November 7, 2024 7:30PM…read more The Osteria was really close to the duomo and the ambiance looked so cozy from the outside. We decided to stop in for some seafood items and white wine. This is the place where I ordered my first vermentino of my life and have forever changed since. I thought I was just a sauvignon blanc girlie but I think I love vermentino more. I didn't get a chance to take a photo of the mussels we ordered but both the mussels and the spaghetti alle vongole (Spaghetti with Clams) were so tasty. Met some new friends from England while were were here that's from similar area as my partner's ancestors... The service was amazing, the restrooms were clean. Definitely a nice pitstop before moving on to sightseeing near the Duomo for the evening. Really love their seafood dishes that we tried. I thought they were very reasonably priced but maybe it's because I'm from a landlocked state. :)

Very cozy little spot right near the Duomo. I ordered the ravioli and a glass of vermentino, a…read morewhite grape local to Tuscany. They were both wonderful and just what I needed as a first meal in Florence. The service was welcoming and I didn't real rushed through my dinner at all. Would recommend!

Great food. Excellent service. Beautiful ambiance…read more A welcome surprise just off the beaten path with plenty of reasons to go on an adventure.

Florence is not a city known for seafood. The specialty dishes of Florence, and for that matter…read moremost of Tuscany such as Bistecca alla fiorentina (grilled steak), Tagliata (a steak cut in slides), Arista arrosto (chine of pork), Fegatelli (a roasted liver), are all meat based. There are of course some exceptions but not many and not as notable as those which are meat based. So for me it was a real delight to find Lobs Fish Restaurant. Better yet to discover that as with their meats, they prepare their seafood based dishes with a certain style, adventurous taste and flavor one can only find in Italy. I started with their fried anchovies, Alici Fritte, which though very similar in texture to fried smelt had a most unique freshness and greater lingering of flavor. I also had their clam pasta as well as a seafood based risotto; again full of freshness as well as being super full flavor enriched. Along with my meal I had several glasses of their house wine and will stick with my suggestion of never bothering to spend extra money buying wine by the bottle since it seems that any of the house wines found in any Italian restaurant are just as good if not in fact better. My table service, considering that Lobs Fish is a casual place, was impeccable as well as helpful. So, if you don't speak Italian or understand the menu, such is not a problem.

what an experience! so many options to shop and eat. could have spent so much more time here…read more everything we ate was delish!

Located in the San Lorenzo district, just a few minutes' walk from the main train station of Santa…read moreMaria Novella), Mercato Centrale is a vibrant food hall experience housed in a historic market building (very similar to the Time Out Market franchise across Europe). From the outside, it looks like a grand, iron-and-glass structure typical of European markets; inside, it opens into a bustling, multi-level space filled with food vendors, communal tables, and constant movement. The vibe is energetic, social, and slightly chaotic in a fun way - perfect for grazing, group dining, or trying multiple cuisines in one visit (from Italian to American to Mexican!). We stopped in for a quick lunch at around 2pm on a Wednesday; there was plenty of seating at high-top tables, and QR codes on paper menus make it easy to explore all the different food vendor options. It's also a fun activity to peruse the market, taking in different sights, smells, and flavors. All of us ended up opting for Schiacciatas (large Italian sandwiches that are a staple in Florence) from Massimiliano Parri, which all ended up ranging from €10-12, depending on toppings - yes, it's more expensive than what you'd get from a traditional schiacciateria, but you're also paying for the market's location and convenience. We appreciated the fact that they shave the meat right in front of you! My schiacciata came with freshly shaved ham atop crusty white bread, slathered with burrata cheese, and sprinkled with arugula and figs (I opted for no additional olive oil, since I found the ham quite rich already). I loved the contrast of textures and flavors, though I will say that the bread ended up cutting the roof of my mouth! All in all, Mercato Centrale is a bit touristy, but still miles better (and cheaper) than most "Italian" sandwich places you'd find in the US (pro tip: save your receipt for free use of their bathrooms). The variety can't be beaten, prices are reasonable for a central market, and it's steps from some of Florence's most iconic spots.

We love this place in Florence which has indoor and outdoor patio…read more Pluses 1. Fresh mussels 2. Good wines by the glass especially Chianti Classico Reserva and the Brunello 3. Boar pasta Ragu 4. Lobster pasta 5. Triple tiramisu is the highlight and so delicious 6. Helpful and friendly service Highly recommended!

