There seems to be a theme with a lot of the restaurants I booked in advance while visiting Italy including here. They are filled with tourists like myself and have seemingly average food, but with great service and english friendly. It may be hard to resist to not try this place given all the reviews and history, but it most definitely does not live up to the hype as some of the best italian food. It is not bad food by any means and we finished everything, but I was left wondering and waiting when the good part was coming. read more

Decided to give this place a try after a day trip to visit Pisa. First up, a free glass of prosecco wine was a perfect way to start the meal, but the good service stops right about there. The waiter was extremely impatient when waiting for the order. I take a little long than others to decide what I want to, but I don't think there's anything with that. And then after we order our food, the serve never stop by again until giving us the check. We also had to wait almost 10 minutes before we got our check. So, why 3 stars? Because their food is exceptional. It's really too bad that their service is bad. If you don't mind the attitude, then you'll be able to enjoy this place. Food: Appetizer: Force given to with toast with check liver, pickle celery roots, pickle eggplants and tomato crostini. They tasted a-ok Pasta: Tellagali with red pork sauce. The pasta was definitely freshly mad and really decorous. The sauce was not to sour like the usual tomato sauce you get so its not bad. Risotto: This is a must get dish. I got the risotto with asparagus. Creamy yet has a bite to it, a perfect risotto. Veal with artichoke: The best dish of the night. The veal was so tender and so soft. If you never have veal, you need to have it here. The sourness of the artichoke pairs perfectly with the meat too :). Oh and the potato on the side will be the best potato you ever have! Tip: You'll need a reservation for this place if you do not want to wait an hour before getting seated. read more

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I can understand why people claim this is a very touristy restaurant, heck everyone around us spoke English. That's usually a bad sign, however, we had an exceptional night at la giostra. Service was quick and friendly and everyone was extremely attentive. Even the "prince" (honestly not sure why that's his name) himself came to our table to ask if we needed any help with the menu. That fella is eccentric but very friendly, and it's refreshing to find someone who genuinely cares about your experience. My husband and I shared the beef florentine, a ginormous 3 inch thick tbone steak almost rare inside. We were both a little scared of how rare that thing was, but it was INCREDIBLE! The ambience is romantic and charming. Wine presentation was a notch above any other restaurant I've ever experienced. Hats off to a dinner we will long remember. read more

La Giostra - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

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Terrific food! The raviolis are amazing and the atmosphere and service are great! We were given La Giostra as a recommendation by a few people in Florence and it turned out to be one of the best restaurants we visited during our two weeks in Italy read more

I would give this place even a 1 star just for the ambience really. This was one of the worst restaurants I have ever been to in terms of service. Not sure if it was due to being from US or a matter of discrimination as I have never experienced such ignorance at a restaurant known for its food/service. I do not typically take time to write such reviews because I never have such bad experiences. Do not go here and waste your money or time. This was our last night in Florence and we were so excited to try this place but once we begun our order, we could not wait to get out of this restaurant! Our waiter changed while taking our order. The second waiter took our order but never came back to serve the food, nor did he ask a single question about if we need anything etc through the entire 1.5 hour we were there.. It wasn't even a busy time for them as we were one of the last 4-5 tables and everyone else around us was being treated so pleasantly with great service and conversation. I can go on in detail about our experience but don't want to waste any further time as I think I made my point clear. Absolute garbage of an experience...!!. read more

Worst food we had in all of Italy. The bread was HORRIBLE. The food was not fresh. This is a tourist trap and the owners know it.

