Excellent food and service! Hubby ordered the spaghetti with shrimp and calamari and it was delicious!! Bruschetta and chicken liver pate are my favorites!!! Everything was super good and our waiter was very friendly (: they speak English and also have the English menu! Interesting Arts scattered along the wall. And the raspberry tiramisu is the bombbb!! read more

Vini e Vecchi Sapori - Bruschetta and chicken liver pate - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

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Don't be worried about all the American reviews. This place is legit :) You should def start your meal with the carpaccio, they hand carve the meat the old school way. All the pasta's were fresh and amazing. The atmosphere was fun and casual, and the owner makes sure to keep things simple. This is a good famly owned and run place, that's not commercialized with anything fancy...Just simple, delicious homemade comfort food done the right way. read more

Wow. No need for long winded review. We were in Florence for one night and went here to eat both days. Everything was super delicious. I asked a local who was sitting at the table and he said he made reservations 2 weeks ago. Food comes fairly quickly and we wolfed down everything. This place alone might be a reason for me to come back to Italy read more

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We ate here in October 2015 and it was one of the best meals I had on our trip to Italy. We had a reservation. The place was cozy, the food was so fresh and delicious, and portions were generous. We felt like we stepped into someone's home by the way were treated. Many tourists came by frustrated that the (tiny) place was full and pointed at the one empty table, which the owner was reserving for a regular. This isn't fast food. Our meal lasted hours - not because they were bringing out 10 tiny pretentious plates one at a time or because we were a large group catching up, but because dinner is where you slow down, let the waiter refill your wine glass, and just be (and meet a few friendly locals and tourists). We left stuffed (should have probably skipped dessert and/or ordered one less pasta dish, but no regrets) with great food and happy. We cannot wait to return. read more

Expat hangout spot. Service: Very friendly. 4/5 Ambience: cute but tiny. 4/5 Food:3.5/5 fresh but not missing out if you don't get a reservation Value: 3.5/5 read more

Wouldn't even serve me because I was by my self. I guess my money isn't good enough for them. Went to the restaurant around the corner.

Somewhat disappointing considering the high ratings and waiting to go here on our last night in Florence. I guess it just ruined our dinner when they sat two self impressed American college students at our very tight table. They spoke loud and the shallowness just made me lose my appetite. It took an uncomfortably long time to get our check to get out of there. The food was OK. The waiter offered to bring us a sample of tripe which never arrived. Our two pasta dishes were not served together. There are many other good places so don't feel this is the only place that is authentic. Look around the little streets off of the main tourist areas and you will be pleasantly surprised. I could have given this a 2 star but felt generous. read more

Hands down the BEST italiano food I have ever had in my life. I still dream about this place frequently. It was such a shame because we ate here for dinner on our last night in Florence, and had we known it would be this good, we would've eaten here every day, every snack, every meal. And yes, I kid you not when I say it's THAT delicious. The place is extremely small (maybe can seat 15 at the most), so reservations are a must. Don't expect a rezzie on the same day - it's highly unlikely so call in advance. The son who has since taken the ownership of this restaurant from his parents was extremely charming. Service was spectacular, and in the back of the kitchen, you can see 2 (maybe 3) older ladies doing all of the cooking. They are the secret sauce to this place. The food, especially the pasta, is mouth watering. I swear we ordered probably 6 dishes among the 4 of us, realized how amazing it was, and ended up reordering another round of the pastas. The servers probably thought to themselves.. those fat americanos!, but I have no shame. It was that delicious. The pasta was extremely fresh and cooked to perfection - you have to order the duck papparedelle and pasta with zucchini. Also try the stuffed cabbage - it's not something I would've ever ordered but the Owner recommended it and I'm so glad we listened to him. But honestly, there is nothing that you could order from here that won't be delicious. I cannot wait to go to Italy again and frequent this place, all day everyday. Hurry up and try it. NOW. read more

