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    Paoli

    4.0 (82 reviews)
    ModerateTuscan
    Open • 12:00 pm - 10:30 PM
    Updated 2 weeks ago

    Paoli Photos

    PAOLI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Romantic
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

    Recommended Reviews - Paoli

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    Reviews With Photos

    Will X.

    Paoli is a long standing restaurant in Florence that specializes in bistecca. It's one of the more popular places in terms of number of reviews, but every place in Florence were have a few bad reviews. Overall - I'm glad to have dined here. We got the bistecca 1.5kg rare. We thought about sampling a few different types but our server recommended sticking with the top two cuts so we double downed on the main cut. Was cooked really well and a high quality cut - tender and delicious. A little light on the seasoning (at least for US palate) but enjoyable. Veggies not bad too. It's a beautiful restaurant. We walked in at like 12:45 without reservation and there's plenty of space (while Florence is packed over the summer).

    The food here was great. The seafood pasta and the tomahawk steak stole the show. However, our waiter (wasn't wearing a name tag but looks like a walmart jake gyllenhal) was extremely rude. Whenever I asked questions about the menu, he would just give me this blank stare and sometimes even ignored my questions When i asked for wine recommendations, i ended up going for one of the bottles he recommended. it was the 2nd or 3rd most expensive from his recommendations, but he still made comments pointing that i didn't get the most expensive one. The rest of the staff were super helpful and nice, but this one waiter ruined the experience.

    Beef tartare and meatball antipasti

    In Florence for a honeymoon and we were recommended this establishment by the concierge of our nearby hotel and we couldn't have been more impressed by our experience here! We liked it so much we visited it three times while in Florence. Our server Emanuel was truly amazing; so much so we asked for him every time we visited. He went above and beyond for us and was so knowledgeable about everything on the menu, helping us make choices, and provided us with a five star experience every single visit. With him it was always service with a smile and he went overboard to ensure we had the best time. He is a huge asset to this restaurant! Every dish we enjoyed was amazing and making choices on their extensive menu was tough. We especially enjoyed the beef tartare and carbonara pasta with truffle. It's a special place and the atmosphere is warm; the food is incredible and the portions are plentiful. I never felt rushed and the little touches went a long way. Inviting us to send free postcards to our loved ones back home and writing in their guest book. We will definitely be back and encourage everyone to have a meal or two with them!

    Leo L.

    Service, food, and ambiance were all fine for this restaurant. In fact, I really enjoyed the food. The dishes were well prepared and pretty delicious. But it has an absolutely disgusting restroom which totally ruined my appetite and my experience...i hope the management could look into it.

    Carbonara
    Dain S.

    This restaurant was recommended by our local tour guide and their food was fantastic! Inside of the restaurant was stunning with a painted wall and we loved the ambiance. We've tried dishes that our tour guide and server recommended: 1. T-bone steak (7/5) - my family is not a big fan of steak, but their steak was really soft and juicy (ordered medium rare). Paired perfectly with their mini red wine which was also very good. Portion was big too. 2. Carbonara (7/5) - they had the best carbonara I've tried in Italy! Love how rich and creamy their sauce was. 3. Home Pasta (5/5) - forgot the name of the pasta (it came with thick sauce with beef and diced veggies). This was recommended by our server - pasta tasted ok but don't think it was special. *most restaurants in Firenze were crowded but this place was nice and quiet. It gets a bit busier later in the evening. *they take reservations. *this would be a great place for a couple or family. If you are planning to visit Firenze, you must try this place. Absolutely amazing!

    With boar sauce.
    Cindy H.

    Dinner for 2. Our 50 anniversary. Delicious food, fun servers, & we were in our one little world.

    Bistecca a la fiorentina
    Bob S.

    We were visiting and had heard about this fantastic steak dinner that we had to try well in Florence. It is called Bistecca Alla Fiorentina and it was honestly the best steak I've ever had in my life. My sister and I shared it and we're fighting over the last few pieces. Highly recommend!

    Outside of original restaurant
    Russ M.

