cibochat

By Maddie

Kalimera L’Angolo Greco is a small Mediterranean and Greek cuisine on the outskirts of the Santa Croce square near Sant’Ambrogio market, open Monday through Sunday, between 12.30pm and 14.45pm for lunch and between 19.30pm and 22.30pm for dinner. It is located in Borgo LaCroce, 33/r; off the beaten path that the typical tourist might take, it is a hidden gem only fifteen minutes away from the Duomo. Reservations are not needed for small groups for early lunch or dinner. There are tables inside and outside of the restaurant, but only seats roughly 60 guests at a given time, with two to four guests at most tables. Large groups should call ahead to ensure seating. Offering authentic and fresh Greek cuisine, this trattoria will fill your stomach without emptying your pockets. The atmosphere and blue and white, beach themed decor transports guests to a small island off mainland Greece, with its intimate seating and attentive staff making the experience a valuable one.
Kalimera offers a 10-euro lunch menu, separate from their dinner menu. The food they offer ranges from salads, gyros, skewers, hummus, tzatziki dip, and typical Grecian desserts; there are three lunch plates to choose from, each of which consists of a small portion of several typical Mediterranean style dishes. One of the menus included a Greek-style salad, pita bread, roasted potatoes, chicken and pork skewer, hummus, stuffed vine leaves, tzatziki sauce and a bottle of water, which was reasonable, given the relatively low price. The house red wine (called Nemea), and baklava was also ordered. It had no outstanding aromas and it was a very good, light wine to pair with the variety of food eaten. Overall, for one lunch critic some of the flavors were too strong and overpowering. The pieces of pork on the skewer were very fatty, and the potatoes were slightly cold. However, the hummus and tzatziki sauces were delicious, with a wonderful creamy texture, along with the pita bread and chicken. The service was great, the server cleaned and prepared a table when asked to be seated outdoors, even though the section wasn’t open yet. The server also checked in regularly, and the food came out quickly. Overall, the second lunch critic thought the food overall was delicious. The chicken skewers came with yellow pepper, all grilled to perfection. The stuffed vine leaves had a very distinct and interesting flavor, something unlike anything ever experienced. The roasted potatoes seemed like the least ‘typical’ Mediterranean food on the plate, but they were still quite tasty. The price for lunch ranges from 6 to 20 euros depending on what is ordered, including drinks and dessert.
Kalimera’s dinner menu offers a much larger selection of menu items, for a wider and more expensive price range, depending on what is ordered. While similar menu items to lunch are featured on the dinner menu, portions are bigger, and there are less dishes that feature a wide sampling of multiple Greek culinary products, and more specialized, individual dishes. Two different critics visited at dinner time at 19:30 for when it opened, and split the pita bread and hummus and spanakopita appetizers, or stuzzichini, as they were called on the menu. They supplied an ample supply of pita bread to dip in the homemade hummus, and a large slice of spanakopita to share. Both starters were equally as fresh and delicious, and also quite filling. The very patient and attentive server brought out two whopping gyros to the table, which contained creamy tzatziki sauce inside the pita wrap, soaking into the fresh tomatoes, chopped pork, feta cheese, and French fries, all held nicely together by a paper holder that contained all the contents while ensuring clean hands. What remained of the gyros were wrapped up and taken home; they were equally as good leftover the next day. The visit ended with a hefty slice of delicious chocolate cake with dark chocolate drizzled over the top, and both critics left extremely satisfied. The bill split evenly, both checks came out to 18 euros. A bottle of water, two appetizers, two gyros, and a slice of chocolate cake were 36 euros, which was slightly more expensive than the quality of food they provide, but relatively reasonable. Overall, Kalimera L’Angolo Greco supplies authentic Greek and Mediterranean cuisine to guests, and the atmosphere transports them to an island like Santorini. While there were issues with the Greek salad, overall it was a positive