Do you ever come home from a holiday and have one specific meal or restaurant that just won’t leave your mind? A place where the food was sublime or the ambiance was overwhelmingly special? Sometimes the details of a trip start to blend together by the time you return home, but if you’re lucky enough, on each trip you will eat a few unforgettable meals that you hold dear even years after the fact. Here are a few restaurants that will give you enduring memories of your time in Florence.
Serre Torrigiani – Via Gusciana, 27 – Firenze – Italy – https://serretorrigiani.it/ This garden + restaurant, perched on the hillside above Florence is something special. Dine outdoors, surrounded by the beauty of their gardens, or in their reimagined greenhouse, surrounded by art installations, greenery, and a playlist that oozes a casual cool vibe. Serre Torrigiani is a place to graze, drink, eat and visit in an inspiring, art-filled atmosphere. While you could come here for a full meal, as I did, I’ve heard its Sunday brunch is amazing, and it would also be a great option for a drink or aperitif. They serve cuisine that ranges from typical traditional Tuscan dishes to international.
Trattoria Cammillo – Borgo S. Jacopo, 57/r – Firenze, Italy – no website, Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trattoriacammillo/ This restaurant is owned by the family of a friend’s boyfriend (convoluted, right, haha) and I shared the most delightful meal here with her last Fall. The dish I still think about was their pecorino brûlée dressed with apple balsamic vinegar – such a simple concept, executed perfectly. I was in cheesy heaven! My friend suggests that the menu stand-outs are anything from their daily menu, and their fresh pasta especially if you have a hankering for tortellini in brodo or pasta al ragu.
La Ménagère – Via de’ Ginori, 8/R • http://www.lamenagere.it This restaurant is where the social influencer crowd goes to see and be seen, but there’s a reason for that; It’s absolutely stunning. If ever a restaurant was made for Instagram and social media clout, this is it! A combined restaurant and florist shop, they closed and redecorated during Covid, and the ambiance is undeniable! While I typically prefer eating local/traditional dishes when travelling and this restaurant’s offerings are more trendy and contemporary (still tasty, just not traditionally tuscan), its decor is so special that this restaurant makes my “visit it” list – even if just for an aperitif or coffee. Here’s how the restaurant website describes their vibe: “It is a restaurant, a bistro, the perfect place for tea, a drink, a business breakfast, a romantic dinner and much more. It is a garden, an emporium full of beautiful things and a library with more than a thousand botanical-themed titles. It is a labyrinth of secret spaces, secluded corners and private rooms where you can enjoy intimate moments or large parties. All this in the heart of the historic center of Florence.“