PLACES TO EAT

FLORENCE

Cantinetta Antinori
Palazzo Antinori
Piazza Antinori
055 292234
Florence
An easy walk from the museums and shopping kiosks.  You won't see a restaurant sign.  The restaurant is very small, inside the Palazzo, on the right.  If you're there in season or after one o'clock, be sure you have a reservation. 

Here excellent light fare is served with a tasting menu of all of the Antinori wines.  A most beautiful small room, with the usual exceptional attention to detail and quality in the hand carved bar and woodwork.  We recommend this light lunch spot for its wine list.  The food was excellent but would not have earned the Cantinetta a spot on this list if it weren't for the wine tasting menu.  It's obviously very popular with Florentines - little known by tourists.

In 2008 at a movie biz party we met a couple who spend two weeks in Florence each year, and this is the one restaurant they never miss -- the combination of small courses and wine tastings is unbeatable.

THIS IS A PATHETIC LISTING OF RESTAURANTS IN ONE OF THE GREAT PLACES TO EAT IN ALL OF ITALY.  PLEASE USE YOUR GUIDEBOOKS.  WE ESPECIALLY RECOMMEND The Food Lover's Guide to Tuscany or Faith Hellinger's Eating in Italy.  But remember - you have to carry books you take.  What we do is scope 'em out before we go over, then scan or remove the individual pages (with maps we've downloaded) and make up a small journal of establishments.  (Russ usually makes the restaurant reservations one month ahead in off season, three months in season anyway, if he's making his own.  If using a concierge, we email or call the concierge about two weeks in advance.  Don Alphonso in Sorrento is an exception.  As soon as you've made your travel and lodging reservations, call your concierge and beg him to use his influence to get you a seating.)