Trash. We were really looking forward to Dining here. We are patient and reasonable people not difficult or pretentious by nature and I hate restaurant complainers. We were however Literally verbally insulted by rushed and stressed out staff after being seated over an hour after our reservation time. Another 30 minutes wait for a single glass of water. Food was served close to midnight for a 9pm reservation. Food is ok, not spectacular and not worth the hype in ANY way . Restaurant vibe is cool and small / romantic if it wasn't for chaotic and rude staff. Ruined our night. Skip. read more

My husband and I were told that this was one of the best restaurants in Florence and they were right! We spent a week eating our way through Rome and Florence and this restaurant was definitely top notch. We celebrated our 1 year wedding anniversary here which was extra special. The staff were very kind, accommodating and went the extra mile. From the presentation of the wine to the appetizer, pasta, steak and dessert, everything was phenomenal! We went for it and got the Florentine steak which was huge! But cooked so perfectly. And the pear ravioli was absolutely divine! Also the house Chianti was delicious. Such a nice experience here in this romantic and intimate spot. read more

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This place may be the best restaurant on the planet.... Ambiance, service, and food are all top notch! We were recommended this spot by someone at the airport and they were spot on. We went here two nights in a row because once was not enough so we had to go back the next night. Everything you put in your mouth will give you a mouthgasm. Everything you order will knock your socks off!!!!! This is a must try if you are in Florence! Make a reservation early because it fills up fast! read more

Absolutely fantastic find! I spend my days wondering the cities I visit looking for interesting places. The staff was fantastic tag teaming, and taking care of every detail. As is appropriate in Italy, don't expect to rush through dinner. Courses are expected to be savored, over good conversations and plenty of wine! The building is authentic as it gets. Built in the 1700s. The oak rafters, and exposed bricks are breathtaking. The kind of setting New York tries to replicate constantly. Was beyond fortunate to be accommodated on short notice. The balsamic steak was out of this world, and the patte negra sp? Was immaculate. I hope you come and have an evening that slows into the night. Before a sleepy walk back to the hotel. read more

La Giostra - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

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Under staff which equals bad service. We saved the best restaurant for our last day of vacation 1/4/24. The dinner was great and we really wanted dessert also, but after a very long wait we finally just got up and walked towards the door to ask for our check. read more

Very overpriced and over rated. Food was decent, small portions for high price. No English menu

Everything about La Giostra was a 10/10. My boyfriend and I went here when I was studying abroad in Florence and it was the best meal we've ever had and amazing service. The waiter was really great and accommodating and strongly suggested the pear ravioli, which I'd had other places in Florence, but nothing was quite like this one. Inside the place was also very nice and the steak we had was genuinely unforgettable. Highly recommend! read more

We made a reservation at La Giostra on the recommendation of my husband's work colleague and it did not disappoint. While the tables are close together and the space is relatively small, we enjoyed the ambiance. We were welcomed with a glass of prosecco and an antipasti plate full of meats, cheeses, eggplant and a chicken liver pate (try it, you won't be disappointed!). The menu is in Italian, but all of the staff were very accommodating in providing translations and making recommendations. We shared a bottle of Chianti and the presentation with the glassware and the use of the decanter was fantastic. We also shared the prosciutto and burrata. The freshness and quality were outstanding. I ordered the sea bass prepared in brunnello wine with tomatoes, which was accompanied by carrots. Sea bass (branzino) is one of my favorite fishes, which I do not have the opportunity to eat frequently in the states. Nor have I ever had it prepared using red wine. It was outstanding. The fish was perfectly cooked. My husband had the filet with bacon, which was prepared medium rare. My mother had the pasta carbonara. Both raved about their dishes. Truthfully, I did not find the prices to be overwhelming. To enjoy a quality steak in the states, you're going to pay well over $30. For dessert, we had the tiramisu. I've had way more bad tiramisu than good. This was by far the best tiramisu I've ever enjoyed. An overall fantastic dining experience. The best meal we've enjoyed on our trip thus far. read more

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Honestly don't even make a reservation here. Standing here for one hour and having a reservation at 9:30-- takes 35 mins just to check in. Ridiculous and over-hyped-- not worth it. Complete shit show at the door. Go somewhere else read more

Really cute restaurant with great service. Super cozy & romantic. Must get the tiramisu!!!!

