Osteria de L’Ortolano

Awesome and authentic local spot. The food is amazing. Mom and pop style. We had a couple of pasta dishes and steak. The staff are extremely friendly and accommodating. Every dish we had was excellent.

I have been to Osteria de L’Ortolano in 2013, and I am thrilled to have been invite back again, as part of a Unilocal event. As always the service is courteous, kind, warm and inviting. The space is small but it feels so cozy, you’ll wish you had brought a pillow.
It can be tough finding a good spot to eat in this area in Florence, and here a sure indication of quality is when their menu consists only of seasonal ingredients and the menu is small. They put their heart and soul in each dish, you can really tell. I adored their simple ‘pappa al pomodoro’ served in a beautiful black case and their outstanding wine. If you are looking for a true foodie experience — you won’t be steered wrong here.
I think it is perfect for small groups who want to try a taste of seasonal Italian food with a twist. My favorite dish is probably dessert even if normally I am not that into sweets. Their martare chocolate cake (vegan but I didn’t even think about that) is amazing. I could happily eat that chocolate goodness every single day of my life.

I discovered this wonderful restaurant thanks to a Unilocal event and it was so good that I have to give it an individual 5-​star review. First, it is exactly the type of places I love: it is absolutely authentic, family-​like and does not look like a touristic place, it seems like real italy — to be a bit cliché. First you enter into a nice delicatessen or bottega selling all kind of products and wine. But just in the room besides is the restaurant room, so cosy and charming.
So now, the food: the menu we had this evening was really amazing. The pappa al pomodoro were nothing like what I have tasted so far: it is usually ok but here it was delicious. Then, we had a very good polenta with cheese that was very tasty as well. As a primi, we had a delicious vino santa risotto with some vegetables (i would say fennel) and the alliance between the two was both original and perfect. As a secondi, we had some pork and carrots: i usually do not like pork very much but here it was really incredibly tasty, a very very fine cuisine with wonderful aromas. And to finish, the amazing chocolate cake –with no eggs-​, and a very delicate texture with some crispy sugar crystals: amazing.
Besides offering this high quality cuisine, the people here are incredibly nice and the owner nicely provided us with many information. it is clear how much he is passionate about food and you can fell that in his recipes too.

Genau mein Laden: ich liebe solche kleinen familiären Osterias! Schon draussen wird man von dem liebevollen Stil im Fenster gefesselt… da stehen selbstgemachte Marmeladen, eingelegte Früchte, Pasteten, italienische Schinken, Käse, und feine Weine in den Regalen! Die Besitzer, ein italienisches Ehepaar, sprechen nur ganz wenig Englisch, trotzdem haben sie immer ein Lächeln auf den Lippen und haben mir ruck zuck einen Antipastiteller zusammengestellt! Der Buffalomozarello zerschmilzt nur so auf der Zunge, besonders köstlich fand ich auch das Auberginenröllchen mit getrockneter Tomate in Olivenöl eingelegt! Das italienische Olivenöl ist einfach ganz anders und geschmackintensiv als das was man woanders bekommt! Dazu gönnte ich mir mittags ein gutes Glas italienischen Rotwein… danach ist erstmal eine ordentliche Siesta notwendig! Man ist ja schliesslich im Urlaub! ;)

The owners speak little English but service is Michelin quality, as are the foods served. I could not ask for a better dining experience than us 4 enjoyed tonight. We enjoyed sliced, seared beef, sliced pork, sliced Guinea Fowl, 3 kinds of spaghetti, a treat from the kitchen along with a glass of brute rose spumante unlike ANY «spumante» you might have had in the USA. Worth seeking out for dinner on W, Th, F or S nights, particularly if you enjoy wine. They have an incredible selection and are priced quite fairly.
No bar but they offer all sorts of drinks besides wine.
Quaint, tiny, quality, delicious.