Le Volpi e l'Uva — Restaurant in Florence

I don't post many reviews but just recommended this place to a friend who is in Italy right now and it reminded me of how special this place is. My wife and I were looking for a wine bar for a light lunch and a few glasses after wandering the touristy areas. Weary of the tourist traps that appeal to English-speaking travelers, I did some research on google maps and found this place. We had a table outside on a fantastic day in October two years ago and picked out a bottle and some snacks. The waitress, an older lady who maybe was one of the owners, came over and convinced us to order by the glass so we could enjoy more varieties. I am stubborn so I was put off at first but the lady was incredibly knowledgeable and an excellent guide to the many great wines on their menu. We started with a white wine made from grapes at the foot of Mt. Vesuvius and it had a very mineral taste that went well with our mushroom crostini and one of the best cold smoked trouts I have ever experienced. Our second glasses of white were from a Sicilian winery that was located in the heart of citrus groves and the citrusy flavors were noticeable but subtle and complementary and refreshing on a warmish day. All of the food was freshly prepared and seemed to be made from high-quality, local ingredients. At the end of maybe two hours, six glasses, and several snacks, we sumbled away with a very reasonable bill of about 45 euros and the anticipation of doing it again the next time we are in Florence. I see some negative reviews on here complaining about the service - I don't think they realized that this is a local spot that caters to Italians so the service is very Italian, which may seem a bit off putting for some westerners who are used to being coddled by their servers. My wife and I thought the service was fantastic as the knowledge and recommendations of our server made our experience truly special. Alas, we also understand and appreciate the tough-love but friendly at heart service that is...

To summarise, a huge disappointment. I went here based off a high local recommendation for their Tuscan bread and wine. Sadly too hungover that day to try the wine which i’m sure was very nice and had a good selection, so maybe there’s a redeeming quality there. However, for me, as someone who has worked in hospitality for quite a few years now, service can be a make or break for a dining experience. And in this case it was absolutely appalling. Granted, it seemed they were quite understaffed so that could have been the main reason, however I don’t agree because there’s always ways around that to still ensure all your customer’s get the experience they deserve. For us it was the fact that they asked my partner and I to wait for a table, so we waited for ten minutes or so, yet seated three people immediately even though they had shown up five minutes after us. And to make it worse they were served food and drinks before us and were very clearly looked after better. It was also disappointing to see many other customers and tables getting ignored as well. We waited almost an hour for our food which was just two plates of their special bread dishes, which were nice but not worth that long a wait for sure. There was no apology or reason as to why we had to wait for that long as well. Essentially it was just really shocking customer service and i wouldn’t recommend anyone to go there, so many better options in Florence...

I’ve often heard that Florence is not just about food—it’s about wine, and this place only confirmed that sentiment. Tucked away in a quiet area, it offers the perfect setting to enjoy a glass of wine, great company, and an authentic Florentine atmosphere.

Although there was seating inside, we chose to sit outside and take in the beautiful Florence views. I truly appreciated the host’s warm approach—when I found myself overwhelmed by the huge number of wine bottles and almost ready to give up, he kindly asked about our preferences and selected different wines for me and my friend. I have to say, it was one of the best wines I’ve ever tasted.

The atmosphere and the host’s kindness made the experience even more special. As I was chatting with another guest and was ready to leave, the host surprised us with a small gift—another glass of delicious wine! My only regret is that I didn’t buy a bottle of vine, fearing I wouldn’t have enough space in my luggage. But one thing is certain: I will definitely return to this...