Ristorante del Fagioli — Restaurant in Florence

This is your place if you want down to earth, real Italian. No joke, this was the crown Jewel of good old fashion food in the Tuscany Region. It took me 4 days to find a restaurant that served Home made Coniglia, ( rabbit), one of my all time favorites. Florence restaurants rarely offer it, much to my chagrin and surprise. I’m of Portuguese descent and I grew up adoring a well prepared Coniglia.

This one was especially noteworthy for it’s tender meat, likely pan- fried with OO and adorned with Rosemary and perhaps a hint of Bay leaves. It was accompanied by a tasty dish of white beans that I sprinkled some additional OO, ( cant get enough of this staple Italian condiment), and parmesana. The combination brought proverbial tears to my eyes, as I ate and cried for more. 😩

My wife enjoyed here homemade Ravioli, she loved the pear that was incorporated into the ravioli, giving it a uniquely favorable taste.

Almost forgot. They succeeded in making a sometimes trite and admittedly boring appetizer jump off the table with bustling flavor and texture- the always dependable BRUSCHETTA.

Dessert was a delicious Apple Cake, washed down with.fresh decaf Capuccino.

Price: 65 EUROS !!!!!!! Atmosphere: humble, clean, busy Service : 7/10

Tips: Reservation

#.1. Preview and choose your meal while you’re in your room- for two reasons, maybe three. Number one the Internet is poor , number two you may not have a waiter that speaks as good English as mine, and number three the menu is entirely in Italian- zero English.

#2 Expect quality, not overpriced and under portioned

#3 Bring cash, no cards

#4. Close your menu when you’re ready to order or they might ignore you for a while. Busy place

#5. Good people. I started off with a smile and a hand shake with the host, maybe owner

#6. If it’s two people, you’re gonna eat under 100 Euros. I was well under. I tipped 20 Euros… ten to the ultra hard working food and drink runner and 10 to the helpful waiter.

Conclusion: go there …. Value…. Taste, quality stand out…. Even...

Authentic Tuscan food steps away from the city center. Don't have brutta figura (poor form) like some other reviewers and expect to be catered to as a tourist- CASH ONLY (it says so on the menu outside), and Italian. The waiters understand some English but don't expect them to translate the entire menu for you- do your research ahead of time. The place is small as well and can fill up with dinner reservations from locals quickly- pop in during the lunch hour or a night before if you want reservations. Food came very quickly for being all freshly prepared. If you avoid the pricey items like Florentine steak, you can have a full delicious meal for less than most tourist joints.

Favorite dishes-

Toscana mista- taster plate of Tuscan appetizers- just a few bites each of salami, prosciutto, crostini with lardo, crostini with liver spread, bruschetta, and peccorino Pienza.

Bistecca Florentina- delicious, juicy meat on the bone. Clearly cooked over a high temperature wooden grill- the outside is seared, the inside is pink, and somehow the bone has a perfect char too it. Barely a bit of gristle or fat on the outside but tender and delicious. Keep in mind the smallest steaks they offer are 1-1.2 kilograms, and the meat is priced by weight.

Gnocchi with pesto- simply constructed but with subtly complex flavor. The potato gnocchi have a perfect texture- a slight chew that then becomes soft in the mouth. The gnocchi have a subtle sweetness almost like hay or a rye bread- and the pesto is cut with a little radicchio which prevents it from becoming overly dominated by basil and olive oil.

Ravioli with ricotta and lemon- such a light and delicious appetizer. Perfectly seasoned with a hint of lemon zest and black...

No service, Left hungry. This is the first time I've ever felt so clearly discriminated against, and it's incredibly disheartening. No service for us. My friend and I arrived hungry and stood outside the restaurant for a while. Two people were let in ahead of us without even a glance in our direction. When we eventually stepped inside and asked if a table was available, we were told, rather bluntly, that it was cash only. We confirmed we had cash, and only then were we finally seated by a waitress. We waited for 30 minutes at the table, and no one came to take our order or even acknowledge us. I had to wave down a waitress, who said she’d call her colleague. Still, no one came. Eventually, my friend walked over to speak directly with another waitress. She looked at us apologetically and spoke with a waiter — but again, nothing happened. A kind couple sitting next to us, who weren’t locals, noticed what was happening and tried to help by speaking up for us. Unfortunately, even that didn’t make a difference. In the end, we had to leave without eating, still hungry, and needing to be up early the next morning. I usually hesitate to call something ra*sm — I try to believe misunderstandings can happen, especially across languages or cultures. But this was the first time I experienced something that felt so blatant. I’m not angry, just sad. Sad that people like this still exist. I also felt sorry for the kind couple who had to witness it, and for the waitresses who clearly didn’t feel empowered to act differently. This experience stood in stark contrast to the many lovely, kind people I’ve met around the world. I’m still grateful for them — and even more aware of how much...