You must try the duck ragu! The Ossobucco and Tiramisu are also amazing. Personally I don't really like cheese but my hubby said the prosciutto and mozzarella is good too. We love this restaurant so much that we wanted to visit again during our stay in Florence. One thing we did notice during our stay in Italy for 2 weeks is that once you have reservation, they don't rush you to finish your meal nor do they take people just walk in even if people who made reservation haven't arrived yet. (It does not apply to all restaurants obviously but based on our observation that's the case.) Therefore, remember to make a reservation if you really want to try this place. They don't take reservation via email nor do they have online booking system. So you need to call them or you can have your hotel to help you to make a reservation. read more

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Meal was OK (meat was a little over cooked, would have preferred if they asked how I would have liked it cooked). The parpadelle was amazing though! The reason for 3 stars was because of the horrible local Italians sitting next to us making snobby comments all night. You're in a crowded restaurant and forced to share a table, at least have the decency to be civil. It would have been great to have the servers make some type of introduction when they sit you down. We also didn't like the exclusivity of the restaurant - they lock you out and make you wait outside until your table is free. Not an inviting atmosphere. read more

Had to go for lunch since we could not get in for lunch. Worth every bite. Just ask the waiter for recommendations and enjoy. I had the duck and tagliatelle and Alicia had the fried chicken. Awesome read more

Loved this placed! As a New Yorker exploring Firenze, the vibe and people were great. Reminds me of a downtown cool vibe. The food is phenomenal, as well. Highly recommend their fried chicken and zucchini flour or artichoke if in season, papadelle with meat ragu and raspberry tiramisu. Wish they existing in NYC. read more

Honestly I've been going to this restaurant for a few years now and it is for sure the best restaurant in the whole of Florence, the people working in it are amazing, always friendly always ready to fulfill your any need and the food is just what you'd expect your typical florentine grandma to cook you at home. It's a tiny restaurant with max 20-25 places inside so if you want to go (which you should) it's better to call and make a reservation. P.s. HAVE THE PAPPARDELLE ALL'ANATRA (trust me) read more

Had some wonderful local dishes, very different from Rome where I live. Service was nice and the waitress was smiley and friendly. Only minus was the other waiter who was constantly smoking --- disgusting! read more

Vini e Vecchi Sapori - Starters - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

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This was an incomplete review from 3/18/15 that I'm just now finishing. My daughter and I had dinner here last night. We shared a caprese salad which was really good. Wonderful fresh tomatoes, a good mozzarella with nice fresh basil plus olive oil. For the main course I had the osso buco and my daughter had the duck ragu with noodles. The food was good and we had a very pleasant house red wine to go with it. Service was fine too. read more

One of the best restaurants I experienced while visiting Florence. And the menu makes this very clear: no ice, no takeaway, no steak, no cappuccino. Only some of the finest food made fresh. Be sure to make a reservation, or you may miss out! read more

This is definitely my favorite restaurant in all of Florence! We ordered a pasta dish with duck sauce as a starter, for the main dish, we ordered the fillet in green pepper sauce, and finished off our meal with a raspberry tiramisu. EVERYTHING WAS AMAZING, everything. The home made pasta was cooked to perfection, and the duck sauce was extremely flavorful. The fillet was more on the rare side- something that's traditionally not to my liking, but turned out phenomenal. The raspberry tiramisu was a surprise twist on the traditional dessert, but in a good way. For the whole time, this place was buzzing with a local Florentine crowd, exchanging greetings and kisses with the servers, giving it a nice homey feeling of warmth and satisfaction on a chilly night in Florence. We looooved this place, and if -- when, we come back to Florence, this will be the first restaurant I go back to! Gracie! read more

Excellent lunch. Amazing pasta. Great atmosphere. Make a reservation. They get very busy. Locals were very helpful in helping is pick great selections. Vegetable soup had the most amazing flavored and earthy freshness. Stop looking - You found it. read more

Vini e Vecchi Sapori - Amazing homemade Pasta in Florence. Carbonara was delicious and the duck Ragu was perfect as well. - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

AMAZING restaurant, great food and waiters that will make you feel very welcome. We had a blast. Thanks guys. You give a wonderful image of Italia. read more

Vini e Vecchi Sapori - Tomatoes and morazella - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