    We came here 21 years ago when it still was the original family owned restaurant and the food, service and ambiance was top notch. So we returned and the food was absolutely delicious. Never have we tasted porcini this delicious. It is the oldest restaurant in Florence! One thing to know is it has now been purchased and franchised so you may see others around the city but the original is the one you want to try because the gothic interior can't be replicated so we posted a photo of the front entrance. Make reservations at least one or more days in advance because it books up fast & ask for a table towards the back to get the best experience.

    Tiramisu
    Allison R.

    My friend and I went to dinner here for our last night in Florence. The overall ambiance is amazing. They have a great wine selection in all price ranges. The food was amazing. The service was a little slow but we were enjoying our amazing dinner. Definitely would go back.

    Dan A.

    Our Hotel Concierge recommended this spot for traditional Tuscan and also mentioned it was the oldest (opened 1827) restaurant in the area. I also saw that Puccini spent some time here. Okay, I'm in! Walked in around 7:45 and surprisingly tables were available. We booked for 8:30 but ended up returning around 8 after a short walk and not finding a bar close by for an Aperitif. Semi formal atmosphere but all were dressed casually. Beautiful frescos throughout with some Tuscan coat of arms from way back. We started with Aperitifs-Negroni and Aperol Spritz- both excellent. They had a dizzying amount of choices for Carpaccio. We decided to order the classic as well the Artichoke salad for Antipasti. Maybe being in Firenze added to the flavors of the Carpaccio but it was amazing. Artichoke salad was tasty also. Simple, quality ingredients compiled with care. Oh yes! For wine, it had to be Chianti tonight. Our server made a recommendation which didn't disappoint (Ricasoli-2019) A couple of pasta dishes for main-Tagliolini Al Funghi Porcini (light sauce with tasty mushrooms), Pappardelle Al Sugo Di Cinghiale (thicker noodles with wild Boar sauce) Both were delicious! Not much room for dessert but we couldn't pass up trying a traditional Tuscan Dolci. Cantucci e vin Santo. Dip the Cantucci (cookie with nuts similar to a Biscotti) in the Vin Santo (dessert wine) and wow! We found it was best to dip the cookie and let it sit so the wine soaks in and softens the cookie and blends in. A must try! Unexpectedly, music playing was European smooth jazz versions of hit songs like Hotel California, September, Livin on a Prayer and Satisfaction. (Might we suggest anything Italian) No outside seating and that's ok as the beautiful interior is not to be missed. Our servers took great care of us. So many great restaurants in the Duomo area, this one is a must stop!

    Dining al Fresco...
    Avram L.

    Hey you with the pretty face Welcome to the human race A celebration, mister blue sky's up there waitin'.. And today is the day we've waited for.. Eating dinner at Paoli... We started w. a small bottle of delicious red Italian Wine.. The Misses enjoyed a plate of "Homemade Pappardelle Pasta w. a Wild Boar sauce", it was perfecto, from just the right thickness/al dente pasta w. a rich & delicious earthy sauce. The Lad enjoyed a plate of Fresh "Tagliolini Pasta w. Porcini Mushrooms", This was most scrumptious, taking you to an Italy farm, sitting w. family flavours, worth the airfare, pasta plate. Shared was a dessert plate of "Panna Cotta" w. nectarine, dark chocolate, biscotti crumbles and truffles, it was the perfect ending to dining in the est. 1827 historic Tuscan restaurant/meeting place for intellectuals such as Leoncavallo and Puccini. Hey there mister blue We're so pleased to be with you Look around see what you do Everybody smiles at you..:) Ciao mi Amicos, Avram ELO Jr.

    Entrance to the restaurant
    Leanh E.

    My husband and I loved this place while on vacation in Florence. If you want to dine somewhere special for a lovely evening, this is your spot. It is such a beautiful restaurant that I didn't want to leave. The food is spectacular and to be honest, it was the first time in my two weeks in Italy that the coperto bread basket was actually good. If you are celebrating a special occasion or just want a nice relaxing evening, come here. This historical restaurant in Florence is not to be missed. The Gnudi I ordered was delicious with the pumpkin purée and truffle. The peppercorn sauce steak is melt in your mouth good. Next time in Florence, I am coming back.

    bistecca alla fiorentina
    Berta B.

