L'Arte di Dory - Cucina Casalinga in Oltrarno — Restaurant in Florence

We decided on this restaurant based on the multitude of rave Google reviews and the fresh pasta.

Pros Close proximity. Immediate seating.

Cons Service - I don't go to restaurants expecting wonderful service but this went below...and beyond.

I will preface that there was only one person seating/waiting/cleaning for 25-30 customers.

We waited 25+ minutes with no bread nor antipasti. When a table who arrived minutes after us received their orders, I was ready to walk out.

My companion had to politely ask for the antipasti. Once we finished, she also had to ask for our pastas. I don't recall ever having to do that at a restaurant.

Carpaccio di bresaola con rucola e parmigiano - At this point, we were famished but even that couldn't conceal the blandness of this plate.

Pici al ragu - Perhaps freshly cooked should have more emphasis than freshly made pasta because the pici was prematurely not al-dente. The ragu tasted like the sauce ran empty and then was compensated for by adding water to the bottle.

Tagliolini al funghi porcini - The pasta brought back memories of instant ramen noodles with a very slight hint of mushroom sauce, totally not what I was expecting in an Italian restaurant.

As we were hungry and it was getting quite late, we quickly finished our food, then promptly paid (at the counter instead of more waiting at the table) and left. From the looks of other customers, while eating and paying, I don't believe we were alone in our disbelief of what we had just experienced, tasted, and paid for.

We have no idea how this restaurant is rated so highly on Google. This experience has led us to now always question Google's...

This is one of our favorite meal experiences from our time in Italy. We were staying up the street and just happened to walk past, but it was the BEST thing to happen to us!! We got a bottle of Chianti for 10 euro. They gave bread. We both got a simple pasta dish, but the flavors were so complex and rich. We said “best meal of our lives” about 10 times during the meal. So fresh tasting. We said we would come back to Firenze just for this restaurant.

It was so good that we called our friends we were traveling with and told them they had to come RIGHT NOW and eat here because we couldn’t look them in the eye after this meal knowing they would never be able to experience it. The staff was very accommodating and they pushed two tables together to make room for our friends. It is the meal that we have compared every other meal in italy too. Molto bellissimo!!!

We had the spaghetti with garlic olive oil and red pepper and the tagliatelle with tomato sauce. Incredible.

Also need to shout out the family that is running the show....

I feel that this restaurant stands out as one of the top choices in Italy for enjoying fresh, locally made pasta. The warm and inviting atmosphere adds to the overall dining experience.

Both the Spaghetti Aglio e Olio and Spaghetti Pomodoro were delicious and well-executed. The pasta dishes were light and flavorful, and something that you could keep coming back to.

The family who owns and runs the restaurant is super welcoming and friendly and this further adds to the contributes to the overall experience.

This restaurant is truly a hidden gem, highly recommended for those seeking authentic Italian cuisine. The excellent quality of the food, coupled with reasonable prices compared to other restaurants in Florence, makes this a worthwhile visit.

In summary, this restaurant offers a delightful culinary experience, characterized by delicious pasta, warm hospitality, and good value. It is completely worth visiting and I look forward to returning here on my next trip...