Wow! Fantastic food and service. This is an experience, get reservations quickly as they are booked 2-3 days in advance. Why you might ask? Because they let their customers sit and enjoy their meals and wine and take joy in your experience, they don't rush you and want you to have a great meal. We stayed in florence 4 days and this restaurant was by far our favorite. We got the pasta in duck sauce and the beef stew WOW! Recommend those two for sure. read more

Absolutely my favorite meal in Florence. My wife and I were looking for a great place to have our last dinner on our honeymoon. A quick yelp search led me to this place. We were nervous we wouldn't get in because a previous reviewer said you needed a reservation. We walked over to the restaurant about 10 minutes before opening and there were already a few people in line. Once the owners opened the doors they announced the first 8 people in line would be seated, the rest of the table were reserved. Thank goodness we got in because the food was amazing. I couldn't recommend the duck ragu and the green pepper steak highly enough. The two best dishes I had in Italy. The grilled lamb chops and ravioli were also excellent. This is a MUST visit on any trip to Florence. read more

2 stars for, according to yelp : meh. I've experienced better, seems appropriate. Osteria, trattoria competition is fierce and this was not on par with other things we have tried even if reviews seemed fine. Sad to be loosing a night out because we tried this spot when there are so many good things around in town. anyway. we had a reservation, and were seated right away. ordered the pasta duck and osso bucco and both were mostly blend. the duck was not very tasty and the beef was not particularly tender/tasty as well. Disappointed after reading reviews and all. Expected more from this place. We did not try anything else as both dishes turned out to be below expectations. Try it for yourself but I really dont think we got blinded or anything, it just did not fit our tastes and could not compared with what we had elsewhere in the city. Oh and both pasta and osso bucco were small compared to other places. Not that you need a lot but still on the small size. When you pay 18 Euros for Osso Buco you expect a very good one and if not at least a bigger size dish. no? side note, nothing to do with the food but being italians/behaving italians seem to help for good seats, attention, and recommendations. Maybe better to come off busy times to enjoy it better - if attracted by the food - read more

Great dinner. Enjoyed small restaurant and intimate but causal setting. Food delicious and service excellent. Location great, too. Just a few Americans scattered among locals. read more

Tiny pasta portions that were not very tasty, lacking in sauce and too dry. Ossa Bucca also too expensive for the size/quality of the meat. Very unfriendly staff who sat us near the freezing door and refused to move us to somewhere warmer - although they immediately placed two Italian couples who came in near the back. Perhaps a good place if you are local and friends with the owner but not a good feeling for tourists. I recommend the lovely Il'Brindellone instead. read more

Amazing good. The duck pasta and deserts are amazing. Everything was so good. Maybe the best place we ate in Florence

My daughter and I came here for lunch after the Uffizi, because they hadn't had room for us for dinner the night before. This was probably the best meal we had our entire three weeks in Italy, and we had a lot of really great food. We shared a caprese salad that honestly made me want to lick the plate. The mozzarella was so cold and creamy, yet full of flavor, and the tomatoes and basil tasted like they've been picked two minutes earlier out in the garden. Our charming waiter trickled a little evoo onto it, but I didn't need a drop of balsamic or a sprinkle of salt. It was that good. We each got a glass of Chianti and then shared a main plate of lamb chops. My daughter has always loved lamb, but I can normally take it or leave it. In this case, I could've gnawed on those little juicy, salty, garlicky bones till they disappeared, I think. I did "lick" the plate this time, with the bread, and there wasn't even any sauce, just juice and grease from the lamb and the roasted potatoes that were born and raised in butter. Great family atmosphere and excellent value for your money. read more

Not quite as good as the hype but good. Maybe if we had just stumbled upon it with no preconceived ideas we would have loved it more. You share a table with people, which is fine depending on the people. read more

