265166 Wed Jan 05 21:54:29 -0800 2005 16 26 International 0 1399709 I have combed through all of the messages about Florence, and did not see anything about the following: Trattoria Antellesi, La Baraonda, Belle Donne, Osteria de’ Benci, Osteria del Caffe Italiano, Coquinarius, Il Francescano, Il Guscio, Trattoria Marione, Fiaschetteria, Da Ruggero. Any comments would be greatly appreciated! Any other "cheap eats" in Florence are also very much appreciated! Thanks to everyone who has posted about Florence in the past! Wed Jan 05 21:54:29 -0800 2005 0 nicciola 1 1399718 Oltrarno: Highly recommend Il Tranvai (oltrarno) for the grandma's kitchen-type dishes (unbelievably good ribollita) and truly friendly service. Enoteca Fuori Porta for a good list of wines by the glass and light eats (huge crostoni, various insalata, a couple pastas)-- very casual. Antica Osteria San Niccola but only if you can get a table in the front room. Elsewhere, Boccadama on Piazza Santa Croce -- more good wines by the glass. The most expensive dish on the menu was a squid-spinach-potato stew (heavenly) at 9 euro. Otherwise pastas were around 6. Thu Jan 06 00:17:57 -0800 2005 1399709 0 foodfirst 2 1399755 I really really appreciate all of your postings...Grazie mille! Thu Jan 06 19:58:33 -0800 2005 1399718 0 nicciola 3 1399756 Forgot one: Osteria Santo Spirito, on the piazza. Not as traditional as Al Tranvai (which is at 14 Piazza Torquato Tasso, BTW), a little different atmosphere, youngish staff, wonderful seafood (we were there on a Fri, don't know if this is the case all wk or not). Eg. octopus salad, pasta with clam sauce, pan-fired sea bass, grilled swordfish, and an amazing mussel "soup" that turned out to be a bowl of mussels nearly as big as my head in a light, flavorful tomato-based broth, with grilled garlic toasts. I love seafood and I have to say this was one of the most memorable dishes I had in Florence. Very reasonable -- the soup, easily a whole meal, was about 6 euro. Also, from my previous post ... it's Antica Mescita San Niccolo, at 60 Via San Niccolo. Don't know how long you'll be there ... but you might consider a day trip to Siena (very easy, on the bus) and if you do -- Hosteria Il Carrocia, 32 Via del Casato di Sotto just up the street from the Campo. My other most memorable meal in Firenze-and-environs, reasonable too. Enjoy! Thu Jan 06 20:55:42 -0800 2005 1399755 0 foodfirst 1 1399727 We ate at Osteria de Benci a couple of years ago. If I remember correctly it is in the Santa Croce area and was a very pleasant, simple osteria with a typical, tasty, moderately priced meal. I would return. Thu Jan 06 08:09:32 -0800 2005 1399709 0 mamc 1 1399751 Not sure how far back you went in your search. I posted about Trattoria Marione in 2003 (excerpt below and link to my post), and I recognize many of the names you list from my own research for that trip, almost all of which I did on this board. Have a great trip! Trattoria Marione, via della Spada (a block or so west of via Tornabuoni). A crowded, noisy place with an equal number of locals and tourists. Nothing gracious about the place but the food was very good and the service, although extremely rushed, was very pleasant. I had pasta with possibly the best meat sauce I’ve ever had. My mother had the crespelle alla fiorentina (basically crepes with spinach and cheese), which were delicious. My father had a superb grilled veal chop. The green salad was fine though unspectacular. OK house red wine, full mineral water. Total: 30 euros (10 pp). Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/263534#1391997 Thu Jan 06 16:16:34 -0800 2005 1399709 0 GretchenS 1 1399754 belle donna- small lunch type place..its good,caffe d'Ital..owned by cibreo people i believe..its good less $$$ Thu Jan 06 19:23:55 -0800 2005 1399709 0 doc 1 1399760 Look at my post of 12/19/04 on 10 eating places in Florence, including Marione. If the Osteria de Benci is the place we passed near the Uffizi, be prepared for LOUD rock music which will destroy your taste buds. I also reported recently (to Elaine Snutteplutten) on Osteria del Caffé Italiano (good food, ambiance, wine). You want cheap eats and great food, try Il Contadino, written up in my 12/19 post. Thu Jan 06 22:27:38 -0800 2005 1399709 0 CJ 2 1399825 Hi Osteria da 'Benci is on the street of the same name, and there is definetly NOT loud rock music. They also have a cafe at the end of the block that is a great place for morning coffee. The Osteria itself is charming, and the food is good. We stay nearby, and eat there often. They do have a good number of tourists, but what place in Firenze doesn't? The waiters are young, handsome, some do their jobs well, and some are mediocre. All in all, this is one of my favorite places, especially for the relaxed and friendly atmosphere and excellent bistecca. Sat Jan 08 21:58:48 -0800 2005 1399760 0 Debbie 1 1399774 just got back from florence, which is one of my favorite eating cities. for a quick, cheap, delicious bite go to pugi on piazza san marco and get whatever has just come ouf of the oven. its a