Is it just me or is the world entering a new renaissance once again? Luckily Firenze is known as the jewel of the Renaissance, and was the city my brother and I reveled in over the summer.
During our three day stay, we rounded up several restaurants, but perhaps more importantly, gelaterie. Off we go!
BURRO E ACCHIUGE, Seafood
As mentioned in my post of Milano, I love seafood and pasta. Burro e Acchiuge (translating to butter and anchovies) has a fanciful way of interweaving seafood into classic pasta dishes. Take for example my dish: spaghetti with anchovies, pine nuts, and black bread breadcrumbs (15€). It doesn’t sound like it would work, but the earthly sweetness of the pine nuts is surprisingly magnificent with the salty anchovies. The breadcrumbs added the crunch I didn’t know I needed. My brother’s dish was linguine with cooked and raw shrimp and lime (18€). For a rather unadventurous eater, he loved his dish so much he considered getting a second. In a joint conclusion, we believe Burro e Acchiuge had the best calamari (15€) we had ever tasted.
MERCATO CENTRALE, Italian
Our first stop was Mercato Centrale, a chain of markets across the country’s main cities that extracts the best hometown chefs to create their own stalls. This one had fresh pasta in a sugo of pomodoro (tomato sauce). While quite saucy, this was possibly the best pasta al pomodoro that I ever had. The spaghetti were super buoyant and almost reminded me of udon noodles. Mercato Centrale is super packed at meal times, so it might be prudent to visit at off hours so you can divide and conquer multiple stands.
IL PACCHERO, Seafood
Yes… Another seafood place. But that’s not all Il Pacchero has to share. Il Pacchero also offers proper Neopolitan pies for non-seafood lovers. Naturally, my brother and I got spaghetti alle vongole (15€) and calamari (18,50€). We thoroughly enjoyed Il Pacchero, particularly thanks to the view of the Arno river as we dined. Whatever you do, try to resist putting cheese on your seafood, as the waiter will scoff at you!
PALAZZO PORTINARI SALVIATI, Aperitivo
When I passed by Palazzo Portinari Salviati on my first day, I knew that I would have to come back for an aperitivo. An aperitivo is a pre-meal drink, often accompanied by a couple snacks like chips, nuts, or olives. Palazzo Portinari Salviati has an intimate, luxurious atmosphere that made me feel like I could get used to that life! The building was a prestigious Renaissance residence of the 15th century that housed Beatrice Portinari, Dante’s muse and the first residence of Cosimo I de ‘Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany. Now, it embraces hotel guests to enjoy elegant suites with frescoes from the 1700s and views of Brunelleschi’s dome. I ordered their virgin mint mojito (12€) which was refreshingly delicious – my only complaint being that I finished it too quickly.
ANTICA PIZZERIA DA MICHELE, Pizza
Since we went to Italy during ferragosto, most of Italy is not working. As in, not working more than usual. L’Antica Pizzeria Da Michele is hailed as one of the original pizzerias of Italy, with its first location in Naples. We tried to visit its Milan satellite, but it was closed – so Firenze it was! Unlike the usual Neopolitan pies I’m used to, the crust was not bubbly. Nonetheless, it was velvety soft and so light. I could have certainly indulged in a second – believe it or not.
CORTESE CAFE 900, Raw Vegan Pastries and Gelato
While I don’t have a picture of this place, it is easily one of the most impressive and best pastry shops I have ever been to. Period. Cortese Café 900 describes itself as such: “Cortese Café 900 is an exclusive space in a suggestive and prestigious setting, where you can enjoy ice cream, desserts and chocolate prepared with organic ingredients, gluten-free, lactose-free, without animal derivatives.” They have everything from raw vegan tiramisu, to gelato, which they craft with coconut sugar, giving it a slight caramel taste. You cannot go wrong with anything you order here. It is also tucked away from the chaos of touristic traffic, making it an especially sweet place to visit!
GELATERIA LA STREGA NOCCIOLA, Gelato
Gelateria La Strega Nocciola blew my mind. I went back twice to get myself their fondente gelato and sorbetto di bergamot, which has a delicate citrus flavor. It is simply decadent, and with several locations across the city, don’t miss it.
GELATERIA EDOARDO IL GELATO BIOLOGICO, Gelato
This gelateria won our hearts for being the most original. Usually, when avoiding dairy at a gelateria, you’re limited to the classic flavors of fondente, limone, and other fruits. While these are delicious, I sometimes long for a pistacchio or nocciola flavor. That’s where Gelateria Edoardo surprised us! They had several vegan flavors including pistachio, hazelnuts, and almonds. What a treat! Plus, their cones are handmade in the store. You cannot go wrong with whatever flavor you choose.