This place is really awesome. I actually canceled my reservation because I read a few bad reviews on this place - too touristy, rude service, bad experiences etc. I thought that maybe it was over hyped and that the food would not be very good or authentic. I regretted my decision and was luckily able to get my spot back and THANK GOD! The meal was absolutely delicious. They start you off with some champagne and an appetizer platter - everything was very fresh and flavorful - especially the bruchetta and balsamic roasted veggies. My husband and I then split a chicken dish (gorgonzola cream sauce and pear) and a burrata tortellini. Both was SO GOOD, I still dream about them. I highly recommend this place for really great food. The atmosphere is really nice with the lights, but it is definitely filled with tourists. read more

The moment we walk into the restaurant, we were wowed by the ambience and twinkle light setting. Making it a really romantic place to kickstart our dinner date.. We were greeted by very welcoming staff, and I could say that the service is impeccable, especially of Europe. Now to the dishes, we were offered complimentary prosecco and then an appetizer. The staff recommended the Pear ravioli and balsamic steak, which we took it with no doubts. The Pear ravioli was indeed a wonderful dish, and definitely worth a try. I wasn't a steak person but the balsamic steak was tasteful as well. Now to the desserts, don't have any doubt that the Tiramisu recommended by the staff was the best dessert you can have. It was the most wonderful dessert of our whole trip in Italy thus far and nothing could go wrong with it! Have 2 servings if you must with 2 persons! read more

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Currently on our honeymoon and came here for dinner per recommendations from our friends in New York. We walked to this restaurant from our hotel . When we were asking for directions along the way everyone we asked knew exactly the restaurant was located... Clearly a popular place ! We really loved the Romantic ambience and may oh may the 2 person T-bone steak was heavenly including the potatoes and carrots that come with it. Absolutely DELICIOUS ! read more

La Giostra - T-Bone steak for 2 - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

Great food and atmosphere. Owner present and caring. Fantastic attention to detail. Must go.

Best restaurant in all of Italy. The owner is a wonderful man who walks around and makes conversation with everyone. You feel at home and like a special guest at the same time. The food and wine are incomparable. Can't be missed. Just make your reservation far in advance. read more

The best restaurant during my trip to Florence. Highlights: - the bufala with honey and walnuts - amazing - tagliatelle - best pasta dish - pear ravioli - very good, however I prefer red sauce - steak Florentine- very good, but the smaller steak option might be better The restaurant itself is beautiful and intimate, reservations are a must. read more

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Just a wonderful meal and a wonderful experience! It may have been the best meal we had in Italy. The wine, the apps, the entrees, and the staff were exceptional! read more

La Giostra was excellent. My husband and I think this was the best food we had in Italy. I ordered the pear Gorgonzola ravioli as was heavily suggested and it did not disappoint. As mentioned here they have free appetizers which is very nice. The inside of the restaurant is also beautiful with string lights across the ceiling. MAKE RESERVATIONS. I am not sure you can get in without them. The only problem I have with La Giostra is that the menu is in ONLY Italian. There are not any English explanations at all. Which would not bother me (it's Italy after all) but the first several pages of the menu are the story of how the restaurant came to be....in only English. They don't even have that written in Italian at all. So it seems pretty obvious they know their clientele are American (every single guest in that restaurant was speaking English) but they don't offer us any help with the menu. Of course you could ask for help but who is going to stand there and read the entire menu to you. So my husband chose something totally random and we were initially a little annoyed but he actually loved it (whatever it was). Just be careful blind ordering because there is pigeon somewhere on there. read more

