ribollita, a couple of good pastas, several fiascos of wine, and this steak that is unlike any other I've tried. It's slightly different from the Florentine steaks that this area is so famous for. I believe it's Piedmontese beef, and they cover it in huge cracked peppercorns (nearly whole), salt, and olive oil.
Believe me when I say they serve it rare as fuck (technical term). Someone just ran past the grill with this huge t-bone. There's a sear on the outside, but it's essentially raw in the middle. Evidently Piedmont cattle are an incredibly lean breed that you want to eat super rare, as it is phenomenally tender. And it was.
Going in, I was worried it wouldn't live up to the hype; after all, it was part of the reason we were in Florence. But I loved every part of this terribly lit, unpretentious, humble restaurant. Give it a shot, and maybe you will too.