Pizza cheap dinner for the New Year's Eve in Florence

For New Year's this restaurant in Florence will be offering to different shifts. 

The first from 7.30pm to 10pm (for those who want to welcome in the new year outside with the masses!). The second from 10pm til midnight (for those who want to party but stay warm) A la carte menu (with a surcharge of 20%) .So that you can order just want Pizza menu at €28 (1st shift only): Tuscan antipasto toscano with crostini and cold cuts ,Your choice of pizza, Tiramisù, Espresso Medium beer o Coke o 1/2 liter of water and one glass of Chianti.

Tasting menu for New Year's Eve at €55 (both shifts)_ Tuscan antipasto with crostini and cold cuts - 1 glass of Vivia Le Mortelle bianco Antinori Double pasta course: risotti with black cabbage and truffled pecorinotto and wild boar pappardelle - 1 glass of Chianti Classico S.Felice Steak slices with porcini mushrooms and parmesan on a rocket salad beda -1 glass ofAchelo Sirah Antinori Tuscan roasted potatoes with garlic and rosemary. Choice of dessert 1 glass of spumante Espresso. 

I Ghibellini is in the center of Florence. You can easily walk to the main venues of the New Year's Eve.

I Ghibellini

Piazza di San Pier Maggiore, 8  50122 Firenze

055 214424

Cheap place to eat in Florence: 4.30 euro for a chicken

It's not easy to find affordable places to eat in Florence: many restaurants are tourist traps!

If you have the patience to walk a little by the San Frediano neighbourhood, one of the most historical and typical quarters in Florence, just besides the ancient "Porta San Frediano" (the ancient gate to access the medieval city) you can find "Sabatino" a family run trattoria where you can have a good lunch for under 15 euros.

The menù is only in italian, but you can ask to some waiters to help you to understand the dishes. There are not many choices: some kind of pasta with tomato sauce ("al sugo") or meat sauce ("al ragù"), roasted ("arrosto") or steamed ("lesso") chicken served with green sauce (made of some vegetables and spices) and some sidedishes. 

But have a look at the price! You won't fine similar prices anywhere in Florence.

You can share your table with someone else if you are alone. 

Try also the dessert.

 

Trattoria Sabatino dal 1956 

Via Pisana 2r Firenze tel. 055-225955

Gustacard: have a 30% discount for restaurants in Florence and Tuscany

I would like to talk about a smart way to save your money here in Florence when dining out: it is called Gustacard, basically a card which offers a 30% discount (in affiliated restaurants) not only to the card holder but also to the people who sit at the table with him. 

Gustacard is a 12-month valid card and costs €35. It has no usage restrictions: it can be used more than once a day, without limits on the food you order: the discount will be applied, in fact, on all à la carte menus. Holders can choose within a large (and constantly increasing) number of restaurants, located in both the provinces of Florence and Arezzo. 

 If you want to experience yourself the advantages of this service, you can ask for a free trial card directly on the website (it will be delivered home). The free card is valid for one meal with the same modalities of the annual one, that is 30% discount for card holders plus the people dining with them. I do really think this is an interesting opportunity: let's say a four-member family eats out once a week. With just one card (€35 per year) all the family members get a discount each time. That means the family can save €1000+ per year dining in mid-low price range restaurants. 

Web: www.gustacard.it
Facebook: www.facebook.com/gustacard
Twitter: www.twitter.com/gustacard

Cheap vegetarian brunch in Florence

Last Sunday a friend of mine went to this cozy restaurant in the center of Florence, close to Santa Croce Square. The space is small. It's a sort of a private club: but the entrance fee is included in the 15euros brunch menu.

You can eat as much as you can, choosing between: tasty fried salted pieces of bread ("coccoli"), italian ricotta cheese served with some topping and apples, sweet italian buttery cheese called "burrata", pumpkin vegetarian cakes, pasta salted with red salad cooked in the Guinness beer, spicy vegetarian cous cous, fried spicy aubergines with rice... all served with several types of bread, and american coffee.
Don't miss to taste the desserts: apple crumble, cherry pie, sachertorte chocolate cake.