La Bussola was recommended by our hotel staff. The were comfortable tables outdoors in the shade…read more The staff were very nice. We were served some complementary bread. Chianti by the glass was reasonably priced. My wife and I split the shrimp avocado salad to start. It was delicious. The produce tasted really fresh. This was followed by an eggplant pizza. This is the best pizza that we have had in Florence to date. Our friends enjoyed their vegetarian pizza. They had cappuccino that they liked. I concluded my meal with a generously sized afffogato. The espresso was poured out of the pot tableside- very cool. Great lunch. I would happily return.

My friends and I had a great time. The food was delicious and service was fast. It was fascinating…read moreto witness the pasta being cooked in the cheese wheel! Probably one of the best lasagnas I tasted as well. Their truffle carbonara was tasty - and they don't skimp out on the truffle! Free limoncello shots at the end! Do keep in mind a reservation is not mandatory, but I would highly suggest you do in advance. There were lines outside even before it opened! 10/10 would definitely recommend to anyone looking for good pasta.

A really great dining experience. Booked weeks in advance and for our time a lot 7-9pm, people were…read morelined up 10 minutes early to be let in. They brought us all in as a group (checking reso names) and sat us at individually tables. Then the "show" began with welcome prosecco, wine orders, etc. We got the squid and pork screwers as a starter and thought the flavors were just okay. The complimentary cheese bread ball and regular bread was super tasty. For mains, we got the truffle pasta (with the famous cheese wheel) which was fun to watch. The pasta itself was very solid, but not best ever. Also got the beef/boar pasta and it was better than the truffle pasta in my opinion and cheaper. The deconstructed tiramisu was yummy. Overall a good dinner with good service and pretty good food! An easy spot to recommend to others!

Delicious food, amazing restaurant Take reservations ( very…read morerecommended to reserve) The staff are very friendly and nice. And the price very very reasonable.

Looking for a place to eat, found this gem and realized I wanted to try it. Everyone had told us…read moredinner reservations were a MUST here, but didn't think about it. Not many places actually have yelp reviews, but this one had so many with great feedback. The food looked amazing. When we arrived we thought they were closed, but that is because they moved to a bigger restaurant a few doors down. When we arrived at the front, the gentleman asked if we had reservations, which we didn't. He directed us to the line with no reservations. The line was a bit long, but doubled in size almost immediately. It also started pouring rain during this time and we were ALL getting drenched even with an umbrella. The non reservation line was not really moving unless people left the line. We waited a good hour. As we inched closer and closer, the lines were now both outrageous and getting seated seemed like a distant memory. The staff came out and gave out Sangria and Bread bites to help those in line feel welcome. We did finally get seated and we were so glad we waited, it was worth it! We ordered the Spaghetti Carbonara, the lobster spaghettini and the chicken breast with roasted potatoes. We also ordered sangria. Everything was so good and our total was 83 €. Prices were unbelievable! We were amazed at the quality, the service and how large the restaurant they relocated to was. It was like a well oiled machine. The food coming out quickly and efficiently. I will 100% be back if I return to Florence!

My husband and I visited Florence for a full week and came to eat here 3 times because everything…read morewas just so incredibly fresh and delicious! The oysters are ENORMOUS and the portions are very generous and extremely great value for money. The atmosphere is very cool and modern with incredible service as well. We basically tried through the menu while we were there and honestly loved every single thing we tasted. I highly recommend this to anyone in town to add to your list of you are a seafood fan!

4.5 stars The Fishing Lab presents an innovative…read moreconcept--seafood served in a variety of forms including raw, grilled, bar bites, and composed dishes, all on the same menu! The most creative dish we had was the Codfish Cappuccino, a codfish mousse topped with potato foam, served in a cappuccino cup with a croissant on the side. It was made to look like breakfast but was a savory seafood appetizer! One nice feature about the menu here was that many dishes could be ordered in a "Tapas" (half) portion, so it was easy to try and share lots of different items. The Catalan-style Calamari and Shrimp Salad was a refreshing mixture of chopped squid mixed with zucchini, carrots, fennel, tomatoes, and oranges; the Fusili with Galician-style Octopus Sauce came with al dente corkscrew pasta in a tomato-based octopus ragout made with spicy salami and topped with potato foam; and the Cacciucco was a tomato-based stew (from the Tuscan coastal city of Livorno) made with octopus, cuttlefish, mussels, and gurnard, along with dry chunks of bread that were moistened in the stew. Finally, we had the Isolana-Style Sea Bream Fillet, which was simply grilled and served over roasted vegetables including zucchini, potatoes, peppers, onions, and olives. Overall, the seafood here was fresh and tasty, fusing elements of Spanish and Italian cuisines.

