italian eats | the top ten
I know, I know, it’s the post my seven loyal followers have been waiting for: the FOOD.
Obviously it was no easy feat narrowing down everything I ate in Italy this month into a top ten, but it simply had to be done. Here’s what made the list (in chronological order, because ranking them would be like Sophie’s Choice).
Mangiamo.
u n a [1]
LA PARADISO | ALL’ANTICO VINAIO
Obviously we have to start with THE SANDWICH. The one that you’re probably sick of hearing about by now. Aside from the first vegetables I could find the night I arrived, this sandwich was the first thing I ate in Florence and boy was it the warm welcome. I don’t think I’ll ever forget the walk from All’Antico Vinaio back to my apartment as I devoured the ginormous thing, thinking “oh my God” after each and every bite while dripping bright green pistachio crema on my new white shoes and not even caring. Schiacciata bread. Mortadella. Crushed pistachios. Stracciatella cheese. Pistachio crema. A dream.
d u e [2]
PAPPA AL POMODORO | CIBRÈO ACADEMY
This traditional Tuscan dish was one of the very first things we made in cooking class — it quickly became one of the best things I’d eaten in Florence, and I proceeded to seek it out several times throughout the month. A classic summer dish, it’s a comforting tomato bread soup that’s served room-temp, usually so thick it’s eaten with a fork. The only ingredients: onions, garlic, tomatoes, basil, stale bread. This soup embodies what Italy does best: turning simplicity into something truly special.
t r e [3]
RICOTTA SFOGLIA | NOAH GRAN CAFFÈ
The discovery of this particular version of sfoglia (or sfogliatelle) was big for me this trip. Sfogliatelle are typically shell-shaped and heavily stuffed with cream, usually with a hint of liqueur or citrus (which I could do without). But I found this turnover-type variant at a caffé on a stopover in Piombino one weekend: no particular flavoring (other than lots of butter and sugar, of course) — just a thin, crispy puff pastry filled with a modest amount ricotta. Whatever this version is, it’s not too sweet or too big, so for me it’s the ideal breakfast pastry. I went on to find two more and thoroughly enjoyed them both, but this OG ricotta sfoglia wins. Paired with a foamy cappuccino? Perfection.
q u a t t r o [4]
PASTA WITH CLAMS + PISTACHIOS | RISTORANTE GRIGOLO
I love my seafood and I love my pasta, so give me a good seafood pasta and I’m pretty much in heaven. That’s where I was at with this dish from Ristorante Grigolo, where we had lunch on Elba Island. Thick, al-dente homemade pasta with fresh clams aplenty in a light, buttery, sauce, all topped with an insane amount of toasted pistachios to take everything to the next level. I told myself the dish was way too big for lunch and then proceeded to lick it clean.
c i n q u e [5]
PARMIGIANA DI MELANZANE | CIBRÈO ACADEMY
We made so many things in class that I loved, but this one might take the cake for me…I always was a sucker for eggplant. Again, the ingredients so few and so simple, yet such high quality that this fairly basic dish tasted unforgettable. Lightly fried strips of eggplant, a simple tomato purée, basil, fresh mozzarella, and parmigiano reggiano that all oozed together in perfect harmony. It tasted impossibly light for something layered with cheese, and I’m still not over how good it was.
s e i [6]
BOLLITO | DA NERBONE
The “bollito” is specific to Florence — it’s a boiled brisket sandwich, which tastes so much better than it sounds. And Da Nerbone, a stall in the Central Market (aka Mercato Centrale, aka the San Lorenzo Market), apparently does it best. This was our first stop on our market tour. We had boiled beef sandwiches at like 10:20am…and there was a line wrapping through the aisles that early. We soon understood why: the shredded brisket that came from vats of broth was fatty and tender and delicious, and the sauces on top made the humble panino shine: an herby, bright salsa verde and a calabrian chili sauce for a sweet and spicy kick. Definitely the best boiled brisket I’ve ever had before 11am.
s e t t e [7]
CALAMARI | PESCHERIA SUGARELLO
On that same market tour of Mercato Centrale, we made an impromptu stop towards the end of the tour when Karin asked if anyone would be interested in calamari (which, obviously). A somewhat tucked away little seafood stand, this place took everyone by surprise — especially in land-locked Florence. Honestly some of the freshest, best-tasting calamari I’ve ever had; it was very lightly battered and barely fried, which allowed the squid to shine. You know it’s good when they don’t serve it with any condiments — just a slice of lemon and obviously a glass of local white wine.
o t t o [8]
PORK CHEEK + FONTINA CHEESE PIZZA | LA DIVINA
La Divina was recommended to me as the “best pizza by the slice in the city”. So naturally I had to try it. The owner proudly told us that her crust is made from a sourdough starter that’s 20 years old. There’s a selection of thick-crusted “pala alla romana”, or paddle pizza, that you pay for by weight — so you can not only pick and choose different kinds, but exactly how much of each pizza you want to try. One pizza with pork cheek and fontina cheese caught my eye, and it was indeed divine. The pork got perfectly crispy in the oven, there was just enough rich and nutty cheese, and that 20-year old sourdough was no joke. I walked away pretty confident that the “best in the city” claim stood on solid ground.
n o v e [9]
SALTED ALMOND GELATO | LA CARRAIA
This place was right near my apartment; with a perpetual long line outside and a huge selection of flavors inside, I initially wrote it off as maybe too touristy and not worth it. But when the kind sommelier at Cibréo recommended it, I was back in. It ended up being one of my favorite gelato spots in Florence…delivering on that perfect balance of light and creamy that only real Italian gelato can do. One bite of that salted almond and it was a done deal. Highly recommend pairing it with the coconut on a solo walk home while the sun is setting over the Arno.
d i e c i [10]
VENEZUELAN CHOCOLATE GELATO | LA SORBETTIERA
I couldn’t choose just one gelato for this list (and there are more I wanted to include). But this Venezuelan chocolate from a little spot near the train station got me good. Another recommendation from my trusted local sommelier, my man Frederico did it again. This chocolate, which the girl in the shop recommended over the chocolate I initially chose (bless you, gelato shop girl), was impossibly dark and rich, yet so light and smooth. Everything I want out of chocolate gelato and so nice I had it twice.