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Came here per the recommendation of a friend, and wow - had a pretty spectacular meal at La Giostra. The meal started off on a high with a platter of canapes with the restaurants compliments, ranging from chicken liver pate to grilled eggplant and bruschetta. I'm not really a fan of chicken liver, but this preparation was silky and delicious. The menu is entirely in Italian, but thankfully I had an idea as to what the restaurant offered in advance thanks to Chrome translating it into English. We knew we wanted the bisteca or "Florentine Steak" as some call it, which is a 2-3 lb porterhouse thats grilled and then sliced into pieces for you. To compliment such a steak, we really wanted a fresh salad, which our waiter advised us to get the soncino salad. I had never heard of soncino before, but its a yummy green that tastes like a mix between spinach and arugula. The salad was completed with fresh orange wedges, a hard/sharp cheese, pine nuts, walnuts and the classic Italian EVOO and balsamic dressing. We ended up waiting quite a while for our steak to arrive after being done the salad, probably about an hour, during that time no one really came up to us to check in or anything. If there was a fault in the meal it was the lack of attentiveness and detail of the wait staff. Thankfully though, the wait was worth it. The steak was magnificent, a nice thick porterhouse with that perfect crust and the perfect amount of olive oil and salt on the exterior. Each bite perfectly juicy and delectable. The steak was too big for me and my wife to finish, but it made for a nice breakfast snack the following day. All in all, this place is a gem. The service was a bit lackadaisical, and certainly cant compare the fine dining service we have in America, but oh well - when in 'Florence' right? The bisteca was absolutely worth the money and wait, and while I didn't sample any of the pasta dishes they did look wonderful as i saw many dishes coming through the dining room. read more

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Expensive, American-sized portions, and a bit overrated. I came here with my family, drawn by the allure of "pear and pecorino ravioli" but found the overall meal to be expensive and overrated. To be fair, the food was good and the portions large (i.e. "American"), but compared to our other dining experiences in Florence and Italy overall, it wasn't the best value for dollar. They brought out a free antipasti platter to start (bruschetta, chicken liver, eggplant). We ordered the shrimp salad (basically large shrimp over lettuce), truffle and mushroom salad (tons of truffle, 36 euros), pear ravioli (found skin to be thick), truffle linguine (good, 36 euros), sea bass with red pepper and wine vinagrette, and goat chops (MY personal favorite which saved the meal. The dishes overall felt overseasoned (too much truffle, too much olive oil, too sweet). This was entirely too much food as all of the portions were huge - in most situations a waiter would have warned us. The goat chops made the meal for me (better than lamb chops) but it came out to be our most expensive meal in Italy and was not the best. I wonder if the portions and seasoning reflect the tourist quotient of the restaurant. If you go, be aware of the portion size, a good meal can be had. read more

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Found! There is lots of excellent Tuscan food served in restaurants in Florence. It's hard to find food that not Tuscan. The danger is that there are many restaurant choices, and they start to blend into one another after awhile. Nonetheless, La Giostra stands out and is an excellent choice. Many are greeted by the chef who has a strange array of metal bracelets up and down his arms...he never takes them off. Once you get past the potential hygiene issue sit down in the cozy setting under the warm glow of string lights that number in the thousands (it feels like a night sky), open a bottle of wine, and throw a dart at the menu, everything is excellent! For more great reviews visit TheLoupe! read more

This restaurant fulfills all your trattoria style ideals when you go to Italy. La Giostra means 'the carousel' and the history behind this restaurant is rich, having been a carousel in the 1600s. The food is some of the most incredible I've ever had. The menu changes, so it's a real treat when you visit this restaurant to try all sorts of new things! If you can, order omakaze style and let the waiter order for you - you're in for a treat! read more

9:30 reservations standing room only place was packed and everyone speaking English. Our experience is if at a local restaurant all we hear is English we run as fast as we can. But we are so glad we stayed as this without question and without comparison is the best meal we've had in Italy so far on our trip! The service was excellent the wine list extensive and the menu with items we have never seen or tasted before. The owner is kind of a local rock star hero and dresses the part and we love it! Amazing place and we have a even talked about the food yet-LOL We started with beef carpaccio unlike any other we have had before. The meat was slightly on the thick side (awesome) with a silky smooth texture served on a bed of pecorino cheese and arugula salad. Then we shared the most amazing dish we have had in quite some time, pear ravioli. Truly one of the best food bites I have ever experienced in my life. Another reviewer commented that if this was the last meal they wereto have before they die they would have died happy campers we agree! We then had balsamic the steak and veal marsala both excellent and honestly the best veal that we have had in Italy as well! We enjoyed watching a young gal at the table next to us enjoy her goat chops, OMG she gnawed it down to the bone it was so good. Our dessert was tiramisu and fresh homemade Limoncello the bomb! Can't imagine any negative review here is truly one of the best funnest places in all of Italy. Another commentor reported it was too touristy. Well there are tourists and purists and snobs let your hair down and enjoy this one!!!! We loved it so much we're going back for second time tonight and we are going to enjoy the goat chops ourselves. read more

