This is one of two restaurants I visit every time I come to town—and one of the few I splurge on willingly. (I've even celebrated birthdays here.)
The inventive Italian dishes come with an Austrian twist in a restaurant run by a bona-fide Hapsburg/Lorraine/Medici Prince (the Sachertorte is divine).
Sadly, the original owner/chef—Dimitri d'Asburgo Lorena, who opened this restaurant merely to indulge his love of cooking—has passed on. However, "The Carousel" remains in the capable hands of his son, chef Soldano. Reserve ahead. Pricey, but well worth it.
They start you off with a complimentary flute of spumanti before you plunge into the tasty crostini misti and exquisite primi.
Among my favorites are tortelloni alla Mugellana (handmade potato-stuffed pasta in ragù), gnocchetti alla Lord Reinolds (potato dumplings in a sauce of stilton and Port), homemade tagliatelle with tiny wild asparagus spears, and ravioli stuffed with brie in a sauce with thinly sliced, lightly fried artichokes.
Also excellent: the penne alla vodka, and the ravioli with pecorino toscano sheep's cheese and Williams pears. Most dishes are excellent here, actually (though most are pretty rich).
For an encore, try the nodino di vitella ai tartufi bianchi (veal slathered in eggy white truffle sauce with fresh truffle grated on top) or the lighter spianata alle erbe aromatiche di Maremma (a huge platter of spiced beef pounded flat and piled with a salad of rosemary sprigs, sage, and other herbs).
Just be sure to save room for dessert: a distinctly un-Florentine Sacher torte (from an old family recipe... and remember, the "family" in question here is related to the Hapsburgs of Austria)
This place has become (justifiably) popular, and even with a reservation there's often a short wait—laudably, they don't rush anybody to empty up tables—but it's worth it.
La Giostra ★★★
Borgo Pinti 12r (off Piazza G. Salvemini)
(Santa Croce)
tel. +39-055-241-341
Ristorantelagiostra.com
Closed Sat-Sun at lunch
€€€
Bus: 14, 21, C1, C2
Hop-on/hop-off: Teatro Verdi (A)
Walks & Seminars
Wine tastings
Cooking classes
Special meals
Vineyard excursions
» Chianti
» Other Tuscan wine regions
English (Inglese) | Italian (Italiano) | Pro-nun-cee-YAY-shun |
Good day | Buon giorno | bwohn JOUR-noh |
Good evening | Buona sera | BWOH-nah SAIR-rah |
Good night | Buona notte | BWOH-nah NOTE-tay |
Goodbye | Arrivederci | ah-ree-vah-DAIR-chee |
Excuse me (to get attention) | Scusi | SKOO-zee |
thank you | grazie | GRAT-tzee-yay |
please | per favore | pair fa-VOHR-ray |
yes | si | see |
no | no | no |
Do you speak English? | Parla Inglese? | PAR-la een-GLAY-zay |
I don't understand | Non capisco | non ka-PEESK-koh |
I'm sorry | Mi dispiace | mee dees-pee-YAT-chay |
Where is? | Dov'é | doh-VAY |
...a restaurant | un ristorante | oon rees toh-RAHN-tay |
...a casual restaurant | una trattoria un'osteria |
oo-nah trah-toar-RHEE-yah oon ohst-air-EE-yah |
I would like to reserve... | Vorrei prenotare... | voar-RAY pray-note-ARE-eh |
a table for two | una tavola per due | oo-nah TAH-voal-lah pair DOO-way |
...for 7pm | per le sette | pair lay SET-tay |
...for 7:30pm | per le sette e mezzo | pair lay SET-tay eh MET-tzoh |
...for 8pm | per le otto | pair lay OH-toh |
I would like | Vorrei... | voar-RAY |
...some (of) | un pó (di) | oon POH (dee) |
...this | questo | KWAY-sto |
...that | quello | KWEL-loh |
chicken | pollo | POL-loh |
steak | bistecca | bee-STEAK-ah |
veal | vitello | vee-TEL-oh |
fish | pesce | PEH-shay |
meat | carne | KAR-neh |
I am vegetarian | sono vegetariano | SO-no veg-eh-tair-ee-YAH-no |
side dish [veggies always come seperately] | cotorno | kon-TOR-no |
dessert | dolce | DOAL-chay |
and | e | ay |
...a glass of | un bicchiere di | oon bee-key-YAIR-eh dee |
...a bottle of | una bottiglia di | oo-na boh-TEEL-ya dee |
...a half-liter of | mezzo litro di | MET-tzoh LEE-tro dee |
...fizzy water | acqua gassata | AH-kwah gah-SAHT-tah |
...still water | acqua non gassata | AH-kwah noan gah-SAHT-tah |
...red wine | vino rosso | VEE-noh ROH-so |
...white wine | vino bianco | VEE-noh bee-YAHN-koh |
...beer | birra | BEER-a |
Check, please | Il conto, per favore | eel COAN-toh pair fah-VOAR-eh |
Is service included? | É incluso il servizio? | ay een-CLOU-so eel sair-VEET-zee-yo |
Share this page
Search ReidsItaly.com
La Giostra ★★★
Borgo Pinti 12r (off Piazza G. Salvemini)
(Santa Croce)
tel. +39-055-241-341
Ristorantelagiostra.com
Closed Sat-Sun at lunch
€€€
Bus: 14, 21, C1, C2
Hop-on/hop-off: Teatro Verdi (A)
Walks & Seminars
Wine tastings
Cooking classes
Special meals
Vineyard excursions
» Chianti
» Other Tuscan wine regions