Florence Restaurants

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We had a group dinner at this wonderful restaurant – there were about 25 of us so we had a back room of this very busy restaurant. As a group, we had limited selections since we were trying to streamline our orders – so we went with an assorted pasta selection and an optional steak selection. The pasta, which was a sampling of five different kinds of pastas and sauces, was €12. Those that added the steak to their meal – a sampling for three kinds of steaks (enough for two people to share) – the total bill was €25 for both meat and pasta. The wine was very good and the service was great.

The restaurant has a lot of plates on the walls that have been decorated by famous people in the entertainment industry – and the room we were in was also decorated with trashcans from “Stomp”, a piano, and other paraphernalia from theatre productions. The owner brought out a plate and let our group design one of our own – not for the wall (since we weren’t famous enough, I guess) but he let us keep the plate as a souvenir of our meal and week in Florence.

One thing I found interesting that I hadn’t seen before is the television that allows you to watch the cooks in the kitchen while they work! I saw our food being prepared and then given to our waiter who appeared in seconds at our table after seeing him on the tv!

Doing some research for this tip, I learned that the restaurant has three locations – Florence, Washington, DC, and San Diego, CA. It was on the bottom of the placemat all this time and I just noticed it!

As we left for the evening, we walked back through the rest of the restaurant and it was crowded. Looks like a place you need to go early or make reservations. I would return again since the food was delicious and the service very good.

This restaurant came highly recommended from a friend. It is probably the only American style diner in Florence and that is why it started – the owners realized that sometimes people visiting in a foreign land get homesick for food from home. Thus, The Diner was born…

At The Diner you can get breakfast all day long, burgers and fries, shakes – all that traditional diner fare – for a price that won’t bust your wallet. Classic hamburger and fries will run you about €9. And the food is really, really good. Just a fun place to go for a change of pace!

The Diner is on a back street – you would really miss it if you didn’t know it was there – just around from the Bargello. Their website has a map (but not much more). The bright orange seats outside will tell you when you are there! They are open daily from 9:00 am to 10:30 pm.

My husband and I ate stopped here twice on our first trip to Florence. We were introduced to the restaurant and its owner through a friend and each time had a wonderful experience. Our first stop was in the afternoon and we stopped in for some wine. The hospitality was superior. We were given a tour of their wine cellar – which is part of the Roman excavations of the amphitheatre - it was impressive! And the wine was wonderful too.

We went there a second time for dinner. It was a beautiful day so we ate outside. We allowed the owner to select our meals – starter, main course and dessert – and everything was Italian, fresh and delicious. It was a pleasant evening as we got to know the couple that sat at the table beside us who were from Wales. They were on their third visit to this restaurant and agreed that they hadn’t had a bad meal yet.

The service was top notch – anything we requested we received. At the end, we decided to buy one of the bottles of the wine from their selection that we enjoyed so much – and my husband requested the bottle with the upside down label (it was on display with the rest of them). So we have a unique memento from a wonderful experience!

Francesco, the owner, stood watch over the evening and was quick to notice if anything was askew with any of his guests. It was fascinating to watch his sense of hospitality and fast response.

I had hoped to return on my second trip, but during a discussion with our server (the owner’s son), I learned that he would be celebrating his honeymoon that same week and they would be closed. Sure enough, they were closed (I went by there just in case!). Maybe on my third visit to Florence…

Francesco Vini is located on one of the main pedestrian walks between the Palazzo Vecchio and the Church of Santa Croce. Very easy to find.

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I know lots of people that are Hard Rock enthusiasts; I’m not one of them, although I don’t mind eating at one when I’m with a group. The food is good and the atmosphere is fun. I went to the Florence Hard Rock with some friends on one of the days we had an extended lunch break – it is not the place to go for a quick meal. We all had a good time and our server was lots of fun.

The menu was the standard Hard Rock menu – lots of burgers and other standard fare at what I think are expensive prices. I got the classic burger that comes with fries for €15, drinks were extra. It’s a lot of food so if you are a light eater, you could easily share with a friend.

The restaurant is pretty new – our server said it has only been in the city for about 6 months. As with all Hard Rock Cafés, they decorate with band memorabilia and have a pair of Michael Jackson’s pants, a shirt worn by Elvis, and a card signed by all four Beatles, plus lots of other things.

They have a restaurant and bar area with different opening times. The bar has bands that play at night – a list is on the door and on their website. As with all Hard Rocks, they have a shop that sells t-shirts, hats, and pins.

Centrally located near the Piazza della Repubblica, not far from the Cathedral.

RESTAURANT:
Sunday - Thursday 12.00 - 24.00
Friday and Saturday 12.00 - 1.00
BAR:
Sunday -Thursday 8.30 - 1.00
Friday and Saturday 8.30 - 2.00
COFFEE BAR & ROCK SHOP:
Mon-Sun 8.30 - 24.00

I would stop at this pizzeria on my way back to the hotel for the afternoon lecture. It was quick and easy, which meant I could spend the rest of my lunchtime taking photos or enjoying the city. It is nicely located in the Piazza di San Giovanni – which is the piazza the Baptistry is located in. It is in the row of shops behind the north doors (and entrance to the Baptistry).

They have a variety of pizzas – my preference was the sausage. You pay per 100g – they weigh it for you after cutting off your piece, then pop it into the oven for a quick heating while you pay. Then you are on your way quickly. The price is €1.30 per 100g and my pieces (approximately 6 inches by 9 inches – rectangular shaped) typically were around €5. You can purchase drinks there and even eat in their downstairs area if you like. But on nice days, grab it to go and enjoy the scenery!

For meat lovers – remember that pepperoni will get you peppers so if you want pepperoni (meat) you need to ask for salami.

A group of us had dinner here on one of our first nights in Florence. Our server was a super friendly young guy that was funny and quick to take care of anything we needed. The food was delicious and the service fast.

I had the Ribollita soup – a thick vegetable and bread soup that came with a side of bread. It was delicious and exactly what I was looking for. Others with me had pizza, calzone, bruschetta, tortellini, and salads. No one complained about their food, in fact, all reviews were very favorable!

As with most Florence restaurants, they do charge a cover, which was €1 in addition to your meal and tip. But it advertised in the front of the restaurant and on the menu. But the overall menu prices were very reasonable (my soup was 7.50, pizzas started at 6.50, large bottle of water 2.50).

It was a busy restaurant but one that several members of our party returned to again and again during our stay in Florence. The restaurant is about a block from the Baptistry and near the San Lorenzo Church. Highly recommend!

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UPDATE June 9, 2006
Bad news. I had lunch here today and I was so disappointed. I dont think I have to go there again.

ORIGINIAL COMMENTS
This was my favorite place to go for lunch and I went often. At that time, '92-94, it had not yet been discovered by the tourists, so it was still a local Florentine restaurant.

They serve big plates of pasta and I mean big. Pasta al vongole was what I usually ordered with a small caraffe of wine. I always went home happy as a clam.

The atmosphere is very happy and friendly.

Favorite Dish: Pasta al vongole. But you can't go wrong with anything you order here.

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set in a medieval piazza in San Gimignano, the gelateria stands out - its multi-color gelato contrasts sharply amid the stone surroundings. Its announcement in neon lights that it is a member of the Italian team that was awarded (by whom, it does not say) best gelato in 2006 and 2008 is one reason it attracts a swarm of gelato lovers at any time of the day. the queue can be very long..