I couldn't have been more excited to come here. I had two friends recommend this place and I had started following the restaurant on instagram before our trip. Our meal started out well, we got here and had a complimentary glass of prosecco while we waited for our waiter to come to the table. The menu is in Italian with no translations so it was hard for us to initially figure out what we wanted. Our waiter came by and started to recommend a few items, he only explained a few and seemed to expect us to place our order. I asked several questions but he seemed rushed. We settled on an antipasti and wine before he left. He returned with a complimentary plate of antipasti, which were all very delicious. However, a waitress came by and tried to clear the plate before we were even half way through! I didn't think much of it initially but it kept happening. Our waiter came back by and took our order, we started with the buratta and pear ravioli and then we ordered the double bacon steak and the balsamic steak. The burrata was delicious and the pest ravioli is not something that I would have ordered but it came highly recommend and it was very good too. Then we had another issue. The waitress came back by and tried to bring us our check before our entrees had even come out! It's like they were trying to get us out of there! It was so rude and I still cannot believe it. We told her we were still waiting on our entrees and she went to ask about it, it's a very small restaurant so we saw the whole thing. The initial waiter never put in our orders and we had to tell them again what we ordered and we'd already been waiting a very long time. The waiter then tried to pretend that our steak orders had been in and they were just finishing them up, blatantly lying to us. Our steaks finally came out and we were so upset by everything it was hard to enjoy. I didn't love the balsamic steak, it was a lite too much for me but did have a bite of my husbands and his was great. He thought it was overlooked (he ordered medium rare, which I guess it was) but I like my steaks a little more done. We were so full when we were finished we decided not to order dessert, but I guess the waiter felt bad and brought is tiramisu and limoncello. I felt bad too because it was a nice gesture but I personally do no like plain limoncello and I couldn't eat another bite of food. Everything to do with our experience was just horrible and I feel bad for the restaurant because it seems like it used to be so good. The restaurant is no longer Michelin starred and it's very clear why. Food is good but it wasn't worth the terrible experience. read more

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I don't even know what the hype is about this place. Nathalia, one of the hosts, is VERY rude! I'd suggest searching more before even thinking about this place. read more

This, right here, was the best Italian meal I've ever had. With so many options in Florence, I decided on La Giostra after much research, and it turned out to be the best meal of the trip. It's a small restaurant on a side street that has all he characteristics of an authentic Italian experience. Its dimly lit and full at all times. It's also apparently very popular and well known as they have a wall full of celebrity photos who have dined at the restaurant. The menu and staff are 100% Italian and don't speak or display a word in English, so you have to really dig deep and explore the menu as best you can. Our waiter was able to eek out some English and make recommendations to us, so we went with exactly what he suggested. We started with an app sampler plate which was delicious and already filling. I then had the ravioli which was by far and away he best I've ever had. It was rich with cheese and cooked perfectly. Definitely one of the best meals I've ever eaten. We also had a shrimp dish hat was outstanding. To top things off, we enjoyed a delicious bottle of wine that seemingly went perfect with the meal. This is definitely top 10 restaurants I've ever been to and the best restaurant in Florence. It's an absolute must if visiting this already awesome city. Wow. read more

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Great steak, great wine , good people. This placid is in an ally and a bit hard to find but there is always a wait. The Florentine steak and fresh truffle pasta were amazing. If you like wine you will Appreciate their selection. read more

