eating in Florence Archives - Curious Appetite

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

August 2, 2022 / 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 →

The best panini in Florence (that’s not All’Antico Vinaio)

July 22, 2016 / alternative food guides, Bakeries, Florence, panini, Popular, Where to Eat in Florence / 4 Comments

I’ll say it- there is more to panini in Florence than l’Antico Vinaio. And if you’re wondering why they are extremely famous, consider this failproof recipe: thousands (13K+) of tripadvisor reviews mostly since they’ve been listed for ages, larger-than-life panini and cheap wine all for under 5-10€.

The panini at l’antico vinaio are good, even delicious, but for me not worth to me waiting up to an hour in line for. Bear in mind in reading this post, I’m not here to rag on any particular business, and food is extremely personal, but rather offer up some alternative suggestions.

Italian panini, are meant to be simple and traditionally included few ingredients: primarily cheese and/or meat. It seems that they’ve become monstrous man vs. food feasts here! Not that I don’t enjoy a decadent massive panino, but again, I suggest folks to consume info (and food) with a discerning palate.

I am suspicious of the ingredients in terms of what’s actually in their spreads and where they source their meats/cheeses from. My personal tastes goes towards more artisan style eateries, where ingredient sourcing/quality is emphasized. Not always thought, I do enjoy junk food from time to time! But I get a lot of questions “is Antico Vinaio really that good?” Yes- it is but in case you don’t want to wait in line for an hour, here are some alternatives. Continue Reading →

Aperitivo in Florence – UPDATED!

October 17, 2015 / Aperitivo, Florence, Italy, Oltrarno, Travel Tips, Updates, Where to Drink in Florence, Where to Eat in Florence / 0 comment

Photo Credit: Sam Engel (contact me to get in touch with Sam- he’s a great photographer!)

Man oh man, it’s been a painful few months knowing I had a very popular/read post just dying to be updated. Mostly, I wanted to update my article on Aperitivo in Florence because there were some spots that have gone horribly downhill and it took some personal visits to realize horrifically how disgusting they were in both terms of service and quality. It’s a real bummer when recommendations get outdated, usually due to a rise in popularity, If people catch on to a good place in Florence, it usually doesn’t stay secret for long (which should usually be a good thing!) Unless locales are prepared for the increased volume, they usually can’t keep up with providing consistent quality and service.

Here is the link to my updated post:

Aperitivo in Florence- a round-up

And while I was at it, I realized the article I wrote on Where to Eat in San Niccolo (the area near Piazzale Michelangelo) was also a bit outdated so I cleaned it up, with a realization that most places in that area suck. Florence, what is wrong with you?! (Sometimes) Continue Reading →

Trattoria Coco Lezzone (Florence, Italy): Mixed feelings

October 5, 2015 / Florence, Italy, Rustic Tuscan Food, Trattorias in Florence, Travel Tips, Tuscany / 2 Comments

By a fateful accident of texts exchanged between me and a pal we ended up dining at Coco Lezzone for what should have been a no-nonsense weekday lunch date. I suggested Coco Filippo and said pal replied “oh, you must mean Coco Lezzone!” Since I never heard of this trattoria before, truth be told, I wrote off Filippo and said to Lezzone we go! Continue Reading →

In defense of food in Florence

August 20, 2015 / Florence, Food For Thought, General Eating Out, Italy, Travel Tips / 5 Comments

I realize that for foodies from countries like America, Tuscan food in Florence can seem confusing. Recently, I took a quick stroll through common criticisms on sites like yelp and tripadvisor and decided to respond. These misunderstandings can be avoided, and I question the information out there educating people about what real Tuscan food and Italian food culture is about. Yes, Italian food includes plates of creamy gnocchi, carb-rich lasagna, pillow-y charred pizza and silky tagliatelle pasta and rich ragu’. But it is also a culture of regional foods, simple eating with little condiment. People eat out somewhat frequently in Italy, whether for a panino on the go or a quick plate of sliced roast beef and vegetables on lunch break. These meals are consumed casually at simple local cafes, hole in the walls or neighborhood trattorias. The grey area is that everyday Italians rarely go out for nicer, gourmet meals at atmospheric restaurants raved about in culture and leisure publications/blogs which travelers tend to chase after, giving a false impression of what the local eating culture is truly like. Continue Reading →