Osteria Il Cantinone — Restaurant in Florence

We walked into this restaurant at around 1:00 today Dec 7th (they are open for lunch from 12:00-2:30). As far as we could tell there was no one in the place. A man walked up to greet us. I asked for a table for 2. He asked if we had a reservation. We said no. He said no to us and waved his hand at us to leave and he walked away. This is the second time on this 2 week trip (once in Sienna and once in Florence) that this has happened to us. Twice in one trip and never before in our lives have we been treated like this. Maybe this is a reservation only restaurant but I did not see it on the menu outside or online when I looked at Google reviews before going into the restaurant. We of course left immediately and went to another restaurant that was warm and welcoming.

Update: The restaurant replied we never came there. Yes we did and they turned us away just as I said.

Yes it happened both at your restaurant and at one in Siena. But we had many other kind and amazing experiences in our 2 weeks in Italy that far outweighed these two instances. You only needed to tell us you were booked for the day and could not accommodate us. We would certainly understand and respect that. By the many other reviews, you have a lovely restaurant with very good food. I wish you...

We had an amazing dinner here and couldn’t recommend it enough!! A day before our dinner, we took a super fun pasta making class inside the restaurant with Veronica. At the end, we asked her where we could find some good Cacio et Pepe in the city (a dish served mostly in Rome and not on the menu), and she directed us to the incredibly talented chef Paulo. Paulo graciously volunteered to make it for us if we made a reservation for the following night.

The texture and flavor of the pasta was simply great. It was the best dish we ate on our entire trip! During our dinner, Paulo surprised us with tastings of cheese, liquor, and a surprise dish all while chatting with us.

Finally, we finished off with some delicious orange cake for dessert. It was soft, warm, and the perfect amount of sweetness. Just heavenly!

By the end of the dinner, we were all satisfied, impressed, and touched at Paulos effort to make sure we had a great dinner- which we did!

Overall- Incredible food, superb hospitality, and made to feel like we were a part of the family. If I’m ever in Florence again, I would come back here in a heartbeat. Everyone we encountered was super kind and welcoming. Paulo clearly has a gift and passion for cooking and for people. We now consider him a...

I've lived in Italy many years and know how challenging it can be to choose the best place to dine. I was travelling alone in Florence and was searching for a place in Oltrarno where I could feel comfortable and enjoy a meal with local specialities. I had just about given up when I saw the steps leading down to Il Cantinone. There was an arrow pointing to the left...to enter the restaurant. Immediately it felt like a place where I would feel comfortable. Along with the regular menu was printed the menu of the day; after conferring with two of the waiters, I decided on one of the specials and chose a glass of red wine from their generous list of excellent wines by the glass. The meal was exquisite as was the service and atmosphere. Since there almond biscotti are made in house I decided to end the meal with those and a glass of the vino santo. Needless to say the experience was perfect and I can't wait to return. And many compliments to the waiters for making this experience...