La Giostra - This was at 11pm - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

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Before going into my review, please note this restaurant is reservation only. We went a few nights earlier not realizing this, and made a reservation for a few nights later - which I am glad we did - it was more than dinner, it was an experience. They embody Italian hospitality. Upon sitting at our table, the provided complimentary champagne followed shortly by an amazing appetizer plate. The setting is romantic, an old carousel garage (according to the menu) with exposed brick and lit by string lights and the tables' candlelights. I ordered the pear ravioli which I loved. I couldn't taste the pear and it was very flavorful. My husband ordered the balsamic steak. I thought it was one of the best I have ever had, he enjoyed it but felt they went a little heavy on the sauce. We ordered the prosciutto appetizer too (before knowing they brought us a plate) which was SO good. The tiramisu was also quite good. read more

This a beautiful restaurant. It is warm, sexy and romantic. The staff is professional and knowledgeable. The food is fantastic. It is expensive but the quality is definitely worth it. The steak Florentine is worth every penny. Great restaurant for a date read more

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I went here on a eurotrip (yes a dumb american phenomena, I know) in 2009. One of my friends had been recommended by a friend to go to La Giostra. We popped in late on a random week night, and my life was changed forever. The place was rather empty, which meant we got almost 1:1 attention from the staff. Best possible situation. Meal started with a huge antipasto platter on the house. And then the glasses of prosecco, unending free glasses one after another. It was incredible. We ordered a random smattering of dishes for our group of 5. And I fell in love with everything I tried. The pear pecorino ravioli was by far the best pasta I've ever had. The spinach ravioli was also incredible. And we ordered the pappardelle with ragu at the advice of our waitress. Also amazing. The restaurant was homey and warm and decorated in a very cool old Italian way. The experience overall was one I will never forget, nor the food. read more

I truly cannot recommend this place enough! You absolutely HAVEEEE to get the pear ravioli, it's what they are known for! It was amazing! I ordered the steak with balsamic glaze for my main dish, and it was one of the beat meat dishes I've ever had! 6/5 stars! This place is a MUST! read more

La Giostra - Steak with balsamic glaze, INCREDIBLE - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

There's no denying that the ambiance here is top notch. The lights along the ceiling are super romantic and cute, and there's a cozy feel to the rooms. But for the prices charged, I think most of the food falls flat. There were a couple of big standouts, but also some serious misses that were expensive. Yes, everyone gets a free glass of prosecco and some appetizers, but the free bruschetta and vegetables were pretty disappointing. Ours had clearly been sitting a while and the bread was soggy. They also only have wine by the bottle, with the cheapest starting at around 30 euros. Our appetizer of pear ravioli came highly recommended by Yelp and it didn't disappoint. It was light with a hint of sweetness and a nice touch of creaminess in the sauce. Our entrees were mediocre. The osso bucco was a little over seasoned, and the tiny side of rice was odd. We did like the potatoes quite a bit, and the waiter even talked us into ordering a bigger side dish of them. We also tried a side of asparagus, which had melted cheese and breadcrumbs. The crumbs were a strange addition and added a sand-like texture to the dish. Last but not least, the cheesecake was phenomenal. Probably one of my favorite desserts of the year. It was served warm with a raspberry sauce and had a lovely ricotta lightness to it. Highly recommended! read more

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Best food we had in Florence. We had the pear ravioli, seafood pasta and carbonara, which all were made excellent! At the beginning of each meal they will give you complementary champagne and appetizers, which is just a bonus. Service was awesome. They really spend there time explaining the menu to you if you don't know Italian. Recommended for sure! read more