La Vie en Rose
Borgo Allegri 68r Firenze (close to Piazza dei Ciompi)

SE-STO the new glass rooftop restaurant of the Westin Excelsior Florence

Yesterday I have been to the new glass rooftop Bar and Restaurant of The Westin Excelsior Florence: SE•STO.  Almost entirely made of glass, has reopened its doors to Florence and its international crowd after 20 years. There's a breathtaking 360 degree view of the whole city over the rooftops, the churches and the bell towers with the River Arno and the Ponte Vecchio as background, all embraced by the picturesque hills of Tuscany.

There are 2 large terraces, one dedicated to the restaurant and one to the bar. The terrace facing the Arno River, the one dedicated to the bar, is covered by a veil of water that immediately recalls the flow of the river Arno beneath.

The interior furnishings recall the Sixties but keeping comfort always in mind. The result is a warm and cozy atmosphere with various different seating options, from soft sofas, to bar stools and colorful poufs , all enriched by wooden floors and ceilings and walls covered in original Florentine hand crafted leather.

I was there for lunch and I really enjoyed the menu by the Chef Entiana Osmenzeza: dishes of the Mediterranean gastronomic tradition, made with fresh seasonal products, accompanied by a a good wine selection.

SE•STO

For more information please contact:

Sara Migliore

PR Manager, Starwood Italy

Ph. +39 02 6336 3641

sara.migliore@starwoodhotels.com

Cheap lunch in a tuscan trattoria in the center of Florence

Last wednesday I went with a friend of mine to this trattoria to have a fast lunch. It's a typical florentine restaurant where you can eat the traditional dishes of the tuscan cuisine. You can find florentine people as well as tourists.
For lunch they have some special prices: 5 euros for the first course (generally a plate of pasta) and 7 euros the main course (meat + vegetables). Cover charge 2 euros.

It's not bad, I enjoyed my stew beef with potatoes.

Trattoria Pallottino

Via Isole delle Stinche 1r
50122 Florence, Italy
055 289 573

New Year's Eve in Florence: romantic dinner for two

This is one of the most fancy romantic restaurants in Florence, Italy.

Alle Murate is located in a historic 14th-century palace close to Ponte Vecchio, with roman underground and Dante Alighieri frescoes, italian restaurant Alle Murate.

New Year's Eve in Florence 2011

Dinner of 31st December 2010

• Welcome appetizer
•  Sicilian red prawns tartare ginger, lime and parsley sauce. Crispy celeriac 
• White Zolfini soup with scallops and pistachio powder from Bronte (Sicily)
• Hand made tortelli filled with burrata cheese and cuttlefish ragout turnip sauce and sepia waffle
•  Orange salad with pastry wafer and Nubia red garlic mild sauce 
• Roast beef with white truffle broccoli puree and hand made paprika bread 
• Pears with saffron stuffed with chocolate mousse sweet wine with anise and cinnamon

Coffee and petits fours

180 euro per person
(a spumante bottle included)
make a reservation: silvia@allemurate.it

Pizzeria in San Domenico (Fiesole)

If you fancy a pizza but you don’t want to stay around the centre of Florence you just take bus number 7 towards Fiesole and you stop in San Domenico. As soon as you get off the bus on the opposite side of street you have the pizzeria San Domenico. A very nice, informal and friendly environment where you can eat outside if it is warm enough or inside. They don’t accept reservations but you can find a free table even if you go at 8,30pm on a Saturday evening!

I had a white pizza with buffalo mozzarella cheese, small tomatoes and zucchini flowers, my friend Roberto had instead a partenopea (tomato, cherry tomatoes and buffalo cheese). They were both very good, mine, maybe too much cooked, but very tasteful.

