I'm not entirely sure what went wrong here. In fairness, we did arrive toward the end of the…read moreevening, and visually the space is genuinely impressive, bordering on spectacular. Unfortunately, the experience deteriorated quickly from there. Despite a bar that was visibly stocked with what appeared to be dozens of spirits, we were told, rather brusquely, that our choices were essentially limited to a list of roughly eight cocktails. That was disappointing, but it was nothing compared with the food. I ordered the tagliatelle with wild boar, while my partner ordered the chicken. Neither dish was remotely enjoyable, and in our view neither was of a standard that should be leaving the kitchen of a restaurant receiving Michelin recognition. The pasta dish was particularly unpleasant, while the chicken was similarly unsuccessful. We left the overwhelming majority of both dishes uneaten. To the restaurant's credit, the staff did recommend a very good bottle of red wine, which was easily the strongest part of the meal. What I find most difficult to understand is how this restaurant earned a place in the Michelin Guide at all. Michelin's inclusion naturally creates an expectation of a certain baseline of culinary competence, and our meal fell dramatically short of it. I have eaten substantially better food at completely anonymous European neighborhood cafés and casual street-side restaurants with no critical recognition whatsoever. Based on this experience, I would be genuinely interested to know what Michelin's inspectors encountered here that we so very clearly did not. Sadly, I cannot recommend this restaurant at all.

Pros: one of the pasta dishes was pretty solid…read more Cons: No air conditioning in the middle of a heat wave, wompy tables, cork screw dust in the wine, stale bread, unusually hot plates (sitting under the heat lamp for too long?). I have no idea how this restaurant found itself in the Michelin guide

Delicious! Worth checking out. It's very local so either get there right when it opens or have a…read morereservation. Prices are affordable. If you are looking for something different. Menu changes daily. Vegan options. A nice change of pace for those of us who also eat meat but want to finally limit it. Also the way it works is that you order ahead and pay and then the food is brought to your table. Service isn't exactly warm but they are quick and efficient with your meals.

We're always very excited to try a 100% vegetarian restaurant knowing we can eat anything we want…read moreon the menu and we were excited to learn that Il Vegetariano existed. It's a bit of a walk outside of the center of Florence but we'd thought we'd see what the Italian vegetarian focus experience was like. It was serviceable, but not as great as we'd hoped. The concept is interesting...the menu changes every day depending on the whims of that days chef, so our experience could have been informed a bit by just what we experienced that day, and might have been completely different on another day. An issue sometimes with all vegetarian restaurants is they specialize in the concept of being vegetarianism, without necessarily specializing in a particular kind of food which can lead to a mish-mash of disconnected offerings which is what we found on the menu here. The night we were there, for example you could get Italian, Indian, and strudel main dishes...all vegetarian, but otherwise not specializing in any particular type of food. We also didn't have a reservation. They were nice enough to seat us, but the restaurant was not at all full in any of its rooms (at any point when we were there) and the person who seated us, made a point of telling us they prefer reservations and then seated us at probably the least desirable table in the restaurant, right next to the cash register and right across from the salads display case which was the most trafficked area of the restaurant with people ordering their food hovering right over our table. We definitely felt like we were being unnecessarily punished with this table, especially when there were plenty of other places we could have sat and the overall demeanor of the person who seated us made us feel like she felt like she was doing us a big favor and she had her limits. So kind of a bummer of an introduction to the place. You order by writing down what you want on a slip of paper they provide you with, and then bringing that to the cashier to pay. That's fine, but it's not exactly "service" like you might get at any other sit down restaurant with servers and a wait staff. The food came extremely quickly...at the same time as the wine...It's hard to complain about quick service, but at most other places we experience in Italy (and the rest of the world for that matter) you get your wine first and can enjoy it a bit before the food shows up. We felt rushed. Also, and I'm sure I'm coming off as awfully picky, but you can see the high scores I typically give in my other reviews so...but the chairs were really uncomfortable to sit on. I typically don't think about the chairs at restaurants...these chairs made me think about them. My wife and I shared a lasagna and a greens-filled calzone-like pastry for our mains. Both of these portions were super-large...we appreciate generosity in portions, but these were just too large for us to be able to finish...both, especially the lasagna were really rich and heavy dishes too. They checked the box for being vegetarian but didn't excel to star dishes in terms of flavor or presentation that we'd want again. The desserts looked amazing but by the time we had eaten as much as we could of the mains, we just didn't want anything else or to hang around. We had many vegetarian-friendly meals at many restaurants in the cities we visited in Italy on this trip. This one was easily the most disappointing. If we lived in town we might come by to try the desserts or to see if it's a completely different experience with an unnecessary reservation and different chef...but otherwise, it wasn't really worth the walk out of the center of Florence to eat here.

