La Giostra
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A friend recommended La Giostra to me before visiting Italy. I'm so glad she did because this is one of the best restaurants in Florence. The ambience of this place is just very cool. Dark inside with the walls filled with a Who's Who of celebrities who've dined here. The owner/chef, Soldano, is well known and it was awesome that he came out to meet us and take pictures. While Soldano is well known, the star of the show here is the food. After starting off with some wine, we were served a complimentary appetizer sampler platter. Delicious! I loved the eggplant. We ordered a Caprese appetizer with buffalo mozzarella. For entrees, I had one of the signature dishes, the pear and cheese ravioli. My wife had the Tagliata (grilled beef) with rosemary and olive oil. We topped off dinner with desserts of Tiramisu and an Apple Tart with vanilla ice cream. Outstanding meals! This is a very popular restaurant so we made reservations weeks in advance. If you're visiting Florence and you want to try the best restaurant in town, book that early reservation!
I went with a group of 14. We had a set menu. If I was picking the menu I would have changed some things. The burrata was very good. The Parmesan cheese that was with the tomatoes was delicious. I liked the ragu. The pear ravioli was good. But I do think it had a lot of dough. I also don't know if I could have ate a whole order. I was glad to only have 2. I like something more savory. The florentine steak came out way too raw for my liking, I am aware this is how they serve it. Skip the chocolate cake it was not good. I did like the tiramisu though. The staff was great!!
Had a reservation at 9:30, we were then finally seated at 10pm. We started with the servers recommended red wine, which was very good. No appetizers besides the complimentary bread and toppings - they were okay. I ordered the sliced steak with potatoes, asked for medium but it was more on the medium well side. The entree was pretty good but nothing to write home about. I've had better steaks at longhorn steakhouse back in the states. It was a good experience but was shocked that we didn't get seated until a half hour past our reserved time. This place is also very warm, I was starting to sweat a bit within my long sleeve shirt. The atmosphere is cool and the service was nice.
5 stars 500 times over is what La Giostra deserves!!! Dining at La Giostra was nothing short of unforgettable. Dinner reservations were hard to find and we grabbed ourselves one for lunch. Absolutely loved the experience. From the moment we stepped inside, we were transported into a world of warm hospitality, rich Tuscan ambiance, and food that speaks to the soul. We settled in and were served a platter ( on the house) that had richness, flavors and amazing taste written across the board. The house bread is amazing as well and has a very unique taste associated with it. Post that, we ordered ourselves the Pear Ravioli and Steamed Octopus carpaccio with boiled ( finely sliced potato) which were so delicious ( big quantity served as well).We took our time to enjoy each of these a morsel at a time and they were simply sumptuous. For our main course we ordered Grilled steak with garlic, olive oil and rosemary ( which I didn't taste though got amazing reviews for it) and Baked Branzino with zucchini, tomatoes, olives and capers. The fish was cooked to perfection and the veggies added the much needed fiber alongside and as well were cooked to just the right degree. Loved the bites immensely and took our sweet time while we devoured through the meal :) After the check formalities were done and we were headed out, we ran into the man the legend, Soldano who happens to be the owner and runs a perfect culinary orchestra at La Giostra. Had a fun little conversation with him and definitely left with a lot of good feeling, vibes and felt that truly amazing customer care that they have built in the very fabric of La Giostra. It wouldn't be remiss to say that his warmth and charisma are reflected in every detail of the experience. La Giostra isn't just a restaurant -- it's a story, a tradition, a feeling. If you're in Florence, this is an absolute must. Thank you, Sandro and team , for making our lunch so memorable. This definitely has been a bright shining highlight of our trip!! Absolutely recommended!!
This place is worth the hype. The owner is super funny and interesting to talk to. I went there because of course when in Florence why not. Order the steak its delish and buy the bottle of wine with it. Pricey but the ambiance, the people, the food is worth it, Questo posto ne vale la pena, e quando sei in Italia perché non spendere i soldi? Adoro questo posto.
We have made this a staple to our Florence trips. We always save one night for dinner here. The atmosphere is always business casual. The service is always fantastic and the food is always delicious. We always bring our friends and family here so we definitely recommend this for your visit to Florence.
