Curious Appetite

Florence

Budget-friendly Aperitivo ideas in Florence, Italy

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Aperitivo might be the culinary ritual that cemented my love for living in Italy. When I first moved to Florence in 2012 to pursue my dream to live in Italy, I came on my own without help from anyone. So let’s just say I had a student budget and lived in a shoebox of a room in a shared house for the first 2 years.

To stay within my means, I did a LOT of aperitivo nights. That’s what I was able to afford if I wanted to socialize over food and drink, which is one of the most admirable aspects of Italian culture. I can’t think of how else I could have networked and made friends as a newbie.

Drinking well with a pre-dinner snack (the basis of an Italian aperitivo) shouldn’t have to break the bank. And thankfully for me, it didn’t. This post will give you some tips on where to aperitivo on a budget while not having to sacrifice quaffable hooch or tasty snacks to match. Continue Reading →

Where to eat in Florence on Christmas Eve/Day (updated 2022)

/ Florence, Italy, Quick Food Guides, Where to Eat in Florence / 0 comment
photo credit: Silvio Palladino
photo credit: Silvio Palladino

Are you looking for where to eat in Florence on Christmas day? Fear not, traveling food lovers! Curious Appetite did all the dirty work of calling around Florence.

If you are interested in small-group culinary tours Christmas Eve & Day, consider our progressive dining crawl! Tickets sell out quick, book your spot asap.

And on New Year’s Eve we will be doing a special Aperitivo Food & Wine Tour in Florence- examples of past events HERE

The pickings for what’s open in Florence on Christmas day are tight & clean including Persian kebab, traditional spots for Florentine fare & steak and pasta & pizza bars. I first compiled this list in 2016 and keep it updated for your dining delight. Continue Reading →

New in Florence: Enoteca Spontanea + other spontaneous thoughts

/ Florence, Food For Thought, Italy, Reviews, Where to Drink in Florence / 1 Comment
photos by Tracy Russo

I haven’t written a review in a while, as the last (nearly) 3 years since the pandemic broke have taken such a toll on the restaurant industry- I felt they would be unfair and to some extent, frivolous. Although I’ve updated my Eater guide to Florence (and this essential 18 to Bologna), doing stand-alone reviews have fallen by the wayside.

Partly because the world of blogging is changing since I started nearly 15 years ago and partly because, highlighting a singular spot in a touristic hotspot like Florence comes with a double edge sword. On the one hand, bloggers like myself (who started without “strategy”) truly enjoy sharing and highlighting new businesses. But it comes with the risk we may not be able to go anymore once it starts catching on. Continue Reading →

Top Picks for Where to Eat & Drink in Florence in August (including Ferragosto)

/ Florence, Italy, Where to Eat in Florence / 4 Comments
Pasta in Florence tomato pappa al pomodoro
All things summer tomatoes at Osteria de’ Pazzi- open all August

(updated August 2022)

The last time I updated this guide was in 2020, and it was one of the oddest years to be writing anything about dining. Remember the dilemma we faced (or still do) to dine out and support restaurants? Contact tracing, sanitation, limited tables, etc?

And now even though the pandemic isn’t over- maskless indoor undistanced dining and travel is back in full swing. And being someone who often experiences existential dread, who knows for how long this will be infinitely possible as it is very clear our planet is fighting back against us.

This post (originally written in 2017, I believe!?) is updated to be your guide to eating and drinking well in Florence during August (specifically, for one of Italy’s most important national holidays, Ferragosto, the 15th of August (Assumption day) with the hopes someone will find it useful.

When I last updated it, it was a guide to places open on Ferragosto. Since this year the holiday falls on a Monday, (a common closure day for restaurants/bars) the pickings are slimmer so I’ll focus on excellent restaurants in Florence open for most of August. Continue Reading →

10 years in Florence and thoughts on San Francisco

/ Florence, Florence, Italy, San Francisco, Updates, Updates / 1 Comment

Well, hello! It’s been a while (shocker!) and thought I’d take a stab to write something coherent on this abandoned blog of mine. I write as my body is currently doing its earnest to process the sweltering sticky heat that is Florence’s sauna state. This year has been a wild ride- the beginning started with a lot of uncertainty as omicron casted a shadow of doubt on the travel industry’s rebound, experiencing some disappointments in San Francisco, taking a break in Florence while observing the world become an even crazier place- 2 years since the onset of a global pandemic.

I also write this week as I enter my exact 10 year anniversary since I packed up from Seattle to pursue my dream to move to Italy. This post will be a reflection on what it has been like to move to Italy, assimilated, questioned, move back to the US and where I stand now juggling a current hybrid Italy/US life. Continue Reading →

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