Small Rye Big World: First, Florence
It is only as I walk past the exquisite Duomo in the heart of Florence that I realize I have almost made my way home without using my maps. Florence is now starting to feel like home.
I have to pinch myself daily to remind myself where I am and what I am doing. I am studying abroad in Italy. My casual walk to school passes the infamous David statue and the Gucci Garden. My classroom has vaulted ceilings with murals of angels painted inside. The Arno river glistens out the window, with bridges of yellow and blue painted buildings settled atop.
Living here, I have gotten a chance to explore lots of Italian cities on the weekends. While Rome, Milan, San Gimignano, Siena, and Venice are all beautiful; there is no place I’d rather live than Florence. It is both quaint and grand, a city with an escape to the country, and a big small town. Florence wraps me up with open arms when I come home from a weekend of traveling every Sunday.
There is an ease about Florence. When my roommates and I go to find a spot for dinner, we never have to plan ahead. We can easily walk the cobblestone streets and stumble upon restaurant after restaurant offering homemade pasta or a savory steak. Oftentimes, the owners are inviting you in with a menu in hand. Coffee stops linger at every corner. Not to mention, gelato tempts you every 20 steps you take.
The narrow streets with shuttered windows and flowered window boxes hanging above lead to open squares with ancient churches covered in Renaissance art. Sounds of violins echo through the tunneled alleyways as local musicians play the background music of the city. It smells of both potent leather shops and burning nuts by street vendors. Vines crawl up the stone buildings to find the sun and flowers hang in every storefront. It is as if Disney world met New York and created this city together.
Here, I believe creative minds gain inspiration from both the new and the old. Romantic relationships are revived with passion. Rushing tourists take the chance to slow down. Skinny people eat carbs. It is pure magic.
For those who get the chance to stay here, I have curated a running list of places that have fueled this magic for me. I cannot imagine they’d disappoint.
Café and Lunch Spots:
Melaleuca: I can say without a doubt that this is the best place for coffee and pastries in Florence. I consider myself a coffee shop connoisseur and I scoured the town looking for a place I could just get some oat milk (it is hard to come by)! I stopped getting picky. It took about three weeks before I stumbled across this place and it truly was a gift from God. It checks all the boxes. It is the perfect atmosphere with stone walls, plants everywhere, light wood, colorful murals, and a view of the Arno River. It has oat milk, almond milk, and flavors for your coffee, which is a rarity. The pastries are to die for. I dream of their chocolate banana bread daily. Breakfast sandwiches on bagels and toast are customer favorites. I have gotten to talk to people from all over the world from sitting in this little coffee shop, from New Zealand to Holland. It holds a very dear place in my heart.
Panini Toscani: When it comes to paninis, do not listen to Trip Advisor or TikTok. All’Antico Vinaio is plastered across all these platforms as “the best panini in Florence.” I am here to tell you that is wildly incorrect. The paninis at All’Antico Vinaio are unheated and the only food I have not cared for in Florence. I threw it away. Not to mention, the line to get these paninis usually wraps around the street, all due to the company paying themselves to the top of TripAdvisor. Panini Toscani, on the other hand, still stands as one of the best foods I have tasted in Florence. Yes, it has topped some of the pasta, gelato, and croissants I have consumed.
It looks like a hole in the wall that is about the size of my mother’s closet but parked right in front of Florence’s Duomo, it makes it all worth it. The owner stands outside inviting people in, and it got us. Before curating your sandwich, you get to try every cheese and meat offered to ensure your selection. Not to mention, the owner is bashing sarcasm throughout the entire process. Then, you get to make your sandwich and add whatever vegetables or toppings. Then, it is WARMED! All of this for 6 euros? You cannot miss this.
Dinner Spots:
Osteria Filetto d’Oro: Let’s face it, stringed lights can get any girl into your restaurant. That is exactly what lured me into this quaint dinner spot. On top of that, the waiter outside mentioned 10% off to students… which is something a broke traveling student cannot say no to. Although now I have probably lowered it to sound like the cheap spot, it is nothing of the sort. It ranks number one on my roommate Alexa’s list. So good she brought her mom back twice.
Offering in-house homemade egg noodles prepared any way you please, heaps of medium-rare steaks, and grilled vegetables; it is a traditional Tuscan dinner restaurant. I dipped my toes into Italian culture here and tried the “Wild Boar Ragu” which was a bit unsettling, but the waiter begged me to try. Let’s just say, I’ve ordered it countless times since. It tastes like an American stew over thick noodles. It is a dish I will miss. It is also important to note that there is true service at this restaurant, unlike many others. As Americans who are used to being waited on hand and foot, this is a taste of home.
La Giostra: The best restaurant in all of Florence. I said it. I mean it.
The atmosphere of a restaurant is equally as important as the meal to me. Here, the entire restaurant is cozied into an arch, almost like a cave. There are tiny stringed lights lining the entire ceiling. Each table is set with a table cloth and wine glasses begging to be filled. The lights are dimmed, setting the tone of the evening. Frames filled with photos of the owner’s arms wrapped around stars like Bill Clinton and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers band alike. These are an ode to credibility, of course.