For foodies only. If you want the best, make a reservation here. What can I say that has not already been said. The house special pasta, the Bistecca alla fiorentina and the tiramisu are amazing. Get there early and order the house Negroni, relax at the bar, enjoy the vibe as people come in dressed for dinner. (Oh yeah, dress for dinner!) If you don't find this place the best, there are many pizza shops and street vendors that can make you a meal.
La Giostra is my favorite restaurant in Florence. Make a reservation. Show up early and grab a drink before your dining experience. Order the pear ravioli and a steak. You won't be disappointed. This is a very special place inside and out. Buckle up, you'll kill 2- 3 hours here but just enjoy the ride.
Because you can't come to Florence and leave without trying a Florentine Steak...and to be sure, the steak was what drew us to this restaurant. We did a lot of research, of course, and after scrolling through countless pictures, reviews and available reservations, we landed on La Giostra. The restaurant is quite pretty inside, filled with tons of twinkly lights that set the mood. The tables were kind of squished together, which made navigating between chairs difficult for some people and having a semi-private conversation difficult for others. The service was great, the staff was attentive and friendly, always greeting us with smiles and small bows, almost overly deferential. They took the time to answer our questions, provide recommendations and ensure we were taken care of. The steak (€130) was cooked to perfection (and to Florentine Steak standards) and, true to what is advertised, there was a lot of it. It was a challenge to finish even with the two of us sharing, but that could also be because of the sides that were included, or maybe the fact that we thought we'd also need to add the Fried Zucchini Sticks (€12) to the main meal *and* the Gran selezione di Salumi di Cinta Senese (€28) as a starter. They started us out with a plate of tiny toasts, with various toppings ranging from marinated veggies to sauteed tomatoes, stuffed mushrooms and a couple other vegetable-based items that we both missed when it was pointed out. We rather enjoyed everything that was presented. The charcuterie board came out next, piled high with meats and a handful of nuts. My husband was in heaven. The steak was presented next, and good heavens, was I already suffering from meat sweats, before I took my first bite. The steak was flavorful, I'll give it that, and simply cooked. It was served with potatoes and carrots, along with a simple side salad of greens and a creamy dressing. The zucchini sticks we (unnecessarily) added on were tasty and salty, crispy and crunchy. We both enjoyed the meal but I was full for the next two days haha.
This was definitely a cool experience. Reservations are a must. We made the reservation a week ahead and 9:15 was the earliest available on a Sunday night. The bar is nice but drinks are super expensive, with nothing under 20 €. We ordered drinks while waiting for our table and the wait was about 10 minutes. The ambience is unique, with soft white lights strung across the ceiling throughout the dining area (this did not allow for great photos unless you used a flash, however). The tables are very close to each other since the space is small but the walls are filled with interesting photos and the vibe is great. The food is delicious and the servers attentive but the menu prices are extravagant so basically you're paying for the vibe. I might have gone 4 stars due to the high cost, but we began our experience with a complimentary starter and ended with comped Limoncello shots so I had to take that into account. Overall, if you're up for the cost, definitely worth a visit.
"We were visiting my college-aged daughter and celebrated her 20th birthday there with a couple of her girlfriends. That dinner was one of the top highlights of our trip - The owner, waitstaff and hostess made us (and my daughter) feel very special. AND, the food was amazing! I must for anyone visiting Florence!"
