In Florence, I got super lucky in that Santa Elisabetta was a 5 min walk from my hotel, and that they had reservations available the next day for lunch, so I booked a table for one. The restaurant is located in a tiny space (just 6 tables) within a 13th century stone tower. There was only one other person in the restaurant during the entire duration of my meal - which meant that both my server and the 'overall server' were pretty focused on us the entire time. My server even escorted me up to the restaurant once I arrived at the location. I don't mean to sound too hyperbolic, but it feels like I ascended to a higher plane of existence when it comes to dining. I ordered the Carte Blanche option, which was a 3 course tasting menu of whatever the chef chose from the main dishes. The meal consisted of 7 separate sections, each with their specific parts. Firstly, it started with an amuse bouche, which consisted of 5 separate small dishes - there was chicken liver, prawn, oysters, and so on. It was in this very first meal that I realized I was going to have a meal that far exceeded the quality of anything that I've had before. Next, the bread came out, and this bread was just astounding. I was seeing types of bread I've never seen before. My favorite part of this was what looks like the focaccia, with lardo on top. The first main course was raw red prawns and caviar. It was my first time trying caviar, which I absolutely loved Next came what might be the best food I've had in my life - a spaghetti made with 3 different types of algae butter, and sea urchins. I can't even describe how good this pasta was - from the noodles, to the meat, to the natural, earthy flavors Before dessert, there was a mood cleanser of hibiscus tea and chocolate mousse. Dessert consisted of yogurt froth, kiwi, and namaleka, and was so good it exceeded a melt-in-your-mouth feeling. I thought I was done at this point, but they brought out another set of 5 smaller pastries - compliments of the pastry chef. These included a pistachio cream lollipop, french biscuits, madeleine, and more The cost of the Carte Blanche that I ordered was 159 euros, and I also got a glass of champagne for 25 euros I spent over 2 hours at this restaurant - way longer than I thought it would actually be. Like I said, this was my first fine dining experience of any kind, so I really had no idea what to expect. I was absolutely blown away by this experience and consider it to be 100% worth the money. For me - this felt like every single part of this experience was perfect. Everything I ate here was a massive step above any food I've had in the past. The quality is unreal. The variety is unparalleled. There are ingredients used here that I've never seen before - and stuff I didn't even know was edible. The amount of different food I got to try was like nothing I've experienced before. I left the restaurant incredibly full and completely satisfied read more

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Peak fine dining experience. The location alone is one of a kind. Located in the heart of Florence inside Hotel Brunelleschi, in a tower, they have very limited seating. The reservation process alone was an adventure in itself. Our visit was to celebrate 3 Libra birthdays. Our party of 4 opted for the 9 courses. One of us decided to do the wine pairing. When I tell you, there was so much food. We would've probably been better off doing the 7 courses, but we wanted to eat everything. We were all falling asleep by the end of the night. One was nonstop yawning. To the unfamiliar, they focus more on seafood. Every dish is out of this world. Down to the presentation. I savored every bite. The standout for me was the oyster and how it came in two parts. It was so innovative. I loved the sauces that accented the protein and the jus. Don't even get me started on the service. What an attentive team. I always refer to it as poetry in motion the way the team moves effortlessly that you don't even realize when they refill your glass of water. No crumb was left behind on that table. Someone scraped up anything that didn't belong on the table after every course. Lastly, I just want to mention what a great job they did with the birthday cake that was an add-on to our meal. It was so damn good. Grazie Chef Rocco and team for an amazing meal. read more

