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Reviewed by Jesse
Andrews and Dario Aubin Photographer, VisitsItaly.com
Caffe Pitti, borrows its name
from one of Florence's most
important and imposing
landmarks, the Pitti Palace,
which is also the entrance to
the fabulous Boboli Gardens.
Directly across the street from
this important and mesmerizing
stage, the Caffe Pitti is
located. Indeed, the
location of this establishment
is by far one of the most
beautiful and dramatic in all of
Florence.
Location aside however, the
Pitti Caffe has been a long time
Florentine favourite and draws
locals from all walks of life,
to the young looking for a 'hip'
and swanky local in the evening,
to those looking for a relaxing
and inspiring atmosphere during
the day.
Along the cobblestone sidewalk
in the front of the restaurant
visitors can enjoy a
spacious and shaded terrace, and
sample a wide variety of
fabulous Tuscan wines.
Indeed, we think the Caffe Pitti
terrace is one of the best
terraces in Florence, for unlike
many other restaurants, there is
a distinctive sense of space
here; and not just outside.
The interior of Caffe Pitti,
although composed of rich,
intimate colours, has a sense of
space and allows for room to
breathe. Unexpected
windows within the local, on the
second level, allow for soft
light to delicately enhance the
atmosphere and create a
relaxing, sensual atmosphere
that makes Caffe Pitti a place
for both lovers and friends.
During the winter months, when
some might say Florence is at
its best and there are less
visitors to the city, locals
come to enjoy the fabulous
Italian wine list as well as
each other. Most nights of
the week, the Caffe Pitti is
hopping until midnight and on
some nights during the week,
various wine producers from
around Tuscany are invited to
come and allow patrons to sample
their wares. It's best to
call first to find out if their
is a wine tasting being held,
because they are rarely
scheduled.
Indeed,
Caffe Pitti is not a caffe,
as the name would suggest or a
simple wine bar, of which there
are many in Florence. This
establishment is in fact a full-fledged
restaurant and offers incredible Tuscan specialties,
most notable of which are the Tartuffo dishes - or "truffle",
which the owner Massimo pursues
on his own land near San Miniato,
a tradition that has been in the
family for generations.
Tartufo is not sought out by
pigs, as is the tradition in
France. In Tuscany, dogs
are trained from when they are
puppies to seek out the scent.
Massimo is an expert about how
you train dogs to seek out this
oh-so-prized mushrooms, the best
ones at that.
Carrying on with the family's
tradition, Massimo has brought
the best of what Tartufo can
offer the Pallet to Caffe Pitti,
and there are no shortage of
Truffle dishes. From the Beef
Carpaccio with truffle to the
Entrecote steak or escalopes
with fresh shaved truffle, it's
incredible to see how many ways
this renowned mushroom can be
used. The mixed house
appetizer at the Caffe Pitti
offers a wonderful sample of how
truly dynamic this fungus can
be.
Even by Italian standards
however the fabulous chefs at
Caffe Pitti utilize the tartufo
(Truffle) in unconventional
ways, combining the freshest
vegetables and meats to
delicately balance the rich and
complex tastes that truffle can
create.
Don't get us wrong however, if
truffle just isn't your thing,
the Caffe Pitti has other
incredible first courses like
"Risotto with artichokes and
bacon", "Ravioli with Leeks and
Safton cream" and my favourite
the "Spaghettone with "Peposo"
sauce."
You need only look at our
fabulous photos of some of the
plates the chefs at the Caffe
Pitti offer their customers to
see the care and precision which
goes into every plate that
leaves the kitchen.
For truffle lovers and "foodies"
alike, who appreciate fine
cuisine at moderate prices, you
will be thrilled to find that
right next door to the Caffe
Pitti, Massimo also has a small
store where several high quality
Tuscan products including the
highly praised "tartufo" is
sold.
You can find some great bargains
here and bring a taste of
Tuscany home with you, and if
you see Massimo in the Caffe, he
will most likely be able to tell
you exactly where that specific
type of truffle came from.
Who knows, it might even be a
special variety that comes right
from Massimo's family's farm.
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