Best fine dining in Florence?
Jan 10, 2018, 3:57 pm
#16
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Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
Borgo San Jacopo is a very nice room with a good menu. You'd feel comfortable dressed up, the artwork in the hotel&restaurant are top notch. The hotel bar/lobby also a wonderful perch for an aperitif and both the restaurant and the lobby have great views of the Arno & Ponte Vecchio. I've had good meals there (and love to stay at the hotel) but then I usually go down to street to Cammillo as it is more casual and relaxed and a reliable classic.
When I say we like to be "dressed up" or "well dressed", everyone should recognize this is from a casual Californian! Dressed up to me, gay California man that I am, means nice shoes, nice pants/trouster, and a comfortable and nice shirt. That's it. No jacket--I don't do jackets. Ever. I even got permission at both Guy Savoy and Alinea for not wearing a jacket. I won't go to Per Se or back to French Laundry because they require jackets. I had asked about getting permission to not wear a jacket at Enoteca Pinchiorri when I was informed there no longer is such a requirement. (We didn't go to La Pergola in Rome in Oct 2017 because of its jacket requirement.)
Ultimately, we are most interested in amazing food--world class, mind blowing food. Without a jacket. After that, we could care less...but prefer a nice wine list and friendly service!
Jan 10, 2018, 5:14 pm
#17
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: PHL / NYC / PSA-BLQ
Programs: AA PPRO, Marriott/Hilton Gold, AMX-Plat, Global Entry
Posts: 3,119
The stretch of Borgo San Jacopo (the street) from the Ponte Vecchio over to Via Maggio has a number of restaurants that I like.
Beyond the aforementioned Cammillo and Borgo San Jacopo (the restaurant), there is Osteria Cinghiale Bianco has a number of good wild boar dishes provided it's late fall/winter - the game season. I've tried them in the off season and I don't think the quality matches and there are other things (and places) better to eat in Firenze at those times of year.
There's also Mamma Gina's which, despite the somewhat cheesy name, puts on a pretty nice meal. My wife is a fan of their tagliata con rucola e pomodori. It's not the greatest steak but it's good and, in many ways, the balance of the rucola, steak, dressing and pomodori (if available) and parmesan is kind of a standard for us (kind of like how Raoul's in NYC is the gold standard for steak au poivre is for us).
Neither of those are Michelin but that short stretch of street has some pretty good eating.
Beyond the aforementioned Cammillo and Borgo San Jacopo (the restaurant), there is Osteria Cinghiale Bianco has a number of good wild boar dishes provided it's late fall/winter - the game season. I've tried them in the off season and I don't think the quality matches and there are other things (and places) better to eat in Firenze at those times of year.
There's also Mamma Gina's which, despite the somewhat cheesy name, puts on a pretty nice meal. My wife is a fan of their tagliata con rucola e pomodori. It's not the greatest steak but it's good and, in many ways, the balance of the rucola, steak, dressing and pomodori (if available) and parmesan is kind of a standard for us (kind of like how Raoul's in NYC is the gold standard for steak au poivre is for us).
Neither of those are Michelin but that short stretch of street has some pretty good eating.