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This is the pinnacle of Michelin greatness and it has all the food, service, and ambiance to back it up. For credibility, I have tried Michelin restaurants across the world, eating in kitchens with world class chefs, friends, and somms alike, and have had my fair share of good and bad experiences. I am more than pleased to share that this was above and beyond my expectations. My husband and I traveled to Florence for New Years Eve and decided on a whim to get a table here as we were staying at the hotel in which the restaurant is hosted at. We didn't expect much as typically on holiday menus, you get whatever the chef throws at you and it's not as specially picked out as some of their other rotations. But low and behold, tucked away in a 7 table, dim lit, old tower, is where you find this gem of a restaurant. We first were greeted by such lovely staff, specifically Luca - who made the experience all the better as he walked us through every step of the meal. Additionally, the somm of the night (I can't remember his name, but he was all the merrier as well). From classic twist on Italian dishes, to salted rye bread (not something you'll find elsewhere in Florence), to perfect / soft umami miso eel, this was everything we could have hoped for and more. At the end of the night, we said our goodbyes and were even gifted some presents - an guide to Italy Michelin book, a piece of art with preserved petals, and as per my request, a copy of the wine pairings (they were too good to pass up on). The next morning, we were checking out and ran into Chef again and he even recognized me from the night before and said hello -- talk about customer service! I highly highly highly recommend that if you're in the area to give Chef Rocco De Santis a visit - he may even visit your table if you're as lucky as we were. read more

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The service, ambience and food was top notch and so worthy of the 2 Michelin stars!!! Our lunch reservations was 1:30pm and we finished our 3 course tasting menu around 3:15pm. We were full and they offered the option of eating the petit four there or boxing it to go. We had one person in our group that had dietary restrictions. The team chatted with us when we were ordering to make sure they understood the allergies or intolerances. I also had questions on the wine by the glass list and they explained each wine in detailed. The team of servers was great at explaining every course and every ingredient. In between each course, the server cleaned/scraped the crumbs from the table. In NY this service is usually performed once during the meal. Before the dessert course, they changed our water glasses and napkins. At the end of our meal, we ordered jasmine tea, and the server did the full service of brewing the tea in the traditional way with tea leaves, rinsing the tea cup and tea pot at our table side. The showmanship throughout the meal was excellent! Kudos to the chef and all the wonderful staff! The petite four were in 2 separate boxes, with one that was dairy free. We thoroughly enjoyed these in the comfort of our hotel. read more

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This small restaurant is a true gem in Florence! I highly recommend dinner here if you like for eating to be an experience. The 7 table restaurant is housed in a building that was a women's prison, so it's an interesting piece of history. It's also an intimate ambiance with an exclusive feel. The 9 course chef's tasting menu took about 4 hours to fully enjoy and it was worth every minute and penny. Each course was as interesting as it was delicious. The chef was able to accommodate for my wife's gluten-free diet and remove red meat for both of us. The wine tasting was a little pricey for the tiny pours, but it all paired so well that I was still happy with it. The service is beyond amazing. The whole team takes care of every detail. It's a two Michelin star restaurant, and they earn them every night! Come here to feel pampered and have an amazing dining experience in a perfect atmosphere. read more

Santa Elisabetta - A dining experience - Italian Near Me - Florence, FI

First of all, Yelp categorizes this restaurant as vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free. That is NOT the case. The 5-course tasting menu is all fish, for example. This is a very small restaurant, only 6 tables in an old stone tower with but two small windows to let in light. I suspect that the single chandelier doesn't keep the room from being pretty dark at night. I was there for a bright sunny 1230 lunch, and it was still a bit dark. But the food itself is why we are here, and it shined through. I did enjoy the smoked amberjack with Bernese sauce and the Bottoni (pasta) stuffed with Provola cheese in cuttlefish sauce. Although they probably used a little too much "flair," when they added smoking dry ice to the dessert presentation, "Tropical Storm." The servers were on the formal side, and handled all of the guests well, despite the fact that every one of us was speaking English. But I was quite pleased. I'll definitely return. 2023 09 05. M2. read more

