We made reservations at Osteria Pastella knowing it was a popular spot, and the whole experience…read morefelt like stepping into a well-run little performance. Everyone lines up outside, and once the doors open, the entire restaurant is seated at the same time. It's unusual, but somehow fun -- like the curtain lifting on dinner. We were greeted with a welcome drink, which set the tone perfectly before the main event: the famous cheese-wheel pasta. They prepared it right in front of me, swirling the hot pasta through a giant wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano until it turned silky and glossy. Then came the fresh truffle -- and I mean fresh. Easily the most fragrant, delicate truffle I've ever had in my life. Absolute heaven. For dessert, their tiramisu wasn't the classic layered version; it was more of a deconstructed, airy éclair-style creation that still delivered all the right flavors. We finished with limoncello, a bright little goodbye that wrapped the whole experience in a perfect bow. Yes, Osteria Pastella is a bit of a tourist vibe -- but the food does not miss. The quality, the flavors, and the whole tableside ritual made this one of our most memorable meals in Florence. I'd recommend it without hesitation.

A really great dining experience. Booked weeks in advance and for our time a lot 7-9pm, people were…read morelined up 10 minutes early to be let in. They brought us all in as a group (checking reso names) and sat us at individually tables. Then the "show" began with welcome prosecco, wine orders, etc. We got the squid and pork screwers as a starter and thought the flavors were just okay. The complimentary cheese bread ball and regular bread was super tasty. For mains, we got the truffle pasta (with the famous cheese wheel) which was fun to watch. The pasta itself was very solid, but not best ever. Also got the beef/boar pasta and it was better than the truffle pasta in my opinion and cheaper. The deconstructed tiramisu was yummy. Overall a good dinner with good service and pretty good food! An easy spot to recommend to others!

We went May 1st, first of all, the restaurant truly carries that Tuscan brick-stone tavern, charm…read more The staff was accommodating, knowledgeable about wine selection, the food was absolutely delicious, walking down to the cellar definitely had an awe factor. The staff cut us up a platter of their cheese in the cellar. Tiramisu for desert topped the 5 star experience. EXTREMELY IMPORTANT: You need reservations that can only be made by calling them, no online reservations capabilities. You should call 5 days in advance. Worth it. Our bill came out to less than $250 + Tip for 2 bottles of wine, 6 main entrees, 2 appetizers, 3 Tiramisu, and cheese platter - NOT BAD if you ask me. Because we gave them a nice tip - they gave us a bottle of wine as a thank you gift.

Taverna di San Giuseppe was a disappointing meal for us, especially in a city with so many great…read moredining options. We ended up here by mistake (confused it with another spot), and unfortunately it didn't live up to expectations. The restaurant fills up with reservations for two seatings, and from the moment we sat down the pace felt rushed. We ordered drinks and a starter while deciding on the rest, but multiple staff members kept coming by trying to take our full order. It felt like they were pushing to move things along quickly. There were a couple positives. The chicken livers to start were quite tasty and something we didn't see often on other menus. The primi were underwhelming. The pasta didn't taste fresh like many other trattorias in Siena, and the dishes overall were just average. The lasagna in particular was mushy, and the sauces didn't stand out. The secondi were slightly better -- pork ribs, Barolo-braised beef, and a "small chicken" -- but still nothing that justified the higher prices. They do have an underground wine cellar built into a cave, which is interesting to see, but there are other places in Siena with much larger and more impressive cellar spaces. Also worth noting, they add a "10% tax" charge rather than the typical €2 coperto per person. Overall, a rushed and fairly mediocre meal at a higher price point. With so many better places to eat in Siena, this is one I'd skip.

Authentic Tuscan pastas - try the specials!…read more We wondered what the dinner scene would be like in San Gimignano, since relatively few tourists actually stay overnight in the town (most are day-trippers coming in via waves of tour buses) We wandered down a back street away from the shops, and saw a lighted outdoor dining space. So we sat down without any info about the restaurant. We started with the Tuscan rustic bread soup, Ribolitta. The seasoning was sophisticated and layered. Very satisfying. The pasta special of the day was Penne alla Norcina, featuring bits of local sausage, porcini mushrooms and a generous amount of truffle shavings on top. The dish was rich and satisfying - heartier than the truffle pasta we had in Florence (that one had no meat). Our second pasta was from the regular menu, Pici alla Sinese. Thick round noodles in a sauce of tomato pesto and porcini. Flavors were carefully blended and it really had more character and umami than the tomato based sauces we get in Italian restaurants back in the USA. All three dishes made us want to take a cooking class while we are in Tuscany :-)

We came into the town late .. when most lunch places were closed. We were lucky to eat here. It was…read moredelicious and everyone was friendly! Here is what we had: Fresh pasta with truffles -excellent and very filling Margherita Pizza- great Salad- meh... would not order again Beans in a flask/beans baked in a jar ( cannellini beans)- delicious! Spinach - very good House red wine- good Espresso

Food, ambience, and service were all outstanding. The pasta was excellent, but the dessert (piatto…read moreforte Lucchese) was especially exceptional which combined different textures and flavors flawlessly. Ambience was beautiful and elegant without being boring or pretentious. Staff were all kind and responded very professionally to requests and questions. Price was unbelievably low considering the quality and the experience.

Food was fabulous. We each had a different pasta dish and…read moreboth were really memorable. The ambiance is very nice as well.

Walk a couple a blocks off the main drag and discover quality food and fair prices. Unlike Nona…read moreGina, this is great food, good wine, attentive service and dining with the locals. Yes, they speak English but it's not a tourist rip off. Try the steak with hazelnut, Chianti reduction and small potatoes. My wife is a light eater so they made her an off-the-menu caprese salad and pasta bolognese for my buddy. If you don't see exactly what you want, ask if it's available. It's a small place which is wonderful! Our waiter made great (and affordable!) wine suggestions. The owner speaks good English and is very visible in the restaurant. Talk to him. He's a great guy. They tell you the chocolate soufflé requires 15 minutes to prepare and it's well worth the wait! Decadent! We're traveling with friends and it was a unanimous vote to eat here two nights in a row!