Unreal, outstanding, fresh and flavorful vegan fare. Prego! I've now been here 4x and each time, so…read moredelicious.

A gem of a vegan restaurant in lovely Florence. The service is very much of a lax attitude which…read morewas to be expected, there's no rush here. The crepes with leeks sauce and hazelnuts was quite unique and I didn't know what to expect. Once I had it, I don't know why I didn't know, this was great but could use more seasonings for me.

I'm not supposed to say this. While in Florence I gorged on gluten free and vegetarian pizza,…read morepasta, tiramisu, chocolate dipped gelato cones, etc- THE DREAM. YET- This place was one of my favorite meals. Maybe because two days in my body was already feeling a vitamin or two might be nice. Maybe it was the cute table outside. Maybe it was the super friendly staff. I don't know but the delicious green smoothie, zucchini cacio e Pepe (CLEVER), and the peanut butter carob cake were most delicious and nourishing. It was the perfect chill evening meal after wandering the Boboli gardens. Pricey? Yes it was. But whatever. Your body will thank you and you can return to pizza tomorrow!

such a cute space with friendly staff. as a vegetarian with celiac who loved all the gf croissants…read morein florence but also wanted something different and more filling for breakfast, i was super glad for this place to step up to the plate. i loved my avocado toast and juice, and enjoyed the bite of smoothie bowl i got to try. although no one else in my family shares my dietary restrictions, i felt good about bringing them here

Sadly, it pains me to even give Veg&Veg two stars because one of their employees was so incredibly…read morerude as to ruin the meal, which itself was quite good. After a first visit there where the employee encouraged me to try samples of ingredients and allowed me to make a modification. the second time I went there, a different employee harassed me for making the same request which seemed perfectly fine (even encouraged!) the first time. He said he hoped no other customer would ever be like me and that I was difficult, all while I was the only person at the counter. I was stunned by the blatant hostility. Therefore I only reluctantly say that I did enjoy the meal, the vegetarian chicken is better than most substitute meat, and it's especially welcome surrounded by the ubiquitous cured meats. Nonetheless, the service was so unfortunate that I would almost prefer to give negative stars despite the food.

Look, I am not about to come here and diss on the ONE vegetarian and vegan place in this amazing…read morefood hall. Grab an aperol spritz from the bar and take a chill pill. Both my husband and picky eater toddler enjoyed the burgers. I was happy my son was eating something healthy. And I thought the roasted potatoes were delicious! I did order a wok that was disappointing in that it needed more flavor. More of a sauce or something. Otherwise, gluten free options, nice staff that speaks great English, and so so fun to get to eat in the food hall! Loved it. Would totally return next time in Florence.

Amazingly delicious and enormous portion - - porchetta sandwich upstairs at the central market…read more Unfortunately, I don't recall the name of the restaurant, but certainly worth seeking out. If I go back one day, I'll have the exact same sandwich again!