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Dined at santa elisabetta under chef de santos and it was a work wind of a meal. From start to finish they took great care of us. Seating wise there are only 8 tables so it is an intimate space. I made a reservation far in advance on open table. I was not disappointed! You are offered a 5, 7 or 9 course tasting menu. We opted for the 9 but they take into consideration what you like or dislike. The 5 is only fish given chef Rocco De Santis experience coming from the amalfi coast and the 7 is a mix of meat / fish. My wife doesnt like raw beef but i LOVE tartare / carpaccio so they took that into consideration. You must order the same tasting menu. Food wise on the 9 main dishes on top of the small bites the big winners were the carpaccio with pate and uni pasta. They unfortunately removed the raviolli tartar from our meal because my wife didnt want it, but after hearing how much the other diners loved it, they were able to add it on for me. We left stuffed and happy. Great meal and well worth the visit. read more

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Wonderful meal. The food was creative and delicious. Highly recommend if you are looking for a modern take on classic Italian dishes. The service and ambiance were also both very good. We enjoyed the read more

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Loved Santa Elisabetta. The food, service and setting are all deserving of two stars. The wines were wonderful, food was high quality with lovely presentation and technique, and they served me my favorite pasta dish on this trip to Italy (uni spaghetti with bottarga and bergamot) as well as some of the best olive oil I had on this trip. Loved every bite from beginning to end and would highly recommend the full tasting menu. The menu was seafood focused but there were some wonderful seasonal courses as well (duck and squab). The desserts were also very well executed from the cleanser to the dessert and petit fours. Would return to Florence to experience this again read more

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Once-in-a-lifetime fine dining in an intimate space. Enjoyed the tasting menu for lunch and found all aspects of the experience to be extraordinary. Highly recommend Santa Elisabetta for anyone looking for a truly elevated (lengthy) meal in Florence. read more

While I agree this is a great restaurant to for a lovely romantic evening, the food can be a little challenging for the average palate. Many of the items on the tasting menu are served "crudo", or raw, including seafood items (e.g., shrimp, sea urchin). For many Americans, this is highly unusual, and we probably don't bring the same sophistication to the table as do Europeans! I didn't fully appreciate all the creativity in this regard but still had an incredible meal! The layers of flavor were simply amazing and each bite better than the last. With such a variety being served, it's easy to find something you will enjoy! I also recommend the wine pairings and the cocktails... in fact, during my 2-week stay in Italy, this restaurant served the very best cocktails, in my opinion. Definitely put this restaurant on your list, but be brave and try a little bit of everything! read more

My husband took me here for my birthday while we were in Florence and it was a treat for sure. It was 9 courses plus the chef "first bites" and we loved everything we ate. Service was impeccable and the food was beautiful, creative and also classically delicious. This was closer to a 3 Michelin star caliber restaurant. read more

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Amazing 2 star Michelin hole in a wall . 7 table dining very attentive - great way to spend a night

This was one of the best meals of my life. The food was exquisite and the wine pairings were perfect for the Chef Choice courses. The staff was helpful and very friendly. We enjoyed talking with them about the food. My only caution is the Chef Choice was more food than we expected for a multi- course tasting menu; luckily we had not eaten for a while. That seemed very Italian to us. read more

~ GLUTEN FREE REVIEW~ I am writing this review a few months late, but I didn't see the restaurant on Yelp until now! My family and I had the most special experience at Ristorante Santa Elisabetta on Christmas Day. The staff was so kind and professional, and made us feel like the guests of honor. We had a pre-fixe menu that included three glasses of wine, champagne, a dessert wine, and six courses! It was more food than we could ever eat, but we stuffed ourselves because it was all so delicious. The staff seemed very concerned that we were not finishing all of our courses, but there was no way to eat all of the food! I am not sure what the meals are like during a normal, non-holiday-- I am assuming that the Christmas lunch was especially large. ...And they went above and beyond with gluten free accommodations! I felt so taken care of, and I was so grateful that the chefs prepared every part of my meal to be gluten free and delicious. I loved the rolls, the pasta, and the traditional panettone-- all were made gluten free especially for me! I was so happy and will never forget this meal! Thank you very much to the staff. I hope to come back one day, and I will recommend it to all of my friends who visit Florence. read more

