Osteria Pastella was such a beautiful dining experience. The restaurant felt upscale, polished, and…read moreexceptionally clean, while still having a warm and inviting atmosphere. It felt like the perfect spot for a date night or special occasion. The highlight was definitely the flaming truffle cheese wheel pasta--it's easy to see why it's so popular! Watching the pasta being prepared in the cheese wheel made the experience even more fun, and the flavor was incredible. My husband was obsessed. To top it all off, they surprised us with complimentary champagne at them beginning and limoncello shots at the end, which was such a nice touch. Definitely make a reservation ahead of time! The line was literally down the block when we went, so this is clearly a popular spot. Between the food, atmosphere, and thoughtful little touches, it was absolutely worth the visit.

Best meal in Florence. Pastella is a hit with all. Both locals and tourists seem to have found this…read moreplace. We were here 8 years ago and loved it and still do. And it seems everyone does looking at the skills in everyone's faces. We ordered the pasta cooked in the parmesan cheese wheel. We had the show and it was great. The fresh truffles were just perfect. The second entree was an order of Pappardelle with a Chianti marinated Tuscan Wild Boar. It was out of this world delicious. No room for dessert but the complimentary limoncello was perfect. Great service. Highly recommend making a reservation...the restaurant was packed at 1:30PM!!!

So behind on my reviews...having to much fun and phone service was out for a few days…read more Dining at La Taverna di San Giuseppe is was one of the coolest dining experiences ever. Our server told us that this previously a cave. How often do you get to dine in a cave? The inside of the restaurant is of this stone like space. We were immediately captivated. While it does not currently have a Michelin rating, we were told it previously had a Micheline rating. The atmosphere is that of a cave...cool, a little damp, and intimate. San Guiseppe has wine cellar, according to staff, date back. We felt totally and complete immersed in history and that was only the building. centuries of Sienese life. The cuisine honors Tuscan tradition while elevating it through precision and care. Each dish showcases excellent ingredients and confident execution, embracing regional flavors rather than reinventing them. San Guissppe feature traditional dishes such as handmade pasta, rich sauces, and tenders meats showcasing distinct flavors with bold seasoning. We order lasaguna and cheese salad...absolutely superb! Our servers were superior...waiting on you hand and foot. You did not ask for anything as it was already there. Our server, Marco, was kind, humorous and knowledgeable. Since it was our first time to the restaurant he was super patient and informative regarding menu items. La Taverna di San Giuseppe has s long-term Michelin recognition for a reason...superior food and excellent service in a very unique space. We savored every bite and sip we consumed in San Giuseppe. When we are in Tuscany again, we will make a beeline for this restaurant.

Taverna di San Giuseppe was a disappointing meal for us, especially in a city with so many great…read moredining options. We ended up here by mistake (confused it with another spot), and unfortunately it didn't live up to expectations. The restaurant fills up with reservations for two seatings, and from the moment we sat down the pace felt rushed. We ordered drinks and a starter while deciding on the rest, but multiple staff members kept coming by trying to take our full order. It felt like they were pushing to move things along quickly. There were a couple positives. The chicken livers to start were quite tasty and something we didn't see often on other menus. The primi were underwhelming. The pasta didn't taste fresh like many other trattorias in Siena, and the dishes overall were just average. The lasagna in particular was mushy, and the sauces didn't stand out. The secondi were slightly better -- pork ribs, Barolo-braised beef, and a "small chicken" -- but still nothing that justified the higher prices. They do have an underground wine cellar built into a cave, which is interesting to see, but there are other places in Siena with much larger and more impressive cellar spaces. Also worth noting, they add a "10% tax" charge rather than the typical €2 coperto per person. Overall, a rushed and fairly mediocre meal at a higher price point. With so many better places to eat in Siena, this is one I'd skip.

Authentic Tuscan pastas - try the specials!…read more We wondered what the dinner scene would be like in San Gimignano, since relatively few tourists actually stay overnight in the town (most are day-trippers coming in via waves of tour buses) We wandered down a back street away from the shops, and saw a lighted outdoor dining space. So we sat down without any info about the restaurant. We started with the Tuscan rustic bread soup, Ribolitta. The seasoning was sophisticated and layered. Very satisfying. The pasta special of the day was Penne alla Norcina, featuring bits of local sausage, porcini mushrooms and a generous amount of truffle shavings on top. The dish was rich and satisfying - heartier than the truffle pasta we had in Florence (that one had no meat). Our second pasta was from the regular menu, Pici alla Sinese. Thick round noodles in a sauce of tomato pesto and porcini. Flavors were carefully blended and it really had more character and umami than the tomato based sauces we get in Italian restaurants back in the USA. All three dishes made us want to take a cooking class while we are in Tuscany :-)

We came into the town late .. when most lunch places were closed. We were lucky to eat here. It was…read moredelicious and everyone was friendly! Here is what we had: Fresh pasta with truffles -excellent and very filling Margherita Pizza- great Salad- meh... would not order again Beans in a flask/beans baked in a jar ( cannellini beans)- delicious! Spinach - very good House red wine- good Espresso

Food, ambience, and service were all outstanding. The pasta was excellent, but the dessert (piatto…read moreforte Lucchese) was especially exceptional which combined different textures and flavors flawlessly. Ambience was beautiful and elegant without being boring or pretentious. Staff were all kind and responded very professionally to requests and questions. Price was unbelievably low considering the quality and the experience.

