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T A S T I N G T U S C A N Y : F L O R E N C E ' S B E S TR E S T A U R A N T S

This incredible restaurant, which actually means‘hour of air’, in Italian, has one of the most primelocations in all of Florence. Situated righttagliatelle and bolognesebehind the Uffizi, Orad’Aria is without a doubt an upcoming Michelinstar, restaurant. The Head Chef, 33-year-oldMarco Stabile, comes from a town near the iconicLeaning Tower of Pisa.

Ora d’Aria

Due to the a la carte menu changing on a frequent basis,be sure to check the restaurant’s menu beforehand. The ala carte menu consists of two gastronomic themes: fishand authentic Tuscan cuisine. If you would like a privatecooking lesson, another interesting way to betterunderstand the history of Tuscan cuisine, along withcontemporary trends is to learn from Jesi and MontecatiniTerme. Also, if you have the time to further exploreTuscany’s gastronomic culture, attending Arezzo cookeryschools in and around Florence is a common activity thattourists participate in.

Picchi creates elegant dishes from ancient recipes, includingroasted pigeon stuffed with fruit mustard, and calamari andspinach stew. In addition to these uniquely crafted disheswithin the Tuscan region, this restaurant also incorporatesSant’Ambrogio farmer’s market in the area. One particulardish that Picchi’s is known for is the homemade chocolatecake and cheesecake. These cakes also are accompanied bybitter Sicilian marmalade, which perfectly complements thebold richness of the dessert.

Cibreo

Interestingly enough,Cibreo is also marked asa prime meeting spot fora wide array ofprofessionals such aswriters, musicians andintellectuals. Cibreo alsoprides themselves onthe fact that Americanfilm director WoodyAllen has been seen atthis classic Florentinerestaurant.

Historically known as the main palace of judgesand other high up management officials, Palazzo

della Arte dei Giudici e Notai not only hasauthentic, delicious Florentine cuisine, but alsoowns earliest recorded depiction of Dante and

Boccaccio frescoes from the Renaissance.

Alle Murate

In terms of architectural style, depending on exactlywhere you dine in the restaurant, visitors can viewthe Roman foundations in the basement. Various

traditional Tuscan dishes that are served at the AlleMurate include Pappardelle with Chianina beefragout and T-bone steak, prepared on chestnut

wood and served with salt, pepper, and just a touchof olive oil.

Along with traditional Tuscan dishes, Alle Muratealso exhibits a creative edge in their cuisine withvarious vegetarian options ranging from celery

soup with pineapple and scallops, to stone bassfillet with red beetroots and stewed cabbage.

These interesting dishes are agreat way to experienceheartier meals within theregion that highlight Tuscany'sedgy flair. To accompany thedelicious food at Alle Murate,diners can also choose from awide array of small Italian andFrench labels from severalregions in those countries.

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