So I had high expectations based on reviews. The restaurant is charming and little bit tightly seated, but very cozy. The free glass of Prosecco and appetizers are a very nice touch. Appetizers: our party had tagliatelli with wild boar ragu, ravioli with white truffle, burrata and eggplant and zucchini carpaccio. They were all good. The carpaccio was a bit bigger than expected and very good. However, the white truffle ravioli, wild boar ragu and burrata were sublime. My daughter said it ruined her for all future burrata it was so good. Then we all split the pear ravioli, while it was very good, I didn't think it was as good as the other three. Main courses: three types of steak: steak with Parmesan and rocket, steak with bacon and lardons, steak with olive oil, garlic and rosemary, and one person got Branzino in a red wine reduction. They were all really good, but the bacon and lardons and Parmesan and arugula were amazing. Three don't have An English menu, but the waiters are really good at working with you to help you find something delicious. It was a remarkable experience and we wouldn't hesitate to come back! 4 people, 2 bottles of wine ~€350 read more

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Amazing spot! Its beautiful with excellent customer service. Had amazing burrata with honey and nuts to start and pear ravioli for dinner with a red wine. We shared tiramisu for desert. This place is a must visit! read more

La Giostra - Veg appetizers yummy - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

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Must go in Florence! My wife studied in Florence for 4 months and found this place. Told me it was great and she was 100% correct. Be sure to make a reservation. The ambiance is wonderful. Very nice lights on the ceiling keep it dark but plenty of light to see/eat. La Giostra has multiple Michelin Stars which is very impressive and the food shows. The owner (who you can't miss, wears crazy jewelry bracelets, rings, and necklaces) greeted every table and made sure each guest was taken care of. Food, we ordered 3 different pastas that they split & plated for us. Pear ravioli. Unbelievable. Had this at other places in Florence and La Giostra was by far the best. Pappardella with boars meat. So tender and sauce was spot on. And I believe asparagus tortellini. Very good as well. All the pasta was cooked perfect. And sauce was wonderful. We also ordered a T Bone steak. This was a mistake as we were stuffed but they recommended it. It was HUGE! Wasn't the best steak I've had but the presentation was beautiful. It could feed a family of 4. For dessert we had the homemade rice pudding/ice cream. Very unique and tasted great. We ate the whole thing. Prices were very reasonable for the experience. Go there now, today, tomorrow, and the next day. You won't regret it. read more

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One of our favorite places we ate on our Italy trip and I can't even say it was the best food. It was all about the ambiance and the service. This is the place you picture when planning your Italy trip. It is down and alley so easy to miss, I believe you would only find it through review searches or word of mouth. You are welcomes with a glass of sparkling wine and an appetizer plate then bread. It is romantic and dimly lit yet lively and fun. They encourage you to eat like an Italian so go hungry. I was miserable when I left and wish I would have just stuck with a pasta or entree. We started with the carbonara and the pappardelle with wild boar. The wild boar is traditional in Florence so if you eat pork I would recommend it. Both pastas were incredible and I couldn't choose one over the other. The carbonara was very rich and the pappardelle was lighter with lean chunks of boar. Then we moved on to a sea bass cooked in red wine and a stuffed chicken breast. The chicken just didn't do anything for me but the sea bass was full of flavor. Our vegetarian daughter had a ravioli that was stuffed with goat cheese then each piece wrapped in spinach. It was delicious and the presentation was beautiful. At the end of the meal our well behaved toddler was offered a piece of chocolate cake and being free I expected a little sliver. What came out was a piece big enough for the table, warmed and served with a side of house made cream. It was decadent and I would save room for some or take it with you. Make a reservation, we had one for opening at 7pm and by the time we left there was not an open spot. read more

La Giostra - Carbonara - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

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Disappointing, it's a shame the celebrity status seems to have affected their quality of service. The overall attitude was rude, not welcoming and rushed. The food was average, service poor and for the beautiful decor and setting I give this 3 stars. read more

Best meal on our trip. From walking into to the light-covered ceiling to the tapered candles on the table, we knew it would be special. Within minutes of sitting down, we were offered a chilled glass prosecco and delicious Crostini. Oso Busco and the lamb were phenomenal. Primi dish was a truffle ravioli that melted in your mouth. Many guests were turned away due to am overbooked space. Awfully tight between tables but worth the squeeze. read more