forno/pizzaria with no seats or anything, you can just eat in the piazza. i love love love this place. also, seek out the street carts that sell porchetta and tripe sandwhichs all around the ufizzi area. very good. last place is antica noe...totally an international student sandwhich bar, which could be offputting, but the sandwhiches are worth it. interesting combos with the highest quality ingredients. i dont remember where it is since its this wierd ally, but some guide books have it and most locals can point you in the right direction. my favorite restaurant in all of florence is on the altroarno called quattro leoni. the peposo (beef stew) is unbeatable as are any of their pasta dishes, their grilled chicken, their chinghale...i could go on and on. as for places you mentioned, i really like benci...if i recall correctly, they have an amazing friti misti! have such a wonderful time and eat all you possibly can!! Fri Jan 07 10:36:45 -0800 2005 1399709 0 BHK 1 1399838 Went to Osteria del Caffe Italiano a few years ago (in via Isola delle Stinche nr S Croce and not to be confused with Caffe Italiano in via Condotta nearer to Orsanmichele and owned by the same people) and had one (2 actually) of the best restaurant experiences I have ever had anywhere ie. food (most importantly for me: no tricked up flavours or presentation), service and ambience all good and intelligently balanced. Specials were wonderful- I don't have the obligatory Chowhound total recall of menus but a very fresh mozzarella matured (?) on straw with fennel prosciutto was memorable. The place is recreated-traditional (see website/link below) but very stylishly done with great lighting (essential I think). First (entry) room is casual/big tables/lots of youth, 2nd (main) room more formal but very beautiful (inevitably there will be tourists at the next table); other smaller rooms beyond seemed a little tucked away and perhaps less appealing and possibly for unsuspecting tourists (?) or overflow. I recommend the main room for dinner or late supper. They have a major cellar next door I seemed to recall but I was totally content with a simple Chianti. I have been reluctant to rave about this place on this website partly because it is a few years (sadly) since I was in Florence but also because I was not sure if it would appeal to serious foodies (is that an Australian word?) ie. food not elaborate enough. I can't get my Australian friends to go there so any update from our American cousins would be appreciated. I hope it hasn't changed. Link: http://www.caffeitaliano.it/ita/locali_caffe_italiano/osteria_caffe_italiano.asp Sun Jan 09 18:13:00 -0800 2005 1399709 0 leigh 2 1399874 Based on our dinner there in 2001, I would agree with what you said. Didn't go back there this past December, but that was because we wanted to try a lot of new places. By the way, the Caffe location has a "tea room" upstairs which is not really for tea, but serves very nice dishes which come either from the Osteria or from a kitchen connected with one of their other restaurants. We ate a very fine green lasagne there for lunch and sat in the window overlooking the narrow street below. Mon Jan 10 17:53:08 -0800 2005 1399838 0 CJ 3 1399879 That's worth noting thankyou, as it's clear from the website image of the Caffe ground floor (as opp to the Osteria) that this establishment (which I haven't been to) is equally simpatico and stylish (in the best sense). Mon Jan 10 20:14:21 -0800 2005 1399874 0 leigh 1 1400261 Great food at low prices and seems to be a very local crowd. I've only been for lunch, but they are open for dinner too. I highly recommend the canneloni and beef involtini. It's on Via del Proconsolo 55R and only a block south of Il Duomo. Sat Jan 22 16:32:15 -0800 2005 1399709 0 Adam 1 1401883 I visited Florence this past summer and would highly recommend Alle Murate, if you are a bit adventurous... They have a chef's choice menu that includes an appetizer, pasta, main course and dessert. It was a bit pricey, we loved it so much we went twice. enjoy Thu Mar 10 18:13:36 -0800 2005 1399709 0 NANCY 1 1401884 I visited Florence this past summer and would highly recommend Alle Murate, if you are a bit adventurous... They have a chef's choice menu that includes an appetizer, pasta, main course and dessert. It was a bit pricey, we loved it so much we went twice. enjoy Thu Mar 10 18:14:18 -0800 2005 1399709 0 NANCY 1 1402057 We went to Baraonda 5 yrs ago and were massively underwhelmed - except by the good olive dip they served at the commencement of the meal. High prices, food unimppressive (forget their touted meatballs!) and the only other people in the room were americans. They were riding a wave of positive opinion then, maybe its calmed down and they have reverted to serving good food. If Marione is Mario on via Rosina, I posted about it today - definitely a good pick for tasty inexpensive Florentine chow. Not for a lengthy relaxed meal - as I recall it, you sit at mini-mushroom shaped stools around a mushroom shaped table. Tue Mar 15 11:32:19 -0800 2005 1399709 0 jen kalb