Trattoria Antellesi is tucked into a side street off Florence's historic center with a classic,…read moreunderstated exterior that blends into the surrounding stone streets. Inside, it feels like a traditional Tuscan dining room: warm lighting, warm yellow-painted walls, rustic wood furnishings, and a cozy, intimate layout. The vibe is relaxed and authentically local, with a slower-paced, sit-down dining experience that encourages lingering. At around 8pm on a Wednesday night, the restaurant was mostly full, but our party of five was able to be seated immediately.
The menu is extensive, with both Italian and English versions; there's also a daily special menu that's quite fairly priced, and has some more traditional Italian dishes. They offer some more familiar options like bruschetta and meatballs with tomato sauce, as well as the classic Bistecca alla Fiorentina. Each table comes with complementary bread service, which was a bit stale, but it's free; what more could you ask for? It was also paired with a rich, earthy olive oil and tangy balsamic vinegar.
Four members of our party ordered Aperol Spritzes (€8) - these were tangy, refreshing, and with just the right amount of sweetness countering the fizzy Prosecco and citrusy, herbal Aperol. For entrees, two members of our party ordered the Spaghetti Fiaccheraia (€13), which is spaghetti in garlic and oil with chili pepper, bacon, and ricotta. While this seems like quite a simple dish, there's so much complexity in the variety of flavors and textures. The spaghetti was al dente, and soaked up the addictive, slightly-spicy garlic oil; they were also more than willing to exclude the bacon for my vegetarian friend.
Another friend opted for the Pappardelle Coniglio (€13) on the special menu - a tomato-based pasta with rabbit. Certainly a dish you couldn't get at most Italian places in the States, and the wide noodles paired nicely with the acidic tomatoes and gamey rabbit. The Ravioli Burro Salvia (€15) was a traditional Florentine ravioli with ricotta cheese, spinach, butter, and sage; while the portion was a bit small, this dish was truly made with care. The filling let the earthy flavor of the spinach shine while being further elevated by the sage and rich, tangy ricotta cheese.
Lastly, my Spaghetti alla Carbonara Fiorentina Tartufata (€17) was an indulgent take on the classic spaghetti carbonara, with egg, pecorino cheese, bacon, and freshly-shaved black truffle. While this was a tasty dish with a large portion, the sauce had partially clotted, and I found it to be missing some component of acidity or brightness to liven the dish up and contrast the richness.
I was stuffed by the end of my meal, but some members of my party opted for their Tiramisu (€7) - this is an elevated take on the classic Italian dessert, with whipped mascarpone and coffee-soaked ladyfingers served in a parfait-like glass and sprinkled with a light dusting of cocoa powder. It was neither too sweet nor too rich; the perfect amount of decadence to end a meal.
We had a lovely time during our dinner at Trattoria Antellesi, prices are more than reasonable for a traditional trattoria experience with delicious food and a lovely ambience. It may not be as flashy as some of the more touristy restaurants in the city, but certainly a great stop for traditional Florentine food if you're in the area!