# Bologna/Florence



## bronc (Dec 10, 2012)

I'll be visiting Bologna and Florence over the weekend. Any places to recommend?


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## forzamb (Nov 25, 2015)

I've got a copy of the Gambero Rosso Bar d'Italia guide at home. The equivalent of a good beer guide but for coffee bars in Italy. I'll have a look when I get home tonight.


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## bronc (Dec 10, 2012)

Please do. Thanks!


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## Asgross (Jun 14, 2015)

Our trip was in Nov

Florence

Food :-

Osteria santo spirito ( def our best meal in Florence , informal and local food, big portions ). We sat outside under heaters

We came upon it by chance but by the time we left a long q to get a table

Vinaino florenza- tiny wine bar also serves great cold meats and cheeses etc

We booked an art waking tour through trip advisor it by passed q's and gave us loads of great info about art / history etc . ours was a whole day , we felt it covered a lot in and out of galleries and then less pressure to find other significant things but a lot of walking

Called viatour you can custom what you want to see

Art:-

Accademia gallery

Ulfizi gallery

Pizza Michelangelo

Avoid:-

Cafe maioli

Whilst there We got very close to another first time visitor


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## bronc (Dec 10, 2012)

Osteria Santo Spirito is on my list. Looks like it's a must. Thanks!


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## espressotechno (Apr 11, 2011)

Bologna:

Osteria Dell'Orsa in the University quarter....good quirky cheap food....and a Faema E61 Legend in the bar.

E61 Legends are all over the city.

All my caffes (= espresso in Bologna) ranged from good to excellent, especially if the barista was female (!).

Don't bother with dessert - just find a gelateria nearby.

Caffe+grappa (brown or white) is excellent bedtime tipple (2-3 euros)

PS Do not order "Spaghetti Bolognese"....oh look there's a tourist.....it's called Ragu & is served with tagliatelle.

Florence: Better food, etc to be found up the back streets away from the main piazzas (and tourists).

You can prebook timed tickets for the Uffizi Museum online - saves an hour long wait in a queue.


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## Dallah (Jan 31, 2015)

If you haven't booked a hotel I would recommend the Rosary Garden Hotel (Albergo Rosary Garden). It is fantastic. Rooms are very big and very clean. Beds are extremely comfortable. Staff are so helpful and friendly. There is a good Osteria connected which does the Chianna extremely well.

The continental breakfast in the hotel is good and they make quite a good cappa. They offer free aperitifs throughout the day in the sitting room.

The hotel is one mile from the Duomo and there is a bus stop right by the hotel door (like 30 meters or so).

There is an absolutely brilliant local Osteria about .5 mile down the road. Vecchia Osteria dal Nacchero I had one of the best meals of my life there. I had wild board Maremma-style. Everything other than the wine and cheese is made in the kitchen. Even the bread is to die for. The hotel can book a table for you. Even though they get no tourists, the staff speak enough English (along with my broken pidgin Italian) to get you everything you want and how you want it.

In general, most coffee in Italy is very "roasty" so it wasn't my favourite, but bearing that in mind it was all of a good quality. If I saw one of those big cans of beans on top of the grinder, I just walked out and tried the next.

Don't eat anywhere it the area of the Duomo. It is all tourist crap. Overpriced and awful.


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## forzamb (Nov 25, 2015)

From the Bar d'Italia guide:

Bologna

Aroma

via Portanova, 12b

Bononia Caffe

via San Felice, 113a

Bricco d'oro

via L.C Farini, 6

Canton de Fiori

via Indipendenza, 1c

Carosello

via di Corticella, 184

La Centrale del Gusto

via Clavature, 12

Colazione da Bianca

via Sant Stefano, 1

D'Azeglio

via M.D'Azeglio, 69

Il Duca d'Amalfi

Piazza Celestini, 3a

Gino Fabbri Pasticcere

via Cadriano, 27

Gamberini

via Ugo Bassi, 12

Gran Cafe

via Altabella, 12a

Caffe degli Orefici

via degli Orefici, 6f

Pasticceria delle Rose

via Zanardi, 153

Pallotti

via del Borgo di San Pietro, 59

Risto Pallotti

via Irnerio, 17a

Pasticceria Sole

via Emilia Ponente, 92

Caffe Terzi

via Oberdan, 10d

Zanarini

Piazza Galvini, 1


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## forzamb (Nov 25, 2015)

Florence:

Badiani

v.le dei Mille, 20r

Caffellatte

via Alfani, 39r

La Caffetteria e il bar del Mercato Centrale Firenze

Piazza del Mercato Centrale/ via dell'Ariento

La Cantinetta da Verrazzano

via dei Tavolini, 18/20r

Chiaroscuro

via del Corso, 36r

Caffe Cibreo

via del Verrocchio, 5r

Ditta Artigianale

via dei Neri, 32r

Dolci e Dolcezze

Piazza Beccaria, 8r

Florian

via del Parione, 28/32r

Caffe Giacosa Roberto Cavalli

via della Spada, 10r

Gilli

via Roma, 1r

Pasticceria Giorgio

via Duccio di Buoninsegna, 36

Gucci Caffe

Piazza della Signoria, 10

Caffe Imperiale

via Cigoli, 33

O'Caffe

via dei Bardi, 54r/56r

Paszkowski

Piazza della Repubblica, 6r

Caffetteria Piansa

v.le Europa, 126/130

Rari Ristoro sull'Acqua

L.no Ferrucci, 24

Riviore

Piazza della Signoria, 4r

Serafini

via Gioberti, 168r

La Via del te

Piazza Ghiberti, 22/23r

Vivoli

via Isola delle Stinche, 7r


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## bronc (Dec 10, 2012)

Thank you for all the suggestions. I had a lovely time in Bologna and Florence. I actually liked Bologna more as it wasn't as touristy as Florence and as such was much calmer. This was my first visit to Italy and I will definitely be going again - hopefully in the southern part next time.

I had lovely pasta at Osteria Dell'Orsa and amazing pizza at Il Veliero, both in Bologna. No 3rd wave cafes there, but every place I had espresso at was average at worst. In Florence I can strongly recommend All'Antico Vinaio for the best sandwich I've had - long line but it's worth the wait. Ditta Artigianale is a proper 3rd wave coffee shop with a La Marzocco Strada and Mazzer Kold for espresso and EK43 for brewed. They roast their own beans but I didn't get to talk to the staff about it. The place was packed with a single barista behind the bar - it looked unreal seeing her make all those drinks - espressos, flat whites, cappuccino and brewed in no time. Unfortunately probably due to this the coffee wasn't anything special - I mean it was much better than anything else I had tried in Italy but I can't say it was better than what I make at home.


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