La Giostra - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

Incredible experience all around. This place pulls out all the stops, and you absolutely get what you're paying for. The quiet and unsuspecting restaurant sits on a dark and empty side street, but when you step inside it's glowing from floor to ceiling with lights and candles and the walls are decorated with pictures of celebrities who've been there. It's really impressive. Definitely get a reservation, because this place is a hidden gem that fills up quickly. Once sat, you are treated to prosecco wine and an antipasto platter both on the house. The menu has a ton of amazing options, and you definitely can't go wrong. We even asked the waiter to recommend the house speciality, and he told us that literally everything on the menu is worth trying and is going to be great. He was right. The steak was so tender you could cut it with a butter knife and the seafood was extremely fresh. The service here was wonderful and accommodating and the place itself is so cozy and exclusive that it's such a treat just to be there. We ended up sitting at the table that John Travolta ate at with his family which was pretty cool, and apparently Bruce Springsteen eats there every time he's in Florence, so keep an eye out for him if you go!! Overall, definitely a pricey dinner (expect to pay over 150€ for 3 ppl) but absolutely a meal and a memory you'll never forget. If I could afford to go back (on my study abroad budget) I would!!!! #1 place you MUST go! read more

Okay so I never review anything, but this place was THAT GOOD. The complimentary app was amazing! And I actually think they gave us a different app then we ordered, which turned out to be a blessing!! We got mozzarella, artichoke, tomato, mushroom and these amazing peppers. I'm not over how good it was. We also ordered two bottles of wine (oops, not something we do back home!), we got pasta for entree and then we even got dessert! It was worth every penny! The ambiance was amazing, service was great, food was amazing! I have 0 complaints! And tbh I wanna go back again!!! This was the best food we've had in Italy thus far!!! read more

La Giostra - Appetizer - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

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Omg this meal was fantastic. 3 different people all recommended La Giostra to me while I was in Florence so i knew I had to try it. I realized you needed a reservation so i called at about 7:45 pm on Sunday night and asked if they had any availability for that night or the next night. The lady on the phone told me that if I could get there in 15 minutes I could get a table so I basically ran over there and thank god I did because this was hands down my favorite meal in Italy so far. The second I sat down I was poured a glass of champagne and a few minutes later, was brought a whole spread of apps...I had also ordered a burrata app not realizing I was going to be getting this app platter as well plus I had ordered an entree. Oops ended up eating it all anyways. For my entree, I ordered the classic Pear/Pecorino Ravioli and holy god it is just as good as everyone says! The pasta is so perfectly cooked and the flavors complement each other so well and the pear isn't too overpowering either. Everyone needs to come here while you're in Florence! Amazing service, cute atmosphere with twinkly lights everywhere and just an all around great experience. 10/10 would recommend. read more

Make a reservation!! You can easily do this on their website and they'll send you an e-mail confirmation. I came here with my boyfriend and it was such a romantic spot with dim string lights hanging from the ceiling and a candle-lit dinner. While this place isn't Michelin star rated, they were mentioned in the Michelin travel guide 5 times (which is probably where the confusion of this being a 5x Michelin star restaurant is coming from). Regardless, I had high expectations all thanks to the reviews. They gave my boyfriend and I a complimentary glass of prosecco and plate of appetizers to share (SO GOOD!!) My boyfriend and I ordered the pear ravioli to start and each got the Balsamic Steak. Both sounded very unique but were DELICIOUS! We were too full for dessert but I wish we could've tried the tiramisu. The owner also took our order and he said the Balsamic Steak is his favorite thing on the menu so..just saying. read more

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A must go if you are in Florence! The owner is amazing and I really enjoyed the food and the atmosphere! I highly recommend. Everything we had was amazing. read more

Went to this place with my family, heard so many good things about it from others and that it's their favorite restaurant in Florence. I was very surprised to find a piece of steel wool mixed in with my carbonara pasta! Not only this but the waitress refused to take this pasta off of my bill, 22€ out of a 280€ check. All the food at this place can be found for much cheaper all around florence along with better quality, quantity, and service read more