Upon sitting down, you are immediately greeted with complimentary Prosecco paired with a tray of appetizers including bruschetta and traditional Italian vegetables. The meal is served in courses, from appetizers to pasta, to protein, to the dessert. Come hungry. Our group shared a plate of vegetables, pear pasta, fish, and tiramisu. Everything was to die for.
Mamma Mia: This is the kind of restaurant that you go to so often that you know the waiters by name. It is an easy go-to place. Checkered table cloths and Brooklyn-style outdoor patios with hanging lanterns give this place a homey feel. There is something for everyone on the menu. Given that the menu is about a mile long, if there isn’t something for you on the menu then you have a taste-bud malfunction.
It is hard for me to choose between recommending the pizza, Tuscan tortellini ragu, or cacio y pepe. This just proves you cannot go wrong. You can get out of here full for under 15 euro, which is a win for me. This was the first restaurant I ever went to in Italy, and for that, I will always support it.
Gelato Spots:
My roommate and I are in a constant battle of which gelato place is the best in Florence. I will forever stand by Gelateria De Neri, as she is loyal to Venchi. Try both and please report back.
Gelateria De Neri: Well-dressed confectioniers scooping into a marbled pan of gelato is exactly the way I want to be served dessert. Conveniently positioned right across the street from Osteria Filetta d’Oro (the first restaurant I mentioned) and tucked into the heart of Florence stands this old-fashioned gelateria. Gold-rimmed freezers and wooden-trimmed walls give the feel of a vintage ice-cream parlor.
Out of over thirty made-in-house flavors, I have not tasted one I disliked. With a whipped and creamy taste, it proves that there is indeed a difference between gelato and ice cream. There is no discrimination between cone eaters (whether they prefer waffle or sugar) or cup choosers. Piling as many flavors into one serving as you’d like, you will never get shorted. I recommend the dark chocolate and hazelnut biscuit combo. I take that back. I recommend the tiramisu and cookies and cream combo. You cannot go wrong.
Venchi: While Gelateria de Neri is quaint and old-fashioned, Venchi is a palace for desert. In bold gold cursive letters, Venchi’s logo stands amidst a giant chocolate fountain wall. Gold floor-to-ceiling shelves are holding melt-in-your-mouth chocolates. The employees wear bake-shop hats. There is an ever-flowing liquid chocolate source to fill your cone or cup before adding gelato.
Venchi offers fluffy-scooped flavors that are served to picturesque perfection, topped with a circular piece of chocolate on top. I am personally not a cone-girl, but my gelato-enthusiast friend claims Venchi has the best cone she has ever tasted. The company is a gelato empire. You can find the store not only in Florence but all across Italy. This proves the company is doing well and has many other supporters aside from my roommate.
Things To Do:
Piazzale Michaelangelo: It is easy to get caught up in the maze of narrow streets in Florence. If you’re lucky enough to make the 30-minute trek across the Arno River to the Piazzale Michaelangelo, you can truly get a hold of the beauty this city of art holds. The walk to this lookout spot consists of winding tree-lined streets, cobblestone stairs, rose gardens, and mossy-covered fountains. Once to the top, you can overlook all of Florence alongside the infamous Michaelangelo statue.
Seeing every red-roofed building and Brunelleschi’s dome puts everything in perspective. When I am looking for a grounding reminder of where I am and what I am doing, I go for a walk to this Piazzale. Street-guitarists set the background music for the romantic view. It is a perfect place to watch the sunset or enjoy a glass of wine.
Cooking Class: I anticipated myself coming home from Italy as a chef. My family and boyfriend also have high hopes for this. To their dismay, I will indeed not be coming home a chef, seeing that 5 nights out of seven I buy 2 euro tortellini from the bodega, boil it for two seconds, and call it dinner. This cooking class did get me one step closer though.
Nestled in the hills of Tuscany a 30-minute drive from Florence sits my dream kitchen. With wooden floors and high beams, stone steadying the walls, and windows that display all the greenery outside, it is easy to want to cook. In this class, we learned how to make a traditional Tuscan meal of bruschetta, pasta with meat sauce, pork, and tiramisu. It was easily one of my favorite days in Europe. I will add a link to the class below so you get a taste.
Perfumery: Florence is known for its leather, but few know that Florence holds some of those most renowned perfumeries in the world. As I’ve matured, I truly have found the importance of having a pleasant scent. If you haven’t yet, this is your sign. Go get your perfume made at one of the perfumeries in Florence.
Having been the first place in the world to create perfume, Florence has a lot of pressure to uphold and it does not disappoint. There are perfumeries made from old palaces, others quaintly adorned with flowers and art, and others with a medieval tone. A few to note are Aquaflor Firenze, Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, and Sileno Cheloni Firenze Maestro Profumiere. A personal bottle of perfume would serve as a great souvenir to remember Florence. Treat yourself with a gift that keeps on giving as you bless all the noses around you.
Florence is art. From the craft cuisine to the preserved architecture, to the never-ending street music, and the paintings new and old, there is inspiration everywhere. Whether you’re looking to be inspired creatively, passionately, or to regain your lust for life; this is the place. It has lit my soul on fire again and for that, it will always have a place in my heart. It is my favorite place in Italy and I hope for all the experience the magic I have felt here.
Sincerely,
Small Rye in a Big World
