In the shadow of the Duomo, something is stirring on the city’s art and food scene. L’Isle Saint-Louis recently opened, featuring a French-influenced menu and even more continental atelier. Closed for decades, the sixteenth-century Palazzo Sforza Almeni on via del Castellaccio (off via

Wandering through the San Lorenzo street market, dodging overly insistent stall owners and tacky tourist wares, one could easily miss Casa del Vino. ith marble counter tops and beautifully carved woodwork, the small wine bar is usually filled with locals despite its touristic location, due in part to its rich

At just 25, Marco Mengoni of Opera22 is one of Italy’s top 40 emerging chefs. Not only is he responsible for constantly reinventing flavours in order to satisfy his customers, he’s also at the head of a teaching kitchen with an important social function.   Opera

Go into any café in Italy on a Saturday or Sunday morning and you'll find it packed with neighbourhood locals standing at the bar ordering their daily cappuccino e brioche. Giorgio's is no different, but listen closely and you'll find that there are not only locals

Trattoria Mario's is not for the faint-hearted. It is not the place for those who prefer a quiet dining experience with an elegant ambiance, a romantic view of the Ponte Vecchio, an impeccable wait staff, shiny silver cutlery and freshly pressed tablecloths and napkins. Mario's is chaotic,

Imagine the taste of succulent wild boar, silky gelato, tangy truffles, hearty ribollita or ruby-red Chianti Classico. Mouth watering yet? Get used to it, for November 2012 is the month of the Biennale Enogastronomica Fiorentina. For two full weeks, Florence's piazzas and palazzos, shops and restaurants become a

Origins and purity, quality and know-how: these are the things any modern foodie looks for in a dish. And foodies from all four corners of the world rarely get as much satisfaction as that produced by Florence's centuries-old culinary tradition. What many gourmands may not expect to

If you are looking for truly traditional Tuscan fare, a sure sign of success is the handwritten menu, produced daily, of just five or six dishes. Another good sign that you've stumbled across a bastion of culinary tradition are the hours: some of Florence's best and oldest restaurants

Figs are summer's sweetest bounty. These green and purple fleshy fruits first appear in May and last through early fall. In Italy, the last figs to mature in late September are the smaller, light green ones, often called fichi settembrini. The last sweetness of summer, these figs can be

If you don't hear the pleasant din as you approach the market, you can read the signs: a fruttivendolo unloads then carries a crate of cabbages on his shoulder, the piazza is barricaded by a sea of white vans hatched open, chefs and kitchen hands dart back and forth