3 years ago
Very disappointing experience. Was very excited to eat here. Two stars for ambiance. Food was mediocre and service was not friendly except for the hostess. Very lovely place. Too bad. read more
3 years ago
My favorite meal from our entire Italy/France trip! -Ambiance was incredible -The bruschetta appetizer was delicious -The seafood linguini was my favorite one of the trip (and I ate a lot of seafood linguini dishes at many different restaurants) -The service was really good as well read more
2 years ago
I'll be dreaming about this food for the next 50 years. Pear ravioli was to die for. Cocktails were delicious and so were all 3 of the pasta dishes and the 2 meat dishes my family got. 10/10 dining experience! Will recommend to everyone I know who comes to Florence!! read more
4 years ago
We had a great experience at La Giostra. After getting stranded in Cinque Terre for hours due to a train strike and miraculously making it back near midnight, my partner and I were famished. I was hangry and craving seafood pasta- sadly, many places were closed. Serendipitously we stumbled back to La Giostra on our walk back to our airBnB and were greeted warmly by the hosts. We were seated quickly, offered Prosecco on the house, and treated to delicious appetizers (with veg friendly options). The hosts and hostesses were extremely pleasant and regularly checked in on us, and the food was absolutely delicious. The seafood pasta in particular was everything I craved and more. This is a restaurant I definitely recommend visiting in Florence, and one we will return to in the future. read more
Possibly my favorite restaurant during my stay in Florence! The atmosphere was perfect for a family dinner, the food was delicious and the staff was extremely friendly and accommodating. Would highly recommend and would return during my next trip. From the dishes I had ordered, our favorites were the risotto with shrimp & the florentine steak. read more
3 years ago
Must get the pear ravioli. So delicious! Also got the Florentine steak which was iconic. We'll be back one day!! Grazie la giostra! read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
One of the best meals we had on our trip! Definitely make a reservation and enjoy the great food and ambiance. read more
7 years ago
I was really really excited to try this place as it is Michelin rated. Made reservations via online for today for 945 PM ( made one day prior) We were seated promptly and we received complimentary champagne as we sat down. ( it was yummy) We also received complimentary apps + bread (per usual). and to my surprise it wasn't that that much on top of how much they charge for coperto. The free apps were pretty delish. Our carne carpaccio came out first and I really enjoyed it! It was well season and the beef was sliced thinly garnished with good cheese and tomatoes. Sadly, we did NOT enjoy our pasta. We have enjoyed every pasta restaurant that we have tried so far... We got the pear ravioli which was highly raved about on yelp. The flavor combo was interesting to say the least. My ravs were unevenly al dente. First piece I ate was cooked just fine the rest had edges or pieces that were Al dente but was just fine in other parts. We also got Ragu tortellini and it was on the salty side which was sooooo surprising as nothing seemed to be overly salty in Italy. The pasta was super al dente like superrr! We also got a bottle of wine for 30euros ( they don't offer house wine here), but the wine was good. I didn't taste the wow factor that everyone else did and I would have to say this is our least favorite spot so far, and it was the most priciest! read more
2 years ago
My best friend and I were here to celebrate our 10 year friendship anniversary. We booked out our reservation over a month in advance. To say we were disappointed was an understatement. Their service was extremely underwhelming. We were rushed through our appetizer and our plates were taken before we were done. The pear ravioli was delicious and we did really enjoy it. However the penne was very bland and the pasta was too hard. By the time our steak came it was cold and not cooked correctly, extremely rare and bloody when we asked for medium. No one asked if we were happy with our meal as we left the steak completely untouched. While the atmosphere was beautiful, the couple next to us making out and groping one another made us extremely uncomfortable and again no one spoke up about the issue. We were so excited for this meal yet are really disheartened by the evening. read more
My. Favorite. Meal. Experience. Ever. This was recommended to me by several friends for the pear ravioli, but La Giostra is so much more. We made a reservation online 2 days prior. Upon sitting, we were instantly given 2 glasses of Prosecco and a plate of apps on the house. The sample of 4: bruschetta, celery with mayo, chicken liver, and a spinach cheese ball were all wonderful and quite a way to start a meal. We asked for the house Chianti and the solid 5 minute decanter process was awe inspiring. I think I watched it with my mouth open. For €28, I am blown away. The burrata came with a spoon (there was that much). The fig jam and honey were so good with it. Then we had the pear ravioli. While small, they were very tasty though I preferred them more than my husband did. We split the Florentine steak as well. The 1.5 kg is no joke. The waiter was nice enough to order it half medium and half medium rare for us. And it was cooked perfectly. The veggie sides that came with it were great and we wish we could recreate them. Lastly, we finished with a dessert. One of the waitresses actually read us the whole dessert menu in English (thank you!!) and we settled on the rice ice cream sundae. Yes, rice, sounds weird but so great to finish! Our servers were wonderful. The food was to die for. The limoncellos were the icing on the cake. I highly recommend to anyone going to Florence, not just 28 year olds on their honeymoon. read more
