Mangiafuoco Bracerie — Restaurant in Florence

If you're in Florence and craving an exceptional dining experience, Mangiafuoco Bracerie is an absolute must-visit! Nestled away in a charming corner of the city, this restaurant is a true hidden gem. It’s a peaceful retreat from the hustle and bustle, offering a stunning atmosphere that makes you feel like you’ve discovered something special.

Now, let’s talk about the star of the show—the steak. Without a doubt, this was the best steak I’ve ever had in my life. Perfectly cooked, tender, and bursting with rich flavor, it was the epitome of what Italian cuisine is all about. Every bite was pure bliss, and I can’t recommend it enough.

The service was equally outstanding. Our waitress went above and beyond, making sure we felt comfortable from start to finish. She was particularly wonderful with our 1-year-old daughter, going out of her way to accommodate us and ensure our little one was happy and settled.

The restaurant's location is a pleasant surprise, tucked away in a quiet part of Florence, just a short walk from a breathtaking cathedral. The setting truly added to the overall experience, offering a peaceful and intimate vibe.

Overall, Mangiafuoco Bracerie was a perfect dining experience. From the incredible steak to the impeccable service, every detail was top-notch. 10/10...

Let me start by saying we were looking forward to this place. Pici is a tipico dish of the region, as is good beef, so we found ourselves here.

Let me also add that we've been in Italy a long time, so we are well-versed in the fact that dinner is a leisurely activity and did not expect speed. We did, however, expect service.

We were hot and stuck in a corner, unnoticed for the better part of our hour-long visit. A table of 3 came in, sat, ordered and finished before our first course arrived.

The pici mangiafuoco is good - salty, if you're into that.

But we also ordered a filet with truffle sauce. I'm pretty familiar with steak, and understand that a good filet should not be overcooked. I also understand that it should rest a few minutes before being served. I do not understand why the center would be rubbery to cut through and cold - not warm - to the touch on serving, unless it sat there for far too long, or was way, way undercooked to begin with. Either way, we're taking our preemptive pepto tonight as it was also rich (truffle sauce should be! No problem there!) And we're flying out tomorrow.

So, 2 stars it is. We were not horrified by the experience. Just disappointed and rather put out. Some people in the restaurant seemed to have a perfectly pleasant experience. I wish...

A lot of the reviews are about the good quality of the steaks and maybe that is their specialty. I don't know. We ordered bruschette and a Greek salad and lasagna. Where should I begin? The Greek Salad was delightfully decorated with the typical superficial ingredients on top of a large bowel of lettuce. Inexpensive feta cheese with no taste, inexpensive olives with no taste, and as boring as it can possibly be. Come on guys, where is your fantasy for making a salad, something that is worth paying more than we paid for the lasagna? My bruschette was nothing but chopped tomatoes on toast. No spices, no taste and again no fantasy for making it special and boasting good Tuscany antipasti. Again underseasoned and a disappointing dish. On to the lasagna. The dish looked amazing but was a reheat from hours or maybe even a whole day from when it was cooked. It was like everything was glued together. The layers were so stuck to each other that it was like chewing cardboard and rubber. No taste. We wanted a half of bottle of wine but the waitress said the bottle is empty. Question... Why not open another one? We were not asked at all if we liked our meal and the staff was just on the border of being nice. It was an effort but obviously not working. We will not return...