La Giostra - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

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The best spot in Florence to get the total package of food, service, and ambience. At first I was a little iffy of coming here because it's a very touristy restaurant and usually those types of restaurants are mediocre at best. However, the reviews on Yelp don't lie. The food was delicious everything from the complementary starter to the pasta and seafood. The octopus carpaccio was a perfect appetizer to open up your taste palate. The pear ravioli is a must. The sauce was so creamy and the sweat hints of pear gave a wonderful punch of flavor. Even if you don't have room after, you must force yourself to try the tiramisu. It wasn't too sweet or too bitter. The service anywhere in Europe is generally slower because dinner is a form of entertainment and generally takes a few hours to make the food and enjoy it. Although the dinner took a couple of hours, the service was great. The waiters were very helpful with suggestions and always came back to our table to check on us. It was also a treat getting to meet the owner. He also approached our table and was very friendly and fun to talk to! I would love to come back the next time I'm in Florence. The ambience is great. The ceiling is beautiful with lights but the restaurant is dark inside so I recommend having dinner at a later hour to match the mood. read more

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Huge disappointment! We arrived and they took 2 other parties before us. We were finally seated 30 mins after our seating time. It seemed like We didn't know the right people to be seated at our time. We were put by the bathroom and forgotten about. I told them it was my daughters birthday and it was also forgotten. I didn't get my drink and had to ask for bread. We had to stand to leave before a waiter asked us if we needed anything and at the point we asked for the check. We ordered 2 pasta dishes and the steak Florentine. The food was good but nothing too special or worth the cost. We went to Perione the night before and it was overall much better! Do better Giostra!!! You ruined a special 14th girl's birthday experience. read more

Made reservation prior to trip and we were very happy we came. Friendly staff, great menu options, excellent tasting food. It was our first formal dinner in Firenze and we were very happy and pleased with taste of food and bottles of wine. Must seek this place out. read more

AT 4.5 star it's a no brainer! They pride themselves in "luxury experience", what I got was "we are too good for you" experience. Here is what you will actually find: 1. The menu is only in Italian (with this many tourist going-you figure they would cater by add small little lines in English)-not too much to ask for. Waitress will tell you she is there to help you with menu and translation-but unless you want her to translate all the options, as she is standing over your shoulder impatiently waiting to take your order in a busy restaurant -good luck. 2. The waitresses are also rushed, you feel uncomfortable asking them too many questions. This is on top of the menu you don't understand. it's almost "hurry up, order and get out experience". I think few other reviewers stated the same thing in regards to rush service. 3. All wines are by bottles only-and are extremely overpriced, so if you were looking for a glass of wine it's a no go or spend another $100 on top. 4. Food is outrageously overpriced that said I don't mind paying for good food and good service. 5. Business has done good job marketing themselves (photos with celebrities always help), but at the end of the day-I want to be treated like a celebrity not a rift raff walking into your restaurant. read more

Very good but not mind-blowing. Manage your expectations and you will have a great romantic dinner. It's not the finest dining experience you will ever have, but it is a very good meal with high quality ingredients. Best dish we had was burrata appetizer with Tuscan bread, marmalade, pine nuts, honey, and some top shelf aged balsamic. You put it together your way and it is lovely. We had a very nice porcini mushroom pasta that is quite good but consistent with the better trattorias in Florence. The Florentine steak cost us 85Euros. It was a massive, well-seasoned porterhouse that we couldn't finish between the two of us. A tasty steak for sure. Transcendent- not so much. Service was much warmer and friendlier than the reviews here. Everyone explained the menu in English and were super nice- no sign of patronizing or snobby as we had read. There are multiple dining rooms. Ours was romantic and subtly lit. A very nice evening out read more

This was our favorite meal in Firenze and all of Italy! The setting is beautiful in this very old brick space decorated with wine bottles and fairy lights. The servers are professional and efficient. We were brought some Prosecco and a platter of vegetarian antipasti on the house. Then, we had the carpaccio veggies, which were marinated perfectly and served with a cheese and pinenuts on top (I forget which cheese, but some of the best we had throughout our trip). Then, we shared the tagliatelle funghi, which was nice but not outstanding, and the ravioli, which was the winner! I can't wait to go back to Firenze to go to La Giostra! You're a fool if you're there and don't stop here for a special meal. read more