Ambiance is near max but not for large groups. Nestled in a stuffed street with bustling night life scene. Some people comment on how bad the service is but experienced none of that. Nor are all the staff Americans. That's simply not true. But indeed a lot of the patrons are foreigners. Most of the dishes were executed decently but didn't blow us out of the water. You can definitely get more for less elsewhere. We expected that coming in but wanted to try this place anyways after all the hype. The conclusion is it's definitely hype. The branzino still had scale on it. Bones ok...but scales at this price point is not really standard. The owner seemed very hands on which guests seem to appreciate. Others have touched on that. I just want to reaffirm that better food is found elsewhere for those that find that most important. read more
4 years ago
Went here for dinner on our honeymoon. The ambiance was my absolute favorite part of the night. So romantic with the string lights and brick arches. The tables are a little tight and cramped for servers to pass but nevertheless we enjoyed the night. My favorite meal was the beef carpaccio starter! My husband got shrimp scampi and I got bolognese which was good. The wine was delicious. And the cheesecake was heavenly. Would definitely recommend this place to others read more
2 years ago
The service was impeccable, the waiters were constantly checking on our table even thought we were in the back of the restaurant! We got the Florentine steak and it just melted in our mouths and was enough food for 3 adults. It comes with 2 small sides and they were seasoned amazingly and were filling enough. The environment of the restaurant was very friendly and aesthetic. read more
3 years ago
We happen to learn about this restaurant while in Rome and asked our hotel in Florence to help us with reservations... we arrived at the La Giostra and apparently a SNAFU happened and there was no reservations!!! The host was very kind and accommodated us nonetheless and what a treat it was! Every single dish was delicious including lot's of yummy beef dishes! The service was wonderful and the ambiance cozy with the whole place buzzing with people enjoying their meal! Highly recommend this place but be sure to have an empty stomach because the portions are very generous! read more
3 years ago
First of all, make a reservation or you're likely not getting in. We had a 9:30 pm reservation and were seated quickly in what was a very bustling and busy restaurant on a Wednesday. The servers are all professionals and tackle tables collectively so everything moves in a harmonious way. We ordered the burrata appetizer and it was amazing. Never had anything quite like it. My wife and I both ordered the filet and out comes out sliced and cooked to perfection. Paired it with a bottle of Brunello recommended by our server and it was fabulous. This place impresses from the service to the food to the ambiance. The owner is on site and sat down with us for a pic and a conversation. Be prepared to pay but this place is worth every penny. You're welcome. read more
4 years ago
Deserves all of the good reviews...the perfect dinner in Florence! Great staff, menu and ambiance! Love it here!! read more
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The service, ambiance & friendliness of the staff was outstanding. The chef generously gave us unsolicited Hors d'oeuvres! A true cozy, friendly & delicious experience. It's off the beaten path and a must do when you're in Florence! You must make reservation though via WhatsApp. The staff were all so happy that the energy was all positive vibes of pure enjoyment! read more
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This review is from February, 2017: So good, I ate here twice in the same week! My first and extremely enjoyable dinner meal experience. It's a busy place and rightfully so, lock down your reservations ASAP. You come in as a tourist, but with the ambiance, the food, service, you walk out with a great experience. I swear I was speaking fluent Italian going home, for no reason. Let me list everything that we had. Take a special someone there and appreciate them, feed them pasta while you're there. The menu is in Italian but that's the fun of experiencing the meal. Good: -Antipasta -Buffalo Mozzarella (the cows must be in the back, it was so fresh and flavorful) -Steak was perfection -Pear ravioli was ridiculously good in my opinion, subtle but spot-on -Gnocchi was creamy and filling -Osso Bucco was bellissimo!!! -Linguine with shrimp -Free prosciutto while we waited -Waiter offered Limoncello -House white wine Bad: -None read more
5 years ago
I dream of going back to Florence just so I can visit La Giostra again. The most romantic restaurant I have ever been to. Marvelous food! The service was top notch. I would give more than five starts if I could. They brought us Prosecco and a generous appetizer on the house. The burrata with honey and nuts was so creamy and full of flavor ......I still dream about this cheese.(check the picture I uploaded) For dinner I ordered the pear ravioli, because I was told I must. It was good to eat something so different. My boyfriend ordered the balsamic steak, he loved it. We shared a delicious tiramisu for dessert. This restaurant was a recommendation from a friend, and I am here to tell you, this restaurant is a must go if you are in Florence. Not only for the food, but also for the romantic ambiance. I am planning to go back there this summer for the burrata. read more
3 years ago
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4 years ago
I wanted so badly to think that this restaurant was a tourist trap. But it was actually an incredible experience! The service is lovely and the food is amazing. I have never had such a good salad. And the gelato di vivoli was AMAZING. If you're willing to spend the money, you must come here. read more
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La Giostra - tuscan - Updated June 2026
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