Pizza prices were from € 5,00 on, we spent € 28, 50 (without coffee and dessert), but these are the prices of Florence; the pizzeria is fine, the waiters are kind and they don’t make you pressure while you have finished.
PIZZERIA SAN DOMENICO
Piazza S. Domenico, 11
50014 - Fiesole (FI)
Tel.+39 05559182

After dinner, we had an ice cream at Gelateria Il Sorriso, in viale Giannotti, not my favorite, but the ice cream was good.
Other pizzerias in Florence are:
Pizzeria Caffé Italiano (the best pizza in town)

Pizzeria Firenze Nova
Il Pizzaiuolo
Orto del Cigno
Corte dei tre
Pizzeria 00

Free tasting at Bardini restaurant and a cheap place to eat

On Saturday March 14 from 11am (for the press) and from 3,30pm (for everybody) there will be an event of TASTE at MOBA, the restaurant of Villa Bardini.

There will be an exhibition and taste with Salemi products at the presence of Oliviero Toscani, creativity councilor and Vittorio Sgarbi, major of the Sicilian town. They will present various products from Salemi, famous for the making of the bread, called Saint Joseph bread (I Pani di San Giuseppe). You can find more info on MOBA blog.

Then, I spoke many times about the Osteria del Santo Bevitore, a nice and traditional restaurant in Santo Spirito area ran by two guys, lovers of good food. Beside the restaurant, they opened a small place called il Santino where you can have food from 10am to 10pm. It is a perfect place for a quick cheap lunch, a break with friends, a snack or an aperitif, tasting different kind of cheeses, hams, sauces but also biscuits, wine, also organic wines not only from Italy but also from France.
You will not find long buffet tables, noisy people and loud music but a place to relax, enjoy food and chill out. I had a plate of anchovies from Viareggio with small tomatoes and big capers, some cheeses and cut meats, and finally a special apple pie with a Passito from Pantelleria!
Il Santino Via Santo Spirito 60/R Firenze.

Alle Murate restaurant reopen in March, 10 with a new dinner menu

Alle Murate restaurant will re-open March, 10 with a new Spring MENU. With breathtaking frescoes showing portraits of Dante and Boccaccio you can experience a modern-tuscan cuisine with an excellent wine list.

HORS D’OEUVRES
Fennels soufflé with Cinta Senese “finocchiona” tartare
Pickled salmon and ricotta cream, ginger and juniper flavours
Warm squids salad with traditional Sarconi beans
Monica Maggio’s special egg with asparagus purée

FIRST COURSES
Black chickpeas soup with sea bass and rosemary
Potatoes and string beans soup with zucchini flowers and parmesan wafer
Endive and Cinta Senese sausage soup
Traditional spaghetti with mussels
Traditional Paccheri with fish sauce
Hand made tortelli stuffed with black cabbage and red snapper sauce
Pappardelle with duck ragout

FISH COURSES
Sole and mozzarella croquette, radish sauce and stuffed tomatoes
Stewed cuttlefish with red peppers
Gilthead seabream fillet with celeriac purée and olives sauce

MEAT COURSES
The lamb:the leg stuffed with black olives; braised shoulder and fried chop
Tripe Florentine style with tomatoes and parmesan, polenta wafers
Stewed baby chicken with caramelized red onions
Traditional stewed pigeon with red chicory
Our interpretation of Fiorentina T-bone steak

TASTING MENU

The most original expressions of our cuisine and the best ways of discovering them: every day we propose a careful selection of dishes from the menu , always closely linked to Italian traditions.

This menu, based on perfumes and flavours interpreted by Giovanna, follows the threads of this tradition.
90,00 per person

TUSCAN CUISINE

Fennels soufflé with Cinta Senese “finocchiona” tartare
Tripe Florentine style with tomatoes and parmesan, polenta wafers
Pappardelle with duck ragout
Traditional stewed pigeon with red chicory
Apple pie with Vin Santo sweet wine cream
90,00 per person

for info and reservations:
silvia@allemurate.it
Alle Murate restaurant in Florence
Via del Proconsolo 16/r (see on Google Maps)
Tel. +39 (0)55 240618
A 14th-century palazzo near Piazza Duomo is the setting for this museum-like restaurant, where you can dine on Tuscan dishes

Trattoria I Ricchi

This is another review from the gourmet, Sabino.