The restaurant is very small in a very old building with tall ceilings and tile floors. Beside the five or six tables, there is only a glass refrigerator case, like you would see in a deli, a small counter, and the door to the bathroom and to the kitchen (different doors). The walls are smothered, but tastefully so, with an eclectic variety of original art and prints, making the small room, I mean restaurant, warm and inviting. The restaurant sits on a short, narrow, quiet street just north of the Piazza della Signoria and has five tables or so, holding about 20 people. It reminds me of my favorite Italian restaurant in Los Angeles, Palermo, run by my old friend Tony, an immigrant from Palermo, Sicily and a warm, wonderful person. When Palermo opened back in the late 1970's, it was just as small and quaint. Now Palermo is huge and packed every night of the week, a few blocks west of its old location. I hope that the same does not happen to Vini e Vecchi Sapori for it will lose much of its charm. Tomaso, the owner, sat us and then sat with us to explain the night's menu. My wife's dear friend Maddalena was with us and we were celebrating her birthday. We had visited Pistoia and Lucca by train that day, and had eaten foccacia con mozzarrella, prosciutto cotto, e carciofi (thin, herb covered bread with mozzarella, cooked ham, and artichoke inside) in Lucca that was larger than expected, so we decided to skip the antipasti and save room for the wonderful selection of primi and secondi. We started with the pappardelle con ragu di anatra (pappardelle are very wide fettucini-type pasta and they were covered in a rich minced duck sauce - €9) and paccheri con fiori di zucca e zafferano (yellow zucchini flowers and saffron - €8). The papparedelle con ragu di anatra was out of this world, just enough to satiate the palate for the time being, but never to be forgotten. The paccheri con fiori di zucca e zafferano was delightfully done in a rich, creamy sauce and the pasta was thick and al dente, just firm enough to hold all of the wonderful sauce. I had never had saffron, a spice used mostly in the Middle East, in an Italian pasta sauce before, but it was creamy and dreamy. I hinted to Tomaso about obtaining the recipe, but will wait until we establish ourselves as regulars to make such a proposition. Having trouble deciding whether to have the scaloppine alla pizzaiola (similar to veal parmigiana, but much better - €14) or the ossobuco con piselli (veal shank - slow cooked with peas), Tomaso decided for me, it was the ossobuco (€14) and I was not disappointed! The veal shank was cooked to perfection, not huge by American standards, and falling off the bone with a hint of marsala wine sauce. It was delicious, the best ossobuco I have eaten and I have had a few. My wife had the torta ai carciofi (artichoke omelette - €8), but she wolfed it down while I was talking to the couple from Shang Hai at the table next to us, so I did not have the opportunity to get a taste. Our meal was accompanied by a litre of sparkling water (€2) and a litre of Chianti wine (€14), which was dark, rich, and flavorful with hints of berry and chocolate. Being so small, you easily fall into conversation with the table next to you. The first diners were a couple from San Francisco, she a teacher on break, and very nice, he a silicon valley marketing executive, seemingly very impressed with himself and eager to end the conversation. The next couple was from Shang Hai and it turns out that his family was from Glendale, California where I spent much of my childhood and college years, moving to Hacienda Heights after his graduation, where I had spent all of my school years. What a small world! Emma was Chinese, a native of Shang Hai, and extremely engaging and sweet. The couple on their other side, I thought were from Holland by the accent, turned out to be from Jordan and were equally as warm and engaging. It was one of the most delightful dinners I have experienced in a long time. Finally, the dessert was ordered, while I was talking to Emma about her soon to be baby (due on Christmas day), so I did not have a choice in the matter as it was ordered while occupied. We tasted the tiramisu (€5), which was light and refreshing, minus the coffee which by this time in the evening would probably have kept me awake all night, and the meringato ("big meringue" with cream and chocolate - €5), which was good, but not outstanding. The bill came to €86, but Tomaso rounded it off to €80 even, so we left a generous tip, which is normally not required in Italy when being served by the owner. On the way out we met the chef, Tomaso's mother, and congratulated her on her wonderful meal, telling "ritorniamo prossima Sabato" ("we will return next Saturday") and the Saturday after that, and the one after that ... HOOAH ... Vini e Vecchi Sapori is "THE BOMB"! CombatCritic Gives Vini e Vecchi Sapori 10 BOMBS Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better! @@@@@@@@@@ read more

I'll write this one in English since this is one of those places that foreigners would very much write home about. A must if you are visiting since it embodies the essence of Florentine cooking and "Fiorentinità". A father and his son run this tiny, cozy, osteria right by the Piazza Signoria. No more than a handful of tables (maybe 16 places in all), do expect to be eating elbow to elbow with other patrons--but that's the beauty of it--like a big famiily! Try the duck sauce pasta "pappardelle all'anatra" or the Tuscan style meatloaf "polpettone". read more

