Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
enjoy an assortment of burritos and wraps at
3.50 each, including a made-to-
order shrimp burrito with fresh salsa. Grab a
€
3 sangria, kick back to some Latin
music, and watch the traffic go by from the second floor of this colorful bohemian
hangout. Across the street is a vegetarian favorite,
Kooclikoo
(Via Borgo Pinti, 2/r;
%
055-234220),
where you can make a sandwich to order with any one of a
number of vegetarian patties and toppings, including tofu, seitan, sun-dried
tomatoes, and eggplant. A sandwich, cookie, and a Coke cost just
€
€
5. Or, for the
5
9
genuine American burger, you can drop by
Ari's Diner
(Via Giraldi, 4A,
crossing of Via Ghibellina),
which serves all the Yankee specialties--pancakes,
Philly cheese steaks, steak and eggs, beer, milkshakes--from 9am to 3am in a
brightly lit, Americana-decorated diner. It's a place to take kids who just won't eat
another truffle, and most of the dishes run in the
€
7-to-
€
9 range, service and
cover charge included.
€€
Just around the corner from Piazza Signoria, a good spot to stop for lunch
after a morning tour or shopping expedition, is
Caffè Italiano
(Via della
Condotta, 56r;
%
055-291082; www.caffeitaliano.it; Mon-Sat; no credit cards),
a
pastry-and-sandwich bar with an early-20th-century feel. It serves a good selec-
tion of soups, salads, and sandwiches to a full house. Morning visitors can enjoy
custom coffee blends and fresh pastries made on the premises. And you can relax
at a window table to people-watch, or dine in the large upstairs room.
Another good snack stop is
Antica Pizzeria-Ristorante Nuti
(Borgo S.
Lorenzo, 39;
%
055-210410),
where they've been cranking out pizzas in an open
wood-fired stone oven since 1955. The Napoletana cuisine is a fun change from
Tuscan fare. You'll find the pizzas here to be thinner and heavier on the veggies,
creating a meal for only
€€
€
5 to
€
8, and
€
4 for a beer.
€€
With its frescoed ceilings, antique fixtures, and tuxedoed waiters,
Ristorante
Paoli
(Via dei Tavolini, 12R;
%
055-216215; Wed-Mon)
is the type of place you'd
imagine late-19th-century visitors on “the grand tour” frequented. Yes, it's a bit
touristy, with a standard spaghetti-and-meatball-type menu, but the food is actu-
ally quite good, if expensive for what you get (pastas range
€
7-
€
14). One high-
light of the menu: the light and fresh sea bass, at
14, with lemon, olive oil, and
peppercorn. And you have to like the “no service charge, no
coperto
” policy.
€
Hidden on a lightly trafficked side street close to the Arno, the
Belcore
Ristorante
€€€
(Via dell'Albero, 28/30R;
%
055-211198; www.ristorantebelcore.
it)
features Middle Eastern-influenced Tuscan dishes in a cool minimalist white
restaurant. A friendly and well-informed waitstaff will guide you through menu
choices that include seared tuna with peppercorn and shallots, stuffed tortellini
with ricotta cheese, and lamb with sweet onions. Artistic presentations on Polish
ceramic dishes complete the international flavor of the restaurant. Every Friday is
“fish night,” with a
€
30 set menu featuring the catch of the day and three addi-
tional courses. Reservations are highly recommended.
55
€€€
It doesn't look like much from the outside, but the expansive (and
expensive)
Ristorante Buca Mario
5
(Piazza Ottaviani, 16R;
%
055-2647336;