    This restaurant is an upscale restaurants which gets busy quickly, so reservations are recommended. I made reservations for an early lunch to avoid the crowds. The restaurant is romantic and beautiful. We ordered a bistecca alla fiorentina and some other side dishes. The star of the show was the steak, truly the best steak I've ever had. The steak comes out rare but you can cook it a little more in the hot plate they serve it In. I wouldn't over cook it though, it melts in your mouth soft when it's not overly cooked. I can't wait to go back one day!

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    So wonderful! We really enjoyed our meal - the steak in particular was incredible. The setting was gorgeous and had a great experience.

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    Wonderful restaurant. It's been around a long time. The food was fantastic! Would highly recommend.

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    Page 1 of 3

    Paoli Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Paoli

    “My boyfriend and I had the pleasure of eating at Paoli during our first night in Florence and it was fantastic.”

    Mentioned in 23 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Trattoria Zà Zà

    Trattoria Zà Zà

    4.2(1.7k reviews)
    0.6 km•Santa Maria Novella
    •€€

    After a heavy day of shopping, walking for 8 miles and dealing with the heat, we needed a good…read moresit-down dinner with a substantial meal tonight. We found Trattoria Za Za, but could not get reservations. We showed up with 60 people waiting in line like us. The line moved quickly and we were seated in a glass enclosure with nice views. The menu is vast and the food flying out of the kitchen looked amazing. An appetizer of lightly battered squash blossoms was unique and enjoyed by all. Our first choice was the green peppercorns and Cognac cream covering a steak with rosemary potatoes. This was the best dishes of our 17 day excursion. The steak was perfect while the sauce was incredibly delicious. The steak with argula salad was our second choice. It was also savory and highly recommended. The setting here is great, amazing food, good value and a truly relaxed environment. If you are in Florence, please treat yourself to a fine meal at Trattoria Za Za for that special evening. To the establishment, great restaurant and we will return. Congrats on a beautiful evening.

    - [ ] a Tratorria Came here on our last night in Firenze…read more The restaurant was very large with multiple dining rooms and plenty of outdoor seating. We were seated by our server Chaima. She was friendly and attentive during our dinner. We began our meal with their house Chianti which was very good. We began with their ZaZa Cheese as appetizer. Next, we had Spaghetti alla Carbonara with Truffle and Pasta with Garlic and Olive Oil. We ended our meal with the ZaZa Tagliata with Italian Seasoning with Rosemary Potatoes. After eating in Italy for 17 days. ZaZa had the best pasta and steak. I would highly recommend ZaZa for its service, atmosphere and food.

    Photos
    Trattoria Zà Zà - The African zoo room

    The African zoo room

    Trattoria Zà Zà - His and hers

    His and hers

    Trattoria Zà Zà - Outside of restaurant

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    Outside of restaurant

    Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco - Steak Florentine

    Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco

    4.6(379 reviews)
    0.5 km•Palazzo Pitti
    •€€

    Came to a packed place sans reservation. Didn't have to wait. The Italian hospitality was through…read morethe roof. They made space for our party of 5 right in the center of a loud and and lively main dining room... where the energy and spark was so contagious. Just a marvelous setting for a night in Florence. Prepared dishes were family style. Every single choice was tasty good. The bread and bottles of Brunelo Montalcinos kept the conversation going. Florentine steak was not dry and forgettable. It went well with other pasta dishes like the Tagliatelle Con Ragù Di Coniglio or the Osso bucco, Pappardelle Al Ragù Di Cinghiale . . . of course with the Brunello & Chiati Classico The dining that night felt intimate yet party-like with nary a wiggle room. You don't get that often in the U.S. We never ever felt rushed despite the wait crowd out the door. Manager there was especially accomodating to us tourists. My 5 star rating has a lot to do with their boundless can-do spirit. A country house vibe rustic food with an outsized Italian howdy y'all. We will be back

    Had an amazing experience at the restaurant. Came as a walk in on a Saturday night and was promptly…read moresat. It was busy but they def fill seats. The ambiance is cute and quaint. It's almost like the restaurant is positioned in a cave but it feels homey. Ample light to make it feel intimate and comfortable. The services was good and the wine and food were outta this world. All recommendations were great but would suggest the wild boar ragu and t bone steak. Would def be back when visiting Florence and highly recommend to others visiting.