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What can I say but super fresh- homemade pasta! The spinach ravioli are to die for, seriously don't neglect it! My husband had the Bronzino in red wine and cherry tomatoes - omg! The wait staff has a different persona than the average Italian restaurant but don't be afraid - super friendly and attentive to all our needs! They greeted us with free proseco and appetizers - so nice and very good! I highly recommend you come here but you need reservations to be sure you get in, very popular and lines form at the door fast! read more

La Giostra - Spinach ravioli! - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

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One of the best meals I've ever had! I would seriously come back to Florence just to eat here again. I had the burrata cheese appetizer, which has now become my favorite cheese ever since eating it here. For dinner, I had the balsamic steak, which was also amazing. I had the tiramisu for dinner which was hands down the best I've ever had. I could eat here everyday. read more

I honestly didn't think I would need a reservation but once I got there it was really busy. There was only one party waiting before us and right when we walked in we were not acknowledged by anyone. 20 minutes passed and we asked how long the wait time was and the waiter asked if we had a reservation which we said no so he said we mind as well come close to closing time because its busy. It was 7pm but he told us to go at 10pm. I understand I should have made a reservation but I honestly felt discriminated since I wasn't acknowledged at the door or at least asked if we had a reservation. I found this to be very rude and unprofessional and went to a place where the food was just as good and the staff was polite and attentive. Glad I did not spend my time and money here. read more

We had dinner today, it was really good. It is a small place in Borgo Pinti street, we did a reservation (I suggest you do it, it is always fully booked). We had the fillet Lorenzo el Magnífico and the gnocchi fatta in casa. Both great! For appetizer we shared the prosciutto "para negra", a bit expensive but is totally worth it! The service was fantastic, you get recommendations by the owner!! He recommend it is a very sophisticated wine and it was excellent. All the waiters were attentive to our needs. I strongly recommend to spend one dinner here in your few days in Florence! Hoy cenamos aquí. Un acogedor restaurante en Borgo Pinti. Decidimos este lugar por su valoración "guía Michelin" y reservamos para las 21, antes no había nada! Recomiendo reservar porque el lugar siempre está lleno. La atención es excelente, tanto de los mozos que siempre están disponibles y atentos (no cargosos) como el propio dueño quien nos hizo sentir como en casa y también recomienda súper bien! Nos recomendó un vino sofisticado para el plato de fillet Lorenzo el magnífico y quedo súper bien también con los gnocchis de Gorgonzola que ordenamos también. El precio calidad está muy bien, la comida es exquisita! Les súper recomiendo cenar una noche aquí en Florencia! read more

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This is the place to be if you going for a nice steak in Florence. They provide you free appetizer which was amazing. After eating a huge steak from this place you need to stop by the shop down the street for a mojito ice cream bar. read more

La Giostra - Great steak - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

Came here for the first and last meals of our trip, as many of our friends recommended it to us. It did not disappoint!! The menu had so many delicious choices, but we gravitated towards the pasta and it was amazing. The wine selection was also great, and we were able to choose from the many options thanks to the help from our waiter, Andre! Also, the atmosphere is very cozy and romantic! I would definitely recommend visiting La Giostra at least once during your trip to Florence! read more

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Wow. Just wow. Tucked away on a little back street in Florence you'd miss this place if you weren't looking for it. The ambiance is romantic, sexy even, with low lighting, candles and string lights around the space. Everything about this dinner experience was phenomenal -- a bonus that most of the staff spoke decent English because my Italian is realllllll rusty -__- The menu was incredible, the wine list wonderful too, and the flavors of everything were exactly what you'd expect from a phenomenally rated Italian restaurant. I'm still dreaming about the burrata and prosciutto. read more

I gotta write this review right after we got back to the hotel. First of all, this place is beautiful and romantic with real candle on each table. Second, free starter drink, appetizer and complimentary drink. What can you ask for?? Third, owner super cool, he go to each table and talk to his customers. Staffs are very nice and helpful. Overall, we will definitely come back here again when we are in Florence. Highly recommend this place. read more

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This place is awesome We waited for an hour but worth the wait Pear ravioli and gnocchi with Gorgonzola were a hit They offer a free appetizer and a welcome drink Super good ! read more

