Known to old-timers by an earthy Florentine nickname, this is a kitchen that has been cooking in butter since 1869 with no intention of stopping. The room is small, the tables are communal, and the menu has barely shifted in a century and a half. Two dishes define the place with the force of law. The carciofo al burro is a whole artichoke braised in a shallow copper pan with enough butter to alarm a cardiologist, the outer leaves surrendering to a golden, nutty richness that no amount of olive oil could replicate. The petto di pollo al burro follows the same theology — chicken breast cooked slowly in butter until it achieves a tenderness that defies the ingredient's ordinary limitations. This is not innovation. It is conviction held across six generations.
Location
Santa Maria Novella, Florence
Insider Intel
Carciofo al burro — the butter-braised artichoke that has defined this kitchen for over a century. Petto di pollo al burro immediately after. These two dishes are the reason the restaurant exists. Bistecca alla fiorentina if the table demands it. Do not attempt to eat lightly here.
Reserve at least a week ahead — the room seats perhaps thirty and the reputation fills it nightly. Lunch is marginally easier to book. Two seatings per service; confirm your time when you call. The phone is the only reliable booking method.
Via del Porcellana 25r, Santa Maria Novella, five minutes from the train station. Reservations essential — call directly, no online booking. Cards now accepted. Communal tables mean you will sit with strangers. Primi EUR 12-16, secondi EUR 18-25. Closed Saturdays and Sundays. The kitchen closes when it closes; do not arrive late for your seating.