Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
After-Hours Eats
€
The “Best Drunk Food” in town, according to a student poll, is found
at
Turkuaz
(Via dei Servi, 65R, 2 blocks from the Duomo;
%
055-2399959),
which fires up mouthwatering kabobs, fries, wraps, and baklava until 6am.
Elsewhere in town, late-night pizza joints along Via dei Servi dish out slices
by weight. And, finally,
Ari's Diner
(open until 2am; see p. 108)
is another
good option for late-night meals meant to soak up the alcohol.
yummy risotto with pesto. For a unique
secondo,
try the beef with the surprisingly
complementary toppings of blueberry sauce and balsamic vinegar for
€
18. Acqua
al Due's new sister restaurant,
La Via Dell'Acqua
(Via Dell'Acqua, 23;
%
055-
290748),
has more of an alternative menu heavy on California cuisine; a modern-
jazz soundtrack and hipster artwork are part of the ambience. The
€
11 spaghetti
and fresh clams is particularly tasty. (If you happen to live in San Diego, you may
recognize the name of this place--its owners recently hopped the pond to open
an offshoot there.)
€€€
Don't be fooled by the graffiti on the cement walls outside, or the faded
PIZZACHERIA
sign above the door; this is no place for pizza.
Il Francescano
Trattoria
(Largo Bargellini, 16, next to Santa Croce;
%
055-241605; www.
ilfrancescano.com; Wed-Mon)
serves excellent traditional Tuscan cuisine in its
chandelier-lit interior rooms (romance personified) and on its well-situated outdoor
patio against the wall of Santa Croce church. Its gnocchi with pears and Gorgonzola
(
€
8) is outstanding, as are the grilled dishes, including
tagliata di manzo
--lightly
breaded slices of beef (
5
€
€
7,
but save room for dessert; the crème caramel or
cantuccini
can top off an excellent
meal. With
15). The restaurant offers a variety of huge salads for
€
1.50
coperto,
10% service charge, and a half-liter of house wine
(
€
5), a complete dinner will run about
€
45.
RESTAURANTS IN OLTRARNO
€
Catering to the hostelers at the nearby Santa Monica,
Bar Trattoria da
Ginone
(Via dei Serragli, 35R;
%
055-218758; Mon-Sat 7am-3pm and 7-10pm)
offers a decent quick bite, featuring a
€
9.80 dinner of bread, pasta, veggies, and
a meat dish. Breakfast and lunch specials ensure backpackers won't have to survive
on instant noodles in hostel kitchens.
5
€
-
€€
(Via della
Condotta, 7/9R;
%
055-218898; daily noon-4:30pm and 7-10:30pm),
a charm-
ing hidden cave of a restaurant beneath busy Via Santo Spirito. It's always
crowded—with both locals and visitors--and its offerings are always delicious.
The
€
9 set lunch with macaroni and grill is a great deal, but be careful of order-
ing a half-liter of the house wine, which could double the price of the meal.
Besides the special,
primi
run
€
5 to
€
7.50, with
secondi
ranging from
€
6 to
€
15
for a steak.
For a more upscale option, try
Il Cantione Ristorante