After doing "dinner" in two other places , read a review and ended up at this cozy romantic restaurant. Great way to end our Firenze vacation. Food, atmosphere and everything else was just what we wanted. read more

YUM! This place is amazing. Definitely expensive but worth it. They give you Prosecco and an appetizer along with your meal. The truffle pasta was AMAZING. Seriously. And we loved our waiter. Jessica alba was there when we were there! read more

The restaurant was recommended to us by a friend, the yelp reviews made us confirm that this was the place we wanted to go. The setting was nice with the lights, however they really stuff as many people as they can fit in here, the tables were too tight together. The appetizers here were the best part. The burrata is a must! The main courses, nothing stood out or was memorable. I would still recommend the restaurant, but my bet is there is better bang for the buck. read more

This place is top notch. From the wine, food, and ambience La Giostra was amazing. Make sure to have a reservation. Walking in is impossible. The owner is the son of a prince who started the restaurant. He walks around waiting tables and chatting with patrons. He explained the whole menu to us. The best part is the ambience. The owner loves 90's american rock so while we were there Gavin Rothdale's band, Bush greatest hits played over the speakers. Next up was Ryan Adams. The walls show pictures of all the celebs that have dined there over the years. The owner told us James Taylor and Neil Young are regulars when they are on tour. We had two bottles of wine, a red and a white, both perfect. Our table of four had; a meat and cheese platter veal marsala shrimp risotto pear ravioli, which is their prized meal and it was awesome. do not pass this place up. the outside looks plain and it's located on a side street but do not let that stop you. EAT...AT...THIS...RESTAURANT. read more

La Giostra - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

IN FOOD WE TRUST Towards the eastern end of central Florence - up Santa Croce way - you will find this unique and seethingly popular restaurant oozing with atmosphere. Photo link: http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd76/Textklick/Italy%20Xmas%202009/2009_1227Garden0054.jpg How the hell we got in having booked at very short notice is a mystery, because apart from our table (and there are plenty) all the others were full. The very friendly and agile staff seem to be psychic. Just think of something and they appear! On arrival, you are given a warm welcome and a glass of prosecco on the house, prior to diving into a fun and interesting menu. We both ordered raw octopus (carpaccio di pulpo). My wife ordered a veal cutlet with a rather splendid sauce (I have never seen a dish in Italy so liberally sprinkled with truffle shavings) and I ordered a rabbit dish (the Italian name of which escapes me) but which also had an amazingly subtle blend of flavours in the sauce. The Chianti Classico that we ordered was decanted with the true style and panache of a master sommelier and we slowly acquainted ourselves with this wondrous brew while waiting for our starters. Despite the fact that both of these dishes were by definition cold dishes, we were amazed when the waiter appeared 'outta left field' with this plate Photo link: http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd76/Textklick/Italy%20Xmas%202009/2009_1227Garden0050.jpg uttering: Please accept this with our compliments while you wait for your starter. No further comment required Our dinner was outstanding and we rounded it off with the 'sorbetto di limone alla Moscovita'. The damage amounted to the princely sum of EUR 108, which was worth every cent. To get the feel of the place, check out the website: http://www.ristorantelagiostra.com/inglese/frameset.html This a place in Florence that should definitely be on your agenda. Great fun, an amazing atmosphere, succulent food, top-rate attentive service and good value. Have I forgotten anything? Oh I think the grappa was maybe on the house as well, but don't quote me on that read more

The. Best. Dinner. In. Italy. We dined at La Giostra on our last night in Florence and it was absolutely perfect. This restaurant was recommended to us by so many people and the service and food did not disappoint. We asked our waiter for recommendations from the menu and ended up ordering everything he recommended. We started with the Burrata appetizer and ended up scooping the Burrata with a spoon it was THAT good. For our entrees, we ordered the penne, pear pasta and tagliata steak and everything was incredible. The steak (especially) was literally cooked to perfection. Our waiter was extremely helpful in taking his time to go through the menu with us and kept coming by to make sure our glasses were full. La Giostra was not only a fantastic meal, but an amazing experience altogether. read more