Highly recommend! Super tasty food, super nice staff. Every dish was worth calories We were lucky to find this restaurant on the way to our hotel. The women who met us on the entrance was super nice and found the only free table. The place was packed. She asked for our tastes and immediately made recommendations according to their specials and our tastes: l love fish, my boyfriend eats meat only. So I've got super delicious fish and he got super nice meat. Ravioli with truffle were super tasty too. I regret I wasn't able to eat more but I definitely will come to this place next time ;) read more

Highly recommended to us but as far as the food went we were not impressed. The service and atmosphere however were amazing and definitely worth the visit. They greet you with complimentary prosecco and appetizers... very nice. The owner seems cool af. We came in with very high expectations for the food but the dishes we had were just honestly not good. We got the balsamic filet we asked for medium it came out RARE. Like bloody as hell raw. Then when they put it back on grill it came back very dry. Also the tagliatelle with mushrooms... it just had no taste. Heavily lacking flavor all around. :( read more

Nice ambiance. OK service. We were not impressed with the food. We ordered a pasta for appetizer. Nothing special. Then we got the bifette a la florentina. Not much taste. It was nice that they offered a Prosecco on the house when we arrived. It looks like most customers there were from USA. Not many locals. read more

Lucky enough to get a reservation here on a beautiful night, and boy did this place live up to expectations. The ambiance was wonderful, with stellar lighting and romantic brick arches. I personally loved the photos of celebrities that lined the walls. Each table is provided with a wonderful complementary antipasto course, which was an extremely pleasant surprise. I had to try the pear ravioli (which came highly suggested online), and it exceeded all expectations. The rest of the meal was lovely as well, and overall I had a phenomenal dining experience. I definitely suggest this spot if you're ever in Florence! read more

Just finished a delicious meal there. Wait staff was lovely. Food was delicious. Too bad there was a rowdy table of drunken 20-year-old American boys next to us. Overhearing their conversations all night made me embarrassed to be an American, but, more so, made me embarrassed for their parents (whose credit card the boys mentioned they'd use if the bill was too big). I asked for the wait staff to switch my table and they said they couldn't. We ended up taking our meal to-go after that. Other than those boys, it was a perfect night. Would definitely eat there again; it's just too bad that we happened to be seated next to those idiots. I promise that all Americans aren't like that! read more

What a hidden GEM! Our experience was incredibly sensual, delicious and sexy....my only regret is that we ate there once during our stay. Such a treat if you're visiting Florence, do yourself a favor...make a reservation and prepare to be swooned. read more

La Giostra - Rice ice cream with raspberries, strawberry sauce and whipped cream. - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

We came to this restaurant after reading reviews on yelp. I highly suggest you don't do the same thing. Florence was over run by tourists, but frankly that's not our fault. This restaurant seems to be profiting from tourists while at the same time rude to Americans. I have to say the food was good, but the service and the attitude of the staff at this restaurant was absolutely awful!!! I'm disappointed with our 5 star hotel "the place" in Firenze for not dissuading us from dining here. We were a party of 4 and we ordered 3 bottles of very good wine and ordered what was a very good dinner. However during our dinner someone complained to the staff that we were loud and in turn the staff relayed this message in a rude way. Saying something about having to take our knives away scared what we would do with them. This was incredibly out of line, rude and frankly quite strange! Prior to this they rushed us into ordering and then proceeded to try to rush us to pay the check. However, they were exceedingly slow to bring some lemon cello when we asked for it and when we did they brought 4 shots of it. Needless to say I do not recommend this restaurant at all!!!! Go to buca Lapi instead we had an amazing politely and well served dinner there last night!! read more

Amazing - finish your dinner with the Tiramisu it was out of this world! The pear ravioli is their go to! Pics of both attached! read more

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