Firenze, like any major tourist destination, has its share of tourist traps and overly hyped restaurants. Therefore I went into my Vini e Vecchi Sapori dining experience with skepticism. I mean, how good can this place really be? An antipasti, primi, 2 secondi, dessert and a bottle of wine later and I was floored. Not from the alcohol but the spectacular food, kind hospitality, and friendships we made along the way. Food. They serve traditional Italian fare such as Osso Bucco and Salami with Burrata Mozzarella, along with dishes I wasn't as familiar with. For instance, we had large macaroni pasta with a squash blossom sauce. Every plate we were served was absolutely out-of-this-world delicious. Service. The owner's son spoke perfect English and translated the hand-written menu for us. Being the ignorant Americans we were, we had to ask for his translation help a few more times but he was more than happy to oblige. He was heavy handed with the wine pours and was a bit of jokester as well; an all around great guy. Seating Arrangement. This was probably the highlight of the night. We were seated (and pretty closely, too) next to a sweet couple who were an absolute blast to talk to and share our Italian experience with. As it turns out, they got engaged that same night! Overall. This restaurant deserves all of the accolades it gets. I hope you get the opportunity to dine here and fall in love with this place as much as I have. read more

This was the culinary highlight of our trip to Florence and one of the best bites of food we had in all of our travels in Italy. A true family run restaurant. They are incredibly proud of the food they serve and well they should be. Everything we had was phenomenal from the simple raw artichoke salad to the stuffed artichokes which were sublime. The duck Ragu pasta that everyone is talking about is simply amazing. We had a special risotto with zucchini flowers and saffron that was mind blowing. We were there for a holiday and the service was slow but the owner apologized and took care of us himself. When we told him it was our anniversary he was incredibly kind pouring us limoncello. Do not miss the chance to eat in this incredible restaurant. read more

During my 4 months in Florence, I ate at Vini e Vecchi Sapori once every two weeks. Hands down this is my favorite restaurant in Florence. I will admit right away that it is really hard to get a reservation. People book this restaurant up roughly a week in advance. After a while they would know who was calling to ask for a reservation which I think helped me get so many reservations :) If you don't speak italian I would recommend having your hotel call for you and make a reservation. The food- Save room for dessert. The raspberry tiramisu...I've never had anything better. The last time I was in florence was 2014 but I still dream about it to this day. They do switch around the menu a lot but If they have the saffron papperdelle on the menu I highly recommend. Pricing is pretty standard for Florence, not cheap but not expensive. read more

My friend and I spent two weeks in Italy this summer and this was by far the best restaurant we ate at, just incredible. The first time we went the host was squeezed us in without a reservation and we felt very lucky for that. We made reservations for the following night after eating just the appetizers, it was that good. The duck pappardelle is a dish I still dream about four months after my trip, just perfection. The staff is so friendly and helpful. I recommend this restaurant to everyone I know traveling to Florence, not to be missed! read more

The. Food. Is. FABULOUS. Seriously. Fabulous. We arrived early for our 7:30 reservation. Only 4 or 5 other people in the restaurant. Seated at a table for 4, my husband and I started to think that maybe the place wasn't as good as hyped up... I mean, putting 2 people at a 4 top? Yeah, except that it is as good as the hype. And they pack folks in. Within 20 minutes, someone else was seated with us and every other place was packed as well, with people standing outside. Another good sign was that nearly all the other diners were speaking Italian and seemed to have previous relationships with the staff. So, here is where this review gets less helpful... I can't remember the specifics of what we ate, other than an incredible pasta starter stuffed with mushrooms? Yumminess? Heaven? I don't remember. There were veggies too, and then Osso Bucco- the best we have ever had. And some sort of meringue-based dessert- beautiful and snowy white. Some grappa for one of us. Then we walked home to bed, still talking about the food. read more

