Il Francescano Tavern — Restaurant in Florence

So we didn't have a reservation but they had room for the two of us outside. It was trying to rain but we were fine under their umbrella. The owner waited on us and was very nice, we got in right before a large group of 20 came in. We decided to share our food so we could do multiple courses. First was the anti pasta (appetizer) the asparagus with fried egg, truffle and lettuce, it was some of the best asparagus I've ever had. Second was the traditional Tuscany soup, simple ingredients, but boy was it good! Third, my wife got salad and I had the slow roasted beef with white beans. She liked her salad, and my beef was so tender I cut it with my fork. And for dessert we got tiramisu, which was good, just wasn't expecting the two small almonds at the bottom. Overall it was a...

If you've seen the Disney classic "Ratatouille," recall the scene where Anton eats the ratatouille and unlocks some core memory of his childhood. I had similar happening here, two times, only I discovered what fresh, authentic Italian food was for the first time.

The Fritto del Convento is what I imagine a Japanese chef giving his grace to a tempura-inspired Italian fusion dish would be- stupendous. The Margherita Dop is the best pizza I've had to date in Italy on my honeymoon. Their buffalo mozzarella (from Naples), superior crust, and olive oil combined for a superior dish.

This place was not overrun by tourists and felt like the most genuine Italian date night my wife and I had here. Marta, our waitress, was also marvellous. Eat here or forsake your next trip...

This restaurant came highly recommended by the lovely concierge staff at Hotel Baglioni Relais Santa Croce during our stay in Florence. We were immedietly greeted by the welcoming and friendly Zak from Il Francescano who served us two straight nights in a row for dinner service because we enjoyed the food so much.

I would highly recommend the classic Firenze Fiorentina, however if you are a party of two who are unable to finish big portions of meat and sides, I suggest you come with an extra person to help with the job. Zak and his team of servers are nothing but helpful, accommodating and friendly. A great experience. Can't wait to visit Firenze again and pay...