Made a reservation well in advance. Arrived for our dinner and were immediately seated. The…read morerestaurant is good looking and very welcoming. We looked at the menu and decided on a couple of things...the Burrata with Truffles, Eggplant Parmigiana, Cacio e Pepe, and a side of Tuscan White Beans. We ordered food and drinks. Drinks arrived within 2 minutes and lo and behold our Burrata Salad arrived Two minutes later...and yes I timed it. I asked that our food be slowed down and also asked that it not be cooked and served cold. We finished our Burrata with a Truffles which I might add was delicious. And within a reasonable few minutes our food arrived. The Cacio e Pepe was delightful but could have had a bit more Pepe. The Tuscan White Beans were perfect with a hint of spice which made them special. I wish I could say the Eggplant Parmigiana was equally as good as the rest of the meal. It was not. It was way over cooked - almost burned. Guess it just stayed in the oven while we slowed down our meal. We managed to delay our meal enough that we were actually in the restaurant a bit over an hour. I can't say service was lacking I would describe it as more overwhelming...almost uncomfortable. Atmosphere - 4 Food - 3 Service - 2 Price - 4 Overall Rating - 3.25

Old, dark Italian. My kind of place. Wood, grain paneling lines the walls, white tablecloth, a true…read moremulticourse kind of place. Such an elegant ambience! The service was very fast! Too fast for Tuscany. It's like they were trying to move us in and out and not let us sit and enjoy the meal. Don't get me wrong, Back Home in the states, on my lunch break, I love fast service. I would love to eat somewhere like this for lunch and be in and out in one hour. However, when I'm on vacation and a place known for deliberately patient meals which slow time down this is not what I'm looking for, nor what was advertised. This place was extremely rushed. They tried to move you in move you out and flip your table as many times as possible. That being said, you cannot complain about the attention that each table receives they were on it! Dirty plates cleared right away bread refilled right away, everything was fast. Now to the food, I had the Caprese salad to start, the tomato was bland, thankfully, their balsamic vinegar was delicious, and allowed me to spruce up the dish the way I like it. Since the tomato didn't do the talking, the balsamic vinegar did. Then came the pasta stuffed with pecorino cheese, and served in a cream sauce. This was the highlight of the meal my wife, had the white truffle pasta and a cream sauce. Normally,she doesn't like a cream sauce, but this was the exception a week later and she still can't stop talking about how good the pasta and the sauce was. Onto the main course, my wife had the Seabass, which was cooked perfectly, drizzled, and vegetables. Amazing! The most underwhelming part of my meal, were my lamb chops. I think they gave me the thinnest lamb chops, like they were leftovers ! not only that, but they cooked it way too fast, kind of a metaphor to their service, which was fast. This was evident and the texture. And the sinews and small fats did not break down with the meat a true sign of cooking the lamb too fastly and too thoroughly. We had dessert, tiramisu, which was average for the city of Florence. When a nice place is recommended by the concierge, you don't expect to be served disappointment with a hefty bill. Dave your money, go somewhere else!

Perfect and delicious. Family run, momma, papa, and daughter, Nina…read more From the amazing pizza to the homemade Lemonchello, this place is the best!

We had some drinks around the corner and were hungry so decided to come here due to the great…read morereviews. We walked in and the guy who spoke to us almost seemed bothered that we came in. I felt like it was almost an inconvenience to ask if there was a table for 2 . Once we got sat the waitress who helped us was very nice. We didn't realize how big the pizzas were but the price was great for two of them. I was pulling apart slices but the pizza was soggy and the toppings were coming off BUT the flavor was really good!!!!

What a great surprise this little food stall was! Fresh seafood, lightly battered, and perfectly…read morefried! With a slash of yellow lemon it was a delight! The combo mix was shrimp, squid, and cod. They have beer, wine, or soft drinks. The one guy there does everything and we really nice. Little English tho but we were fine. You can eat it here sitting on small stools or take it upstairs to the dinning hall.

FRESH CALAMARI! When…read moreI say fresh, I mean fresh! There was a line waiting to get fresh calamari and the smell was just too alluring that we had to line up ourselves. You can opt just for calamari or get a mix (fish, shrimp too). We went with the mix/combo and my tummy and taste buds did not regret it one bit at all. SO yummy. Next time, I want to get just the calamari. I love the tentacles :) Other than that, this place is cash only and it's located inside the Mercato Centrale.