Wow, compliments to the chef. An exceptional meal. The sea bream and the beet root flan, over the…read moretop. The desserts, limoncello tiramisu, and the pastry puff with sour cherries... again, wow. The ambience and the service? It just doesn't get any better. This place should have a Michelin star.

Cozy restaurant! I had ossobucco (lamb) and my son had fresh pasta with beef cheeks, both were…read moredelicious!! We also had dessert and white wine! Staff attended us well. We would go back again!

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.

The truffle pasta is out of the world! Pasta was fresh and cooked with just the right amount of…read moretruffle. It is on the pricer side for a good market at 22 euros but it is worth every dollar!

I've been dreaming of the truffle pasta ever since I took my first bite. This spot is located in…read morethe Mercato Centrale, and I'm so glad we stopped by for lunch, given all the other amazing options in the market. The truffle pasta was creamy, with generous shavings of truffle. When I tell you I almost cried...it was the perfect dish and introduction to Florence! Everyone there was so friendly and we even ended up buying a couple of their sauces to take home!

Another excellent spot we tried in Florence. We were greeted as soon as we walked in and seated…read moreimmediately. The staff was very friendly and our waiter was Nugo. He was awesome and had us laughing the entire night. We peppered him with a lot of questions about the menu, he answered everything and also accommodated my father-in-law, who is GF. He had his own GF bread basket and was able to order almost anything on the menu. We ordered a nice bottle of Montepulciano red for the table that was $48. Others had the Hugo spritz. For app I had the anchovies with roasted red pepper, sea salt and oil over grilled crostini, very good. I skipped first course and ordered the ribeye steak for my main course. Bone in, medium rare, sprinkled with sea salt and a side of onion marmalade. The steak was very good and had way less fat than I expected. The waiter suggested a huge steak for the table, but I was the only one ordering steak that night. Maybe next time. Others ordered the fillet and it was cooked perfectly, the angels and demons gnocchi, and the veal scallopini. Everybody was pleased Really cool spot with a very good wine selection, drinks, excellent food and a fun atmosphere that you don't find at many places. Nugo was an A+ server.

Fyi there are two locations, make sure you go to the correct one (only two blocks apart)…read more Wonderful, laid back but inviting ambiance. Waiter was super friendly, taking time to explain their wines in detail and food options. They even have a kids menu with sizeable portions for older kids. We all thoroughly enjoyed our meal, and it was definitely the best wine we had with meals in Florence. Gnocchi and wild boar taglietelle were outstanding. Had we had come earlier in our stay we might have come back again They also do a wine window which I wish I'd known about earlier because the other one we tried for fun was not good

Looking for a place to eat, found this gem and realized I wanted to try it. Everyone had told us…read moredinner reservations were a MUST here, but didn't think about it. Not many places actually have yelp reviews, but this one had so many with great feedback. The food looked amazing. When we arrived we thought they were closed, but that is because they moved to a bigger restaurant a few doors down. When we arrived at the front, the gentleman asked if we had reservations, which we didn't. He directed us to the line with no reservations. The line was a bit long, but doubled in size almost immediately. It also started pouring rain during this time and we were ALL getting drenched even with an umbrella. The non reservation line was not really moving unless people left the line. We waited a good hour. As we inched closer and closer, the lines were now both outrageous and getting seated seemed like a distant memory. The staff came out and gave out Sangria and Bread bites to help those in line feel welcome. We did finally get seated and we were so glad we waited, it was worth it! We ordered the Spaghetti Carbonara, the lobster spaghettini and the chicken breast with roasted potatoes. We also ordered sangria. Everything was so good and our total was 83 €. Prices were unbelievable! We were amazed at the quality, the service and how large the restaurant they relocated to was. It was like a well oiled machine. The food coming out quickly and efficiently. I will 100% be back if I return to Florence!

What a maze of a restaurant, super interesting decor and set up. Such a cute restaurant with so…read moremany "rooms". Definitely can tell the old building and maybe they had expanded over the years. The service was amazing and the food delicious. This is one of the places that friends recommended and it's also on the list of many influencers. Tourist trappy, maybe. But the food was totally worth it. We were in the area around 4:30PM and decided to stop in, totally not expecting much as we didn't make a reservation but figured if they're open and not busy, why not give them a try. The most memorable dish we had was the appetizer we order - fried polenta with mushrooms and chicken liver pate, the polenta fried crispy, the mushrooms creamy and the chicken liver pate so smooth and savory. We also ordered 2 pasta dishes - wild boar sauce pappardelle and spaghetti alla carbonara. So tasty and with depth of flavors. Paired well with the house white wine we ordered as well. Definitely a spot you don't want to miss when in Florence.

Honestly, one of the most fabulous Italian meals I've ever had. The views are spectacular the…read moreservice, exceptional, and the food delicious.

Food: Unfortunately, I was pretty disappointed as I don't think I would come back for the food. I…read morewas really looking forward for the pacchero and truffle pasta but the pasta was overcooked and it didn't taste anything special. The grilled beef was also a bit overcooked and the berry tart was a bit too hard to even cut it. However, the daily special was pretty tasty and the beef was very tender. Service: The staff was amazing! Everyone was so nice and attentive. It showed that they really care for their customers and are very accommodating. Ambiance: Breathtaking view! Probably one of the most beautiful places to have a meal in. They have both indoor and outdoor seating. Great for big parties and even a special night.