Over-rated Ambience: Cramped and always packed (it seats about 25 in a room no larger than a small living room). You can forget getting a table on the night you show up at the door - over-hyped reviews in Trip Advisor have seen to that. If you do book, make sure you ask for a table away from the front door - it is opened (and slammed) every 5 mins due to a huge influx of tourists (all of whom are told they should have booked). Service: Ok. A single waiter for the entire restaurant but fortunately there wasn't much required. The maitre d' was excellent - remembered our names and was very friendly. Food: This is the odd thing - it was okay but not amazing as you'd expect given the reviews. The menu is different every night so you really don't know what you're getting in to. Some might think that has a nice adventurous, quirkiness to it, but really, when there are only 6 choices of main courses ask yourself; what if you aren't feeling that driven by any particular item? The appetizers were the usual fare you'd get at any place in Florence and the quality didn't stand out apart from some other places given 4-star ratings in Yelp. That being said, my osso bucco was very nice indeed. As for the drinks, this is where I was really surprised - there was simply no choice. The French guys at the table next to me were visibly shocked by the fact that there was only a "vin de table" available. Seriously - only one wine on the menu. I was disappointed to find out not only did they not offer a bellini, they didn't even know what one was. Price: Good but again, nothing to stand out from other places. All in all, if I were back in Florence I'd probably skip this place in favor of better options where there is more space, more choice and equally good food. read more

We found this restaurant thanks to Yelp. I don't have to tell you about the restaurant's size. See below for that. Let me tell you about the food, the service, the ambience, and the food. The food was delicious. Perfectly seasoned, perfectly executed. Not fancy, but the sort of thing you wish you could serve your family and friends. Mama does the cooking, papa does the salads and antipasto, and Tomaso is the waiter. It's a family affair and they enjoy it. And they do it well. The service was very attentive and friendly. Tomaso helped us with the menu and advised us on what to order. We were not disappointed. Every table was filled, and the place was having a great time. The prices, by the way, were more than reasonable. Without hesitation, without qualification, I would recommend Osteria Vini e Vecchi Sapori. read more

This tiny restaurant is a true gem. The chef owner and his family (wait staff) greet you as you are a member of their family. Trust their recommendations as everything we tried was delicious! read more

Zero star. Could not be any ruder! Thankfully my Italian wasn't good enough to understand all of the abuse. The accolades have gotten to their heads. There is too much good food in Italy to waste money and time going here. read more

My husband and I visited Italy this summer and I have to say that out of all our dining experiences in Rome and Florence, Vini e Vecchi Sapori has been the best Italian food we've ever had! This restaurant is very small and you won't get a table without a reservation because there are only a few tables, totally worth it. On our first night in Florence we went here for dinner and instantly decided that we would return every night for dinner during our stay. The restaurant is family owned and from the minute we walked in we were warmly greeted and served their delicious house wine. The food is all homemade, all simple and delicious Italian dishes. You have to try the duck ragu pappardelle, I still think about it and have to admit that Italian food will never be the same after this dish. Vini e Vecchi Sapori is not only a place to eat delicious Tuscan food while in Florence, but such a fun place to be! Tomaso and friends really made our time there so much fun. Every night we arrived, they remembered our names and promptly guided us to our table, they were awesome! My husband and I agree that we must return to Florence and booking our reservation at Vini e Vecchi Sapori is top on our list. If you plan to visit Florence Italy, you have to check this place out, you will not be disappointed. read more

Today we were lucky, walking past at 1pm we were able to snag a table for 2 & find out for ourselves what all the fuss is about. In a word IMHO the ratings are correct, This is truely a family run gem, serving a daily menu that is varied & authentic. Yes the Duck Paperdelle is all it is raved to be. We had 2 pasta, 2 main course , Roast Veal with Potatoes & Stuffed egg plant & everything was excellent, we also had 0.5L Wine , a large bottle of water & coffee for Euro 50. A real bargin in expensive downtown Florence. The Service was both friendly & professional, as reported elsewhere, the Son deals with the front of the house, Papa helps out everywhere & mama is somewhere in the back cooking, The whole restaurant is 5 tables with room at a push for 20 people, so unless you are lucky like us, reservations are a must. TIP, if you come after 2pm for lunch it seems somewhat easier to find a table. read more