Il Vivandiere - Cantina Vinicola — Restaurant in Florence

Bad food and worse service….avoid this place!

We went to Il Vivandiere - Cantina Vinicola based on the google reviews and photos…but this was the worst restaurant we ate at in Florence.

The restaurant inside and ambience is very nice and the wine from the barrel was also very good. We got a bottle/ 700ml of recommended wine and it was nice, full body and smooth.

The food was well below any standard we have had in Florance and Italy. We would not rate anything above a 2 star for food. We ordered some appetizers and 2 mains. But first cam the breadbasket, it was old, cold and stale. We actually should have walked out when the bread came, as if the breadbasket, in Italy, is bad…it’s a good indication of the meal quality.

We ordered the pasta in tomato sauce and a fried steak with crispy potatoes. Both dishes were bad, poor quality and not even eaten. The pasta came about 10 min before the steak, so the meals did not come together. It is never nice eating when the other person is just sitting there. We asked the waiter, and he rudely said the steak will come and walked away.

The steak…it was basically raw, very rare and dry and chewy. We asked if it could be cooked a little more and the waiter took the dish and said ok…about 5 min later a different waiter brought the same steak back and said it’s impossible, we can’t/ won’t cook it anymore. Buy then it had been sitting and was cold. The crispy potatoes, that are just home made potato chips, were all cold and soggy. The entire dish was a mess…for 30 euro. It was left without eating.

The pasta was very oily and the, supposedly homemade noodles/ pasta were tough and chewy. Was not good and we only ate a few bites.

The worst part of the entire meal, was the service and 2 waiters, both men with glasses, they were rude, non-caring and not friendly at all. They both looked miserable and like they for sure didn’t care about the guests. Every question was met with obstinance and dry rude comments. After the steak came back, it was clear we would not eat it, so we asked if there was a manager, the waiter rudely said yes, but he is not here tonight….figurers.

The entire evening and experience was awful and at the price of 95 euro for wine, 2 appetizers and 2 mains. We paid, as they were not offering to reduce anything and we left without finishing our wine, as the mood was so sour and the attitudes from both waiters.

Do yourself a favour and don’t eat here, the reviews cannot be real and/ or it is just a tourist trap. Worst meal in Italy and worst...

I made a reservation for a late dinner on the night I arrived in Florence (07/11/2025). When I booked, I mentioned that I might be late from the airport and that they should feel free to release the table if needed. In the end, I actually arrived earlier than expected and was very hungry, so I went at 19:30 and explained the situation. They didn’t turn me away — instead, they warmly welcomed my mother and me inside.

It genuinely felt like home. The space is rustic and comforting, and the hospitality had a sense of familiarity that is rare to find when traveling. We had the ricotta crostini, eggplant parmigiana, and beef ragù tortelli — the cooking deserves recognition: the pasta skin were neither too thin nor too soft, the filling was balanced, and everything was seasoned with real care. It tasted like cooking done with confidence, not shortcuts.

I returned the next day without a reservation, and although they were fully booked, the same hostess kindly offered us a table later in the evening. I couldn’t wait that night, but the kindness and sincerity in offering still stayed with me.

I made another reservation for my last night in Florence (09/11/2025), and again, we were welcomed back warmly. We had the steak, leek soup, and grandma’s meatballs — all of which felt like being at someone’s family table.

The steak was cooked perfectly to a medium rare — tender, juicy, full of flavor, and warm throughout, without being raw in the center, which is rare to achieve. The seasoning was spot on, letting the quality of the meat shine while keeping it balanced. It was a beautifully confident and careful preparation.

Someone (perhaps the chef or manager) stopped on his way out to wish us a pleasant evening, and even that small gesture added to the sense of being cared for.

There is a feeling here that goes beyond the food. It is the feeling of belonging — of being invited into someone’s home. That is not easy to find, especially when traveling. I am truly grateful for the hospitality, the warmth, and the sense of comfort this...

So disappointed. We arrived for an early dinner because of work commitments later and had a reserveration for two. When we arrived the restaurant was virtually empty but we were unable to get a table in the interior portion of the restaurat because we were told those tables were "reserved" - albeit empty - we were given the choice of a couple of tiny tables for two but then got one a bit bigger after the waitress asked someone in the kitchen - but still it was close to the doorway. That should have been our first sign. The bread was stale - probably left over from lunch, and the wine lists were vague - no years or descriptions noted on the wine list. The waiteress turned us over to someone who was supposedly more knowledgeable and he tried to help by giving tastings, but really not knowledgeable. By far the worst of the experience was while we were eating our pasta course, the waitress delivered the secondi course (ribs) on a wood plank. We said that is secondi not with our pasta. After we finished the pasta, the ribs reappeared - cold, fatty and unappetizing - without the potatoes we ordered - which we waited on and finally arrived greasy and unappetizing. We declined the ribs and potatoes and cut our losses. Clearly, this is a restaurant catering to tourists - not many (if any locals). Many of the interesting items that were on the previous menu were discontinued in the last couple of week because they said they wanted to appeal to their client's preferred tastes. Really - this is the most disappointing dinner we have had in Italy - and we are into our second month of a two month stay. Not a great experience. My husband went out to get something to eat after we returned back to...