Antico Ristoro Perditempo — Restaurant in Florence

We got there roughly 10 minutes before they opened and got yelled at. To preface this, the person’s actions were justified and I understand why this happened, however I believe that the way that the situation was dealt with was not acceptable.

Having arrived early, they appeared to be open. Staff were moving around inside and the door was open. I thought it a little strange that there was a plant covering a small portion of the doorway, but it just looked like a bad placement. So we decided to go in, as I took a step inside I got yelled at that they were closed, told to “use my eyes” and to “look” because apparently the plant near the side of the entrance was supposed to mean that they were closed. He placed the plant in the middle of the entrance and continued yelling after we had apologised and explained that we didn’t know they were closed.

We promptly left and found somewhere else to eat but I was quite disappointed as this had been a recommendation from a friend who had said that the staff were very friendly and that it was an amazing experience, which I’m sure it normally is. I understand why the staff member was annoyed but working on the floor of a fairly popular cafe/restaurant back in Australia myself, I think this was an unacceptable way to treat a potential customer in this...

Stopped in while walking by — we were looking for a sit-down dinner that was closer to home cooking than a tourist trap. We did not think this was possible near Ponte Vecchio, but we really hit the jackpot.

Not only was the atmosphere casual and friendly, the service and food also delicious, but the view once you go all the way into the dining room is spectacular! Dining by the river with a view of all the lights and Ponte Vecchio right outside the open window was a spot we could not have imagined from looking at the doorway to the restaurant.

The staff was friendly and very proud of their food and its preparation. So please be careful not to try and “customize” the dishes. Trust the cook and you will have a fantastically cooked meal that you will enjoy. Also, make sure to leave room for dessert. We tried the Tiramisu, and it was fresh, delicious, and well portioned. The whole experience felt like a neighborhood restaurant, with staff that felt like family, and a view that one could easily pay a lot more at a different restaurant.

Oh, and also, they let me practice my terrible Italian (but improving), even though they spoke and had...

Visited in March 2013 — I stumbled across this spot thanks to a hunch my guidebook was missing something, and sure enough it was almost on my doorstep in Oltrarno. You walk through a deli counter into a plain little dining room, but the setting is all the better for it — the Arno glints through the window and the food does the talking. Crostini caldo with chicken liver was rustic and just right: fresh bread, coarse mash, spot-on seasoning (8.5/10). Then pappardelle with wild boar ragù — rich, gamey, cockle-warming, and just the kind of sauce that makes you slow down and smile (8.5/10). Dessert was an old-school panna cotta, not gleaming white but softly sweet, wobbly in the best way, topped with pine-nuts, raisins and a splash of vinsanto (7.5/10). No frills, no fuss — just the ethics of Tuscan simplicity,...