    Photos
    Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco - 6pm (1st seating upon opening was only reservation I could secure)

    6pm (1st seating upon opening was only reservation I could secure)

    Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco - Pappardelle with wild boar ragu

    Pappardelle with wild boar ragu

    Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco - Delicious Vermentino wine

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    Delicious Vermentino wine

    Trattoria Mario - Pasta bolognese

    Trattoria Mario

    4.5(254 reviews)
    0.6 km•Santa Maria Novella
    •€€

    made a reservation through ig dm haha. no tables without reservations…read more the florentine steak is massive. 1 kg nice crust. cooked nicely rare. some really good bites, some okay bites florentine steak is not world class for me. BUT at the price of 45 for this is amazing value.

    I've been to Florence before but didn't get a chance to try a Florentine steak. My husband and I…read moremade it a point to definitely get one for dinner on our first night in the city. I went to the internet for the best Florentine steak and Trattoria Mario consistently popped up as highly rated. I reached out to the restaurant via email to make a reservation for a Friday. I wanted to get the earliest reservation possible, so the restaurant reserved me for 7:30pm, which was when they open. I was advised to show up on time - even a 2 minute delay would make me miss my reservation. I can see why Trattoria Mario was strict on reservations. They open on the dot, and then a staff member calls out each reservation at 7:30pm like a roll call. Seemed to me that if you don't have a reservation then you're out of luck, because there was no waitlist and the restaurant small and space was limited. Service was great. Our waitress was highly attentive and got us in/out of the restaurant quickly, which was what we were going for. Food came out in a timely manner. We ordered the penne al ragu, salad misto, and a Florentine steak to share. The penne was perfectly al dente, and I liked the meat sauce. I did find the pasta sauce salty, but it could've came from the grated parmesan. The saltiness was not a fluke. The Florentine steak was just pure beef and a ton of salt... too much salt for my liking. I also decided that I'm not a fan of Florentine steak in general.

    Photos
    Trattoria Mario
    Trattoria Mario
    Trattoria Mario

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    Trattoria dall'Oste

    Trattoria dall'Oste

    4.3(415 reviews)
    0.1 km•Duomo
    •€€€€

    I have been dreaming of having bistecca alla fiorentina ever since I can remember. Back in the…read morestates, I always get strange reactions from the waiters when I order my steak "as rare as possible." That is what I was expecting in Italy. Am I the only one that thought steak florentine was supposed to be served this way? Maybe that's was my mistake but I thought that's how it was prepared in Florence. Anyways, I was immediately suspicious when our waitress asked how we would like our steak cooked and her suggestions were medium or medium well. Uhhhh what? That goes against everything I believe in! The steak came out on a hot stone slab on top of a wooden box. The slab obviously continued to cook the steak so I immediately took off a few pieces to prevent this. The steak was thick and tender with chunks of large salt grains. It looked nice all sliced up but that's where the compliments end. It lacked flavor and ended up cooking to be more medium rare when I grabbed my pieces and then even medium by the time my dad grabbed his second slice. Our waitress seemed annoyed when we asked for the truffle sauce to accompany our steak (my dad forgot to ask for it when we placed our original order) and walked away with a huff to go grab it. The fries came out cold and limp with flavorless truffle shavings on top. I'm not sure why this place has such great reviews. Maybe it got too big for its britches and the quality has declined? The one saving grace was the crema bruciata! And the very understanding hostess who gladly pushed our reservation from 7:30 to 8:00pm due to travel difficulties. Whatever the reason, this place definitely missed the mark. You can't walk three steps without seeing a steakhouse here in Florence. My recommendation? Try one of those.

