Koto Ramen Via Verdi — Restaurant in Florence

BEST AUTHENTIC Japanese RAMEN in Florence!

We love (good) ramen, so after hearing so many great things about this place, we decided to try it out last night. Happy to say that we were very impressed from beginning to end, and just... WOW! This is one of the best authentic Japanese ramen we have ever tasted, hands down. Like the ramen we've had in Tokyo and other places in Japan several times. For a moment, we got so lost in our food, we forgot we were in Florence. It's no wonder why there is a line out the door every time we pass by. When we got there, a friendly guy at the entrance greeted us, gave us a ticket and a time to come back. We ordered some Japanese tapas to start with, which were all nothing short of STELLAR! The "kakuni" (braised pork) is to die for. It just melts in your mouth. The "nanban" (pumpkin) was so uniquely delicious (never had one so good as this one) and the "karaage" (fried chicken) was crispy and amazing. I could just drink the dipping sauce too. I highly recommend them all! Now the ramen...We took the "tantan", which was just absolutely exquisite and with just the right amount of hot pepper. And the "shoyu", was delightfully flavorful, with delicious tender slices of chashu pork and egg cooked to perfection. Only in Japan have I ever had ramen this good before! We also tried some wonderful sake and the "nikka" whisky too. To finish we ordered the "matcha cake", which was delicate and heavenly. The prices are really good and fair for the level of high quality you're getting. If you live in Florence, then you know there are practically only a handful of good, "authentic" Japanese restaurants, but loads of fake/imitation Japanese places (and many, despite being inauthentic, still remain overpriced). They don't charge a "coperto" (cover charge) either, like most restaurants do, which is really nice as well. The place is very clean, its's super cozy with a warm atmosphere all around, and has excellent service with friendly and professional staff. Nice touch with the open kitchen where you can see the chef and his crew in action. We had a wonderful experience and look forward to being regulars there. Even with the wait (now we know why there's always a wait)...it's totally worth it. So happy this place exists here! Highly...

Service was horrible and extremely slow. We stood waiting to be seated with no acknowledgment then when seated we were not given menus. Luckily we started looking at the menu while waiting for seating. When the guy finally came to take our order after sitting at least 20 minutes, I asked for menus. He hurriedly brought them and my friend told him not to leave because we were ready to order. He was soooo rude and started fussing at her saying they were busy and she needed to be patient. 😳 We ordered and the appetizer came out quickly. I would highly recommend trying the Maguro No Katsu (breaded, deep fried tuna). The ramen broth lacked flavor and was very bland. I can't recommend it but the rice bowl, not pictured, was a little better. My friend said she really liked it. After finally getting our ticket and going to the register to pay, the waiter/cashier gave a weak apology for service. 🙄 I wouldn't recommend this place if you're in a hurry and starving because they are understaffed. The tuna was delicious, but beyond that, I...

The only place I go for ramen in Florence. have been coming to Koto since they opened and the quality has not wavered whatsoever. The noodles, which are handmade everyday !!! have the best bite - the broth sooooooo rich with umami. If you like truffles you’ll flip out about the truffle broth I can’t even handle the combo, so silky and smooth and not too strong. It’s not like one of those things “since were in Italy let’s just lather the plate w truffles “—- no it’s actually a work of art. Short and sweet ramen menu with a variety of broths, nothing redundant about it, what’s there feels necessary and varied. The karaage chicken is literally the best fried chicken you can find also. Oh oh and the sake 🤩 we also got some after dinner liquor called umeshu, a must it’s so good. The owners really know what they are doing. I hear they created koto because she misses her own food and made a place where she could eat and feel at home, to fill a much needed gap In the city for high quality Japanese...