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Excepcional experiencia. Degustación de platos y pareo de vinos. Tanto la gastronomía como los vinos fuera de lo común y excelentes en todos los sentidos. Ambiente íntimo y acogedor. El servicio de primera. Lo recomiendo sin reservas. Buen precio para la calidad. En mi opinión merecen las 3 estrellas. read more

My husband and I dined here on 4/3/2024. The food was absolutely amazing, and the service was excellent. Unfortunately, the huge disappointment came when we received menus throughout the evening (before dinner drinks, tasting menu, after dinner drinks, etc.) and my husband's menu had pricing on it and mine didn't. Such a slap in the face as I was paying for our dinner. It felt like I was in The Handmaid's Tale in which women are considered too delicate to be kept informed. Extremely insulting and degrading. When we asked the server about it at the end of the meal, he seemed apologetic but explained that this was how things were done in fine dining restaurants. I left feeling small and belittled, which was an extreme shame since the food and wine were so excellent. read more

My wife and I went to lunch here to celebrate our honeymoon. We chose the 3 course set lunch and were not disappointed! It is not cheap, but if you are looking for world class service with food that is as delicious as it is beautiful, you won't be disappointed. In theory the meal was 3 courses, but in reality it was much more, as the chef and pastry chef continually sent food out to us in between the courses. My wife also had the wine pairing with our lunch and she said it was perfectly paired and some of the best wine she had during our trip to Italy. read more

I am currently on my honeymoon with my wife, and one of our shared interests is in fine dining. i could not be more pleased to report that Ristorante Santa Elisabetta is an incredible fine dining experience that no one should miss. The restaurant itself is fairly small - roughly 7 tables of 2 seats, and because of both that and the incredible talent of the staff, the service was truly impeccable. throughout the night I genuinely felt like they were anticipating my needs without me asking - water getting a little low? Water refilled. Really enjoyed the wine and want a nice low key second taste? it's already in the glass. in addition, the staff is incredibly passionate about the food experience they are creating - the dessert course seemed strange at first glance, it looked like a salad paired with a cucumber sour beer - neither of which seemed very "fancy". But the Somme came to the table and talked about how he had been tasked with figuring out the pairing for the dessert as one of his first decisions he'd taken alone, and that he'd struggled with suggesting something so unorthodox but he believed they paired well, and honestly he was incredibly right - I don't like flavored beers but I loved the pairing, as did my wife :). and that is a nice Segway to the food, which was truly incredible. i have bad nut allergies - I carry epi pens - and to start I want to say they handled my allergies smoothly and with sincere care, even baking me my own fresh bread baskets and pastries for dessert. we had the 7 course menu and it was truly amazing. i don't want to ruin it for you, all I can do is tell you that if you want incredibly well conceived and executed food "proposals" (as they put it), I have never had food that matches ristorante Santa Elisabetta. i hope to return soon - what a truly amazing dining experience. don't miss the wine pairing either - fabulous start to finish! gratzie mille to the whole restaurant staff and the chef for the best meal of our honeymoon! read more

I was so excited to go to this 2 star Michelin restaurant and am sad to say my husband and I found it incredibly overrated. Felt like the kitchen was trying too hard to be inventive and some of the taste combinations just did not work. Fish was very fishy. Pasta dishes did not flow well next to each other- taste variances were too extreme biologically speaking. Food aside, service and presentation were phenomenal. Massive regrets as dishes not worth the price tag. read more

This restaurant was a once in a lifetime experience! The staff were friendly and knowledgeable! I would definitely recommend trying this place out for a romantic dinner for two. read more

Excellent in every way. My husband and I had our very first meal in Florence at this restaurant and this has been easily one of the best meals of our lives. Alessandro and Christoforo took such great care of us and were so kind. Food was absolutely superb. Also- what a gorgeous and aesthetically pleasing restaurant! I highly highly recommend you pay a visit, but make reservations beforehand. read more