I've got a mixed experience with this place…read more Ordered two of their popular dishes - the traditional tordello (filled pasta with meat) and the truffle pasta. The tordello was nice. Full of flavour, quite unique, the skin texture was not too thin, not too thick. The truffle pasta was disappointing though. Nothing wrong with it, but at 25 euros, it was a pricey dish compared to what you can get elsewhere in Lucca. I get the feel that this place is popular due to its reputation. But its trying to charge high end prices (for example 3.50 euro cover charge, which is what most higher end places charge) but you're not really getting amazing dishes consistently. I'd suggest just walking by and looking through the window where you can see how the tordello is home-made. Then head elsewhere (eg Ristorante Giglio was amazing) for food.

Walk a couple a blocks off the main drag and discover quality food and fair prices. Unlike Nona…read moreGina, this is great food, good wine, attentive service and dining with the locals. Yes, they speak English but it's not a tourist rip off. Try the steak with hazelnut, Chianti reduction and small potatoes. My wife is a light eater so they made her an off-the-menu caprese salad and pasta bolognese for my buddy. If you don't see exactly what you want, ask if it's available. It's a small place which is wonderful! Our waiter made great (and affordable!) wine suggestions. The owner speaks good English and is very visible in the restaurant. Talk to him. He's a great guy. They tell you the chocolate soufflé requires 15 minutes to prepare and it's well worth the wait! Decadent! We're traveling with friends and it was a unanimous vote to eat here two nights in a row!

Wow, compliments to the chef. An exceptional meal. The sea bream and the beet root flan, over the…read moretop. The desserts, limoncello tiramisu, and the pastry puff with sour cherries... again, wow. The ambience and the service? It just doesn't get any better. This place should have a Michelin star.

We had a lovely dinner at Trattoria Giovanni. We loved how cozy, spacious, and genuinely local it…read morefelt, like eating at your grandma's house. It's close enough to the lively, bustling part of Firenze to feel connected, yet just far enough to escape the city's never-ending wave of tourists. The service was incredible, and the owner (I'm pretty sure it was the owner?) brought so much energy that he single-handedly turned the whole place into an eclectic little spot during the "rush hour" of the evening. The menu was solid, if a bit "generic" at times. While everything we ordered was delicious, nothing at Trattoria Giovanni felt like a dish you couldn't find elsewhere... and honestly, that's perfectly fine! It was traditional, comforting, and exactly what we were craving. The plate of cured meats and cheese was phenomenal, a great start to the meal. The pastas were really good as well, though one of the meat dishes had a slightly off texture, with the chunks of meat a bit overcooked. All in all, we loved our meal and would definitely recommend this spot if you're in Florence.

Excellent food and authentic Italian experience. Don't be fooled by the English subtitles for the…read moremenu items the place is not a tourist trap.

The truffle pasta is out of the world! Pasta was fresh and cooked with just the right amount of…read moretruffle. It is on the pricer side for a good market at 22 euros but it is worth every dollar!

I've been dreaming of the truffle pasta ever since I took my first bite. This spot is located in…read morethe Mercato Centrale, and I'm so glad we stopped by for lunch, given all the other amazing options in the market. The truffle pasta was creamy, with generous shavings of truffle. When I tell you I almost cried...it was the perfect dish and introduction to Florence! Everyone there was so friendly and we even ended up buying a couple of their sauces to take home!

Was in Florence for a day trip and found this wonderful restaurant. We were met by Nicolo at the…read moredoor and made our experience memorable. The entire staff made us feel like home. Food and wine was excellent.! Would like to thank Mauricio as well. Thank you.

In a town of Bistecca alla fiorentina, this restaurant was recommended to us and it delivered…read more The gnocchi was a fantastic way to start our meal. Creamy and spicy, only if you mix in the hot parts. They come to table and weigh the meat in front of you so you know what you're paying for. It is cooked rare or medium rare. This is NOT like steakhouses in NYC. In its own category. It was presented with melting bone marrow, sea salt and cut off the bone. Extremely flavorful and tender. My only issue is that the fat doesn't render and there was silverskin in some pieces making it inedible, plus you've paid for this by weight. Great attentive service by Nick

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!

Honestly, one of the most fabulous Italian meals I've ever had. The views are spectacular the…read moreservice, exceptional, and the food delicious.

Food: Unfortunately, I was pretty disappointed as I don't think I would come back for the food. I…read morewas really looking forward for the pacchero and truffle pasta but the pasta was overcooked and it didn't taste anything special. The grilled beef was also a bit overcooked and the berry tart was a bit too hard to even cut it. However, the daily special was pretty tasty and the beef was very tender. Service: The staff was amazing! Everyone was so nice and attentive. It showed that they really care for their customers and are very accommodating. Ambiance: Breathtaking view! Probably one of the most beautiful places to have a meal in. They have both indoor and outdoor seating. Great for big parties and even a special night.