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| Me, Aleena, and Erin eating Gusta Pizza on the steps of Santo Spirito |
Cibo | Food
Food is arguably the most important thing to indulge in when visiting Italy, or any place in that matter. But Italian food is on a whole other level. I think I can speak for Catie as well when I say that we both thought we loved Italian food before we came to Florence. But that love hit a glass ceiling which only getting on a plane to Italy can break through. You haven’t really eaten Italian food until you’ve eaten in Italy. Because food is such an important and complex theme in Italy, it only makes sense that we break it down into categories in our guide.
Part I: Pizzaria
Pizza has definitely made the big transition out of Italy and has been embraced whole-heartedly by the rest of the world and for good reason. A genius blend of dough, sauce, cheese, and basil makes up the basic and classic margherita which other variations then add on to. A little history for you all: The first pizza margherita was created in honor of the unification of Italy, all its ingredients representing the Italian flag. It was named in honor of Queen Margherita of Savoy after her visit to Naples in 1889. While practically every little restaurant seems to serve and make pizza, there are definitely a few that stand out from the rest. Click the restaurant names for the google map directions and add them to your list when you go to Florence!
Via Maggio, 46r
Across the Arno and right around the corner of Santo Spirito is this little pizzeria. Don’t be fooled by its lack of space and almost hole-in-the-wall appearance. This is probably the most well known pizzeria, at least to the hundreds of students who live and study in Firenze. My Italian professor in Florence said that it was the students who created the hype and popularity of Gusta. But despite the student crowd the locals love it too. There is a great fire oven that pumps out beautiful, perfect pies non-stop. The menu is limited but also extremely affordable. The classic margherita is €5 and is larger than the circumference of your face. There is almost always a line out the door but you will never be disappointed. My friends and I liked to order our pizzas as take-away (take-out) and eat it on the steps of Santo Spirito. Nothing better than soaking up the Italian sun, people watching, and eating a great pizza. Oh, and if you think you’re going to share a pizza with someone think again. Order your own, even if you think “I can’t possibly eat the entire thing by myself!”. You’re going to eat it all and you’re going to love every minute of it, no regrets.
Borgo la Croce, 87r
Near to our house, Le Campane Ristorante Pizzeria is definitely a local spot. The area we lived in was very near to the Duomo, about a 10 minute walk, but far enough that rarely any tourists ventured around. Catie and I ate here with our other friend and housemate Dada one afternoon for lunch and it was delicious. We always passed by on our way to and from an amazing gelateria in the area and one afternoon we decided to actually stop and eat. It’s quite spacious with two rooms filled with seating. In the front you can see the large brick fire oven burning waiting to cook our perfect pizzas. Catie and Dada got massive pizzas, I think they both got spicy sausage on theirs, and I got a gigantic calzone. These kinds of restaurants are the best places to practice your Italian because you’re surrounded by it. The waiters speak practically only Italian, you order in Italian, the other customers are local, and the televisions and music playing are all the local Italian stations. Working up the courage to try your hand at just speaking Italian to the locals can be intimidating but they appreciate it and are patient with you. Plus, at the end of your meal and you walk out the door you feel full and accomplished.
Via dei Servi, 52r
This restaurant literally popped up halfway through our stay in Florence. Catie, Dada, and I walked down Via dei Servi almost daily and it took us by surprise and just appeared one day. The restaurant is very spacious and beautiful but the best part is that it’s very reasonably priced. The menu is both pizzeria items and typical Italian restaurant with antipasti, primi, secondi, and contorni dishes. The first time Catie and I ate there we witnessed this petite little old woman get served this massive calzone that was literally bigger than her face. It was definitely a sight to see. When my friend Aleena visited me in Florence from her own study abroad semester in Copenhagen with her friend Aly, Dada and I took them there for their first meal. Pizzas were ordered all around and I ordered the massive calzone. I was nursing an intense hangover so I wasn’t able to conquer the calzone like I planned but I was still impressed. Aleena, Aly, and Dada all ordered different pizzas but were very happy with them and we all left happy and full of good food.
Julia Roberts had it dead on in Eat Pray Love.
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