He decided to follow some friends and to go back to restaurant I Ricchi in Cercina, only few miles from Florence on the beautiful Florentine hills. Please note that this restaurant has nothing to do with the “I RICCHI”, in Piazza Santo Spirito in Florence (ndr).

This restaurant is a very typical trattoria with an overlooking view on the Arno valley and the Santa Croce church. We started with an antipasto following the tradition, cut meats (ham and salami), Tuscan crostini and coccoli with stracchino cream cheese. The coccoli are something that you cannot miss if you come to Florence: only few restaurants got them. In short: it is a special pastry, like the one we use to do the bread and the pizza, fried in hot olive oil. Impossible to dislike!

A first dish with ravioli with butter and sage and then a typical fried dish: rabbit, chicken but above all fried brain, outstanding!, some side dishes and of course, the dessert, a very good cheese cake!
Wine: Solaia del 2000 and Romitorio di santedame 2000.
Appetizers and first dishes do not cost more than € 7, 00, the fried dish between 9-11 Euros and other second dishes about € 15, 00, such as the T-bone steak!

I RICCHI. Via Docciola, 14 - Sesto Fiorentino - Cercina - 055 402045

I've been here once during the summer: the terrace is fantastic for having a relaxing, open air dinner!

Restaurant Valentines day in Florence

Looking for a a tuscan valentine? If you are searching for Tuscany valentines day restaurants here is your choice for valentine's day:

Serata speciale di S. Valentino 14th of February 2009

Pickled salmon, Burrata cheese and green apple mayonnaise
Black chickpeas soup and sea bass fillet with rosemary
Hand made tortelli stuffed with black cabbage, red mullet ragout

then, by choice
to make at the moment of reservation

Pigeon, red chicory and “Castagnaccio” - traditional Tuscan chestnuts pie with raisins and pine nuts
or
Stone-bass fillet in a crust of celeriac, celeriac purée, “Taggiasche” olives and “Pantelleria” capers sauce

As a dessert:
Dark chocolate cake with mousse of pears, crispy nuts wafer and raspberry sauce
Coffee and petits fours

90,00 euro per person
Wine not included

Ristorante Alle Murate
Via del Proconsolo 16/r
Tel. 055240618
silvia@allemurate.it
see some pictures here

Low cost New Years Eve dinner in Tuscany

If you want to spend a lovely, intimate low cost New Years Eve, the agriturismo Le Pialle in the Florentine hills countryside is just what you need! The Dinner costs only € 35, 00 and if you stay sleep there it’s only 60,00 with a little difference for the New years’ Eve dinner; and for those of you who don’t fancy cooking for Xmas they can offer the Xmas lunch at € 30,00! The Agriturismo (farmhouse) Le Pialle is just 20 km outside Florence in the most typical and genuine Tuscan countryside. They have horses, ducks, rabbits, hens and a cock!

The dinner of New Year’s Eve is a very special one: Aperitif with Prosecco and finger food, such as a warm pie with pecorino cheese and pears, warm spinach and ricotta pie with basil, then Florentine grated crespelle , pici sienese style, pork chop dressed with wine cooked in the oven, salad from their orchard, smashed potatoes and some tasting of different pecorino cheese form Mugello valley with different jam and honey, and then a fine chocolate cake, champagne to toast at the New year. Water and wine included in the € 35, 00. For info: tel. 055 8361265 or 3339101404

The Xmas lunch is very similar and it includes also wine and water for € 30, 00

Dining in Florence, Italy on New Years Eve

Here are some ideas for new year's eve 2009 dinner in Italy:

Tuscan restaurant in Florence: Osteria del Caffè Italiano (here some pictures)
Capon and mushroom broth with traditional passatelli pasta made with Parmigiano cheese
Lasagne with porcini mushroom
Tortelli stuffed with potatoes and pigeon sauce
Cardoon soufflé with pecorino cheese and saffron
Beef fillet with turnip and Brunello di Montalcino sauce
Traditional “zampone” pork leg and lentils
Our special New Year’s eve cake and “petit fours”

price 100 €

Otherwise...