Located in the San Lorenzo district, just a few minutes' walk from the main train station of Santa…read moreMaria Novella), Mercato Centrale is a vibrant food hall experience housed in a historic market building (very similar to the Time Out Market franchise across Europe). From the outside, it looks like a grand, iron-and-glass structure typical of European markets; inside, it opens into a bustling, multi-level space filled with food vendors, communal tables, and constant movement. The vibe is energetic, social, and slightly chaotic in a fun way - perfect for grazing, group dining, or trying multiple cuisines in one visit (from Italian to American to Mexican!). We stopped in for a quick lunch at around 2pm on a Wednesday; there was plenty of seating at high-top tables, and QR codes on paper menus make it easy to explore all the different food vendor options. It's also a fun activity to peruse the market, taking in different sights, smells, and flavors. All of us ended up opting for Schiacciatas (large Italian sandwiches that are a staple in Florence) from Massimiliano Parri, which all ended up ranging from €10-12, depending on toppings - yes, it's more expensive than what you'd get from a traditional schiacciateria, but you're also paying for the market's location and convenience. We appreciated the fact that they shave the meat right in front of you! My schiacciata came with freshly shaved ham atop crusty white bread, slathered with burrata cheese, and sprinkled with arugula and figs (I opted for no additional olive oil, since I found the ham quite rich already). I loved the contrast of textures and flavors, though I will say that the bread ended up cutting the roof of my mouth! All in all, Mercato Centrale is a bit touristy, but still miles better (and cheaper) than most "Italian" sandwich places you'd find in the US (pro tip: save your receipt for free use of their bathrooms). The variety can't be beaten, prices are reasonable for a central market, and it's steps from some of Florence's most iconic spots.

Fantastic vegan food and wine, organic produce (one morning they had Truffles!), organic olive…read moreoils, compotes and artisanal decorative kitchen items and supplies. There is always a peaceful atmosphere during the day, always good music, DJs and wine parties in the evenings... great coffee, and non-dairy options (almond milk) for cappuccinos, etc. It's also a family-owned restaurant, everyone that works here is lovely. We have been in Florence for nearly three months and once we discovered Carduccio we have been regular customers, especially for breakfast. No exaggeration, we have stopped by, at various times of day, 5-6 days a week. I strongly recommend Carduccio, whether you are vegan or just looking for delicious food.

Loved this cute, intimate space. The atmosphere was calm and just what I needed to refresh! The…read morefood was great, you could tell how fresh the ingredients were. Highly recommend :)

Peak fine dining experience…read more 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.

In Florence, I got super lucky in that Santa Elisabetta was a 5 min walk from my hotel, and that…read morethey 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

Best vegan pizza I have ever had. 110% recommend for their vegan options. Incredible. I'm only in…read moreFlorence for 2 days but you can bet that I'll be back before my flight to get some more. BEST VEGAN PIZZA IN FLORENCE! Wish I had more time to try their pasta!

This place is incredible. One of the best pizza places in Florence. Highly recommend.read more

A little of the usual path, Yelp! recommended this place and was happy to have tried it. The place…read moreis classic, the service was of the best, and the food was excellent. We had the avocado, salmon eggs plate and the eggs benedict. Both were perfectly prepared and exactly what you would hope for in a top-tier cafe. The eggs had a hint of orange citrus that added to the joy of the meal. This super comfortable, clean restaurant with fantastic service and food will be on our best-of-best list in the future!

The food was a pleasure to eat. I ordered classic egg's Benedict. I wanted my egg poached medium…read morebut I was told by an unfriendly dry as dirt Italian waitress that I could only have it runny. I then had to take a little more time to find something else. A lovely American waitress came over and helped me.(I'm not saying she's lovely because she's American, she just was really friendly) She explained that the cook makes all the poached eggs in one big pot and can't specialize one for a customer. She said they could fry it medium well and that worked for me. The other waitress offered to fry the egg or scramble it but she just wasn't friendly, and she didn't give me all the choices of how I could get the egg fried. That really helped me make my choice. The egg's Benedict came with American pork bacon and not Canadian bacon. The hollandaise sauce was deliciousness, but they give you such a small amount. They need to double it. Another reviewer mentioned how good the green hot sauce was, so I tried it. It was spot on great!! I made sure every bite had the green sauce on it. I usually only like shredded hash browns but their breakfast potatoes were perfect. They weren't hard and had a good flavor. The restaurant was clean but very small. It had a nice relaxing feel. I love to try the food of the country I'm visiting, but after traveling for two weeks it was nice to have something I eat at home. The eggs Benedict was a treat. I had the hot amaretto coffee drink and that just hit the spot and made the waiting to be seated all worth it. The had many types of milk you can put in your coffee, for example, they have soy milk, oat milk, etc. I would definitely recommend this place and come back. Oh and the less than friendly waitress served my food to me with a smile, but she never smiled again and never accepted my thank you's no matter how much I said them. Word of advice don't have a sad face if they can't provide something the way you want it if the waitress is blond and Italian. That will not go over well. You're not allowed to be quietly disappointed.