    I was a bit disappointed in the steak considering the price.. I ordered medium rare but most of it…read morecame out medium so it got super chewy! It was barely seasoned too so I got the peppercorn sauce on the side, which was actually perfecto. I was with a large party and it was fairly busy but whenever we tried to flag someone down they ignored us. It also took 15 minutes after clearing out all the plates to finally get our tiramisu!!! (But they get +1 star for having the best tiramisu everrrrr)

    Photos
    Trattoria dall'Oste - Interior

    Interior

    Trattoria dall'Oste - Tartuffo Carbonara

    Tartuffo Carbonara

    Trattoria dall'Oste - Spaghetti with Clams

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    Spaghetti with Clams

    La Giostra - My steak cooked perfectly and flavored just enough to be fabulous.

    La Giostra

    4.2(813 reviews)
    0.5 km•Duomo
    •€€€€

    Fabulous food and the service was perfect. Loved this restaurants ambiance. Will return for sure.read more

    What an amazing evening at La Giostra! The restaurant is beautiful, warm and full of character. It…read morefeels special from the moment you walk through the door. We started with a Cynar Spritz and Aperol Spritz, along with the complimentary bruschetta with chicken liver pâté, tomato and artichoke. We also tried several appetizers, including roasted eggplant, roasted peppers, artichokes and the spinach-and-ricotta dumplings. And the fried zucchini was out of this world -- absolutely one of the highlights of the meal! For dinner, I had the sliced steak with aglio e olio, accompanied by roasted potatoes, carrots and rosemary. The steak was delicious and perfectly prepared. Jim had the cacio e pepe, and Tom had the seafood pasta. All three entrées were excellent. The wine list is enormous, and the atmosphere is unlike anywhere else. Soldano Kunz d'Asburgo Lorena, from the Habsburg-Lorraine family behind La Giostra, is quite a personality. He moves around the restaurant greeting guests and has the presence of a rock star -- he really adds to the experience. We eat at a lot of restaurants in Florence, and La Giostra was a memorable one. Beautiful setting, excellent food, great cocktails and a wonderfully lively atmosphere. We will absolutely return. Highly recommended!

    Photos
    La Giostra - Vibes

    Vibes

    La Giostra - Steak

    Steak

    La Giostra - Interior

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    Interior

    Trattoria Giovanni - Bistecca alla Fiorentina Chianina

    Trattoria Giovanni

    4.6(224 reviews)
    0.9 km•Palazzo Pitti
    •€€

    We had a lovely dinner at Trattoria Giovanni. We loved how cozy, spacious, and genuinely local it…read morefelt, like eating at your grandma's house. It's close enough to the lively, bustling part of Firenze to feel connected, yet just far enough to escape the city's never-ending wave of tourists. The service was incredible, and the owner (I'm pretty sure it was the owner?) brought so much energy that he single-handedly turned the whole place into an eclectic little spot during the "rush hour" of the evening. The menu was solid, if a bit "generic" at times. While everything we ordered was delicious, nothing at Trattoria Giovanni felt like a dish you couldn't find elsewhere... and honestly, that's perfectly fine! It was traditional, comforting, and exactly what we were craving. The plate of cured meats and cheese was phenomenal, a great start to the meal. The pastas were really good as well, though one of the meat dishes had a slightly off texture, with the chunks of meat a bit overcooked. All in all, we loved our meal and would definitely recommend this spot if you're in Florence.

    Excellent food and authentic Italian experience. Don't be fooled by the English subtitles for the…read moremenu items the place is not a tourist trap.

    Photos
    Trattoria Giovanni - Exceptional service with great music selection! Every moment in this restaurant felt like being with a party of friends.

    Exceptional service with great music selection! Every moment in this restaurant felt like being with a party of friends.

    Trattoria Giovanni - Bisetecca Florentino YUM!!

    Bisetecca Florentino YUM!!

    Trattoria Giovanni - Gnocci

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    Gnocci

    Paoli - tuscan - Updated October 2026

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