SUD Restaurant 31 December (see pictures of the restaurant here)
Focaccia (bread) with tomatoes and oregano, tortino sardo di alici e patate, Anchovies and potatoes cake
Crispy sweet pepper and buffalo ricotta
Broad beans purèe and chicory
Lasagne stuffed with aggplants and Mediterranean macere, Pachino tomatoes sauce
Wild pork chop with southern wine must
….and at midnight we’ll toast together with Prosecco wine, Cotechino pork and lentils dish and our traditional southern desserts
price 75,00 €

for info of both restaurants in Florence: info@caffeitaliano.it

Xmas fairs, Art exibitions and Japanese restaurants....

While we wait for the Xmas market from Heidelberg in December in Santa Croce square we can already taste the Xmas atmosphere at the Florence Noel from November 29th until December 2nd. The event will be, as usual, at the Leopolda station: Xmas expositions and gifts ideas. The main attraction will be the House of Father Xmas (Santa Claus). The entrance fee is € 7, 00.

If you have to organize an art event there is a new space in Florence called Artsenal63 in Via Santa Reparata 19r. On Saturday November 22nd opened an art exhibition called “GOLD” by Gabriele Mori a musician, painter, performer from Florence. This space with a surface of 400 square meters is excellent for big and small art event. Open to everybody. You can visit also their blog, http://artsenal63.wordpress.com

Then, for ethnic food lovers I finally tasted the famous Japanese/Thai restaurant two people (readers of the blog) tried before me and thanks to the presence of a very nice and funny Japanese boy who was having dinner with me and other friends, I was able to try also other specialties rather than only sushi and sashimi. We tried a very similar pork chop served in a bowl full of rice, very popular in Japan. We had of course a “boat” of sushi and sashimi and I was very surprised of the excellent quality of the fish, both salmon and tuna were very fresh and delicate.
A mention also to dessert both the sushi fantasy and the chocolate one. I had an ice cream to the taste of green tea. For the full meal you would be spend about 30 euro.
NIWA Japanese and Thai restaurant
Via Ponte alle Mosse, 16/r
tel. 055 355736

Lebanese resturant in Florence

Lebanese resturant in Florence, Valle dei Cedri

I knew about this restaurant but I never had the chance to go until yesterday night when a friend invited me to try.

The dining room is not so big and the lights could be softer but on the whole is nice. The owner seems a character of an old movie, very gentle and friendly. The menu offers different kind of Lebanese specialties but we opted for an appetizer mix with pieces of Lebanese bread together with different kind of sauces: Hommos (spectacular), eggplants, tuna fish, sesame (amazing).
Then we had falafel, Fatyer, Rikakat, Sambusec, kebbehcon, meatballs.
The appetizer is more than enough but we tried also the good Kebbeh, a kind of meat pie with yogurt and rice. But I liked a lot a spice that I found in the salad. The owner told me that he does not know the name in Italian but if you go to Piazzale Michelangelo you can see the tree, which is called summak. For the wine we chose a good Lebanese wine, a Chateau Ksarà Reserve du Couvent 2005.
For prices and menu you can give a look to the well done web site www.valledeicedri.com

Ristorante Valle dei Cedri
b.go santa Croce 11 r 40100 Firenze
tel.055 2346340

ECCOCI, the Tuscan tapas bar

Last Friday I was at lunch with some friends and, as usual, I had to choose the place. Sigh!

I remember about, Joe, my hairdresser who once told me about this place in Piazza Ghiberti, near the Sant’Ambrogio market.

The interior of the restaurant is nice, modern and essential all in red and white. The peculiarity of this place is that you can have a sort of tapas but in Tuscan sauce: little miniature that costs few Euros (from € 2 on) and you can take them as appetizers or as a full dish. Of course, in their menu you can find complete dishes as well, such as meat, salad and pasta but always with an ethnic touch.
I had little miniature with mini-crostone with mushrooms and brie and a plate with meat and salad with a very strange name: picanha. They explained me that the meat is very similar of the T-bone Florentine steak, but with a different cut and above all without the bone. One of my friends had the same and he appreciated as well.
The others had a cacciucco, a typical livornese fish soup with an addition: fried anchovies and artichokes in miniature, as well!
The quality is in between the average quality that you can find in Florence even if I have to be honest: if you are going there for lunch the service is a little slow.
I know that on Thursday evening they have also the aperi-dinner.

Eccoci
Piazza Ghiberti, 5/R -
50122 Firenze - Tel. 055 2638223
http://www.eccocifirenze.it

Restaurant of Four Season hotel, Florence

After the sicilian restaurant, here is another review by Sabino, the restaurant il Palagio of theFour season hotel

The Four Season hotel opened in Florence last June and I red various reviews of the inside restaurant in some gastronomic blogs. I decided to try during one of my unusual long lunch break. I passed the sumptuous atrium of the hotel and I arrived in the restaurant, elegantly interior designed which is in communication with the wine bar area where from 7pm they serve the aperitif with finger food.

I have lunch in the garden as it is still warm in town: the scenario of the garden is fantastic if you think that we are in the middle of the historical city centre of Florence. I try the tasting menu’ at € 50, 00. As a first dish they serve an octopus with gazpacho sauce in a big iced bawl. Even if I don’t like gazpacho, the presentation was fantastic and at the end I liked it.
Then you can choose between a first course and a second, they were all fine, (meat of fish) but the dessert was the top.
A caramel sphere with violet, tasting as a violet, and then in addition I had also a tasting of a chocolate mousse with a very good pastry.

A spectacular place where the service is excellent and the waiters are careful. For dinner, prices are higher: it is very worthy for a very special occasion.

Here more info:
http://www.fourseasons.com/florence/

Osteria da Melo, sicilian food in Florence

I received a reviwe from Sabino about this sicilian restaurant in Florence: Osteria da Melo.

Thanks to an event organized by Slow Food, I had the possibility to try a good restaurant not only for the food it proposes but for the good value for money. The Osteria da Melo is a Sicilian restaurant and Carmelo, the chef, opened it just few years ago.
The dinner had a pre-set menu with the intent of showing some of the presided over by Slow food in Sicily.
We started with a very nice aperitif in the restaurant yard followed by appetizers with different kind of cut-meats: capocollo, salami and sausages from the Nebrodi black pigs accompanied by black bread from Castelvetrano.
Then we had fresh handmade fusilli pasta with Ercino pesto with red garlic of Nubia; an excellent equilibrated dish. As a second dish, very appreciated by all the guests was a Tortiera, a kind of quiche with anchovies and wild fennel with Pantelleria capers and small olives and after this they offered us also a tasting of local Sicilian cheese: Ragusano DOP, Blu di capra Girgentana (a kind of goat cheese) and a Vastedda del Belice.
For dessert: a cake with Ribera oranges and Bronte pistachio then a taste of special aromatic fried biscuits with zibibbo…
While we ate we tasted also the wine of the wine farm called I Gulfi: Valcanziria (white), then Rossoibleo e Neroibleo (red).
We paid 40 euro and half of it went to the Slow Food foundation: what can we add more?
We left the restaurant all very happy and excited of this culinary experience.
Osteria DA MELO Via di Rosano, 198
50012 Bagno a Ripoli (Firenze)
Tel/Fax: 055/6519000
E-mail: info@osteriadamelo.com

Sabatino in San Frediano

This is quite a good place if you want a home made cuisine and not expensive at all.

This place is in a little corner just beside the gate of San Frediano. Prices go from € 2, 80 to € 3, 70 for a first course, for a second € 5,00, side dishes € 2,40 and coperto € 1,35. It is a quite simple cuisine. Where you can find only locals! All of us (five) had meat, T-bone steak, chicken; everything was following the classical Tuscan tradition.
It looks like to be at Grandma’s house!



As a dessert most of us had a delicious cake with grape juice, really good. Then after dinner (their kitchen closes at 10pm) we walked towards Piazza del Carmine at Dolce Vita, where we finished our evening in front of a bottle of champagne.
Trattoria Sabatino from 1956
Via Pisana 2r Firenze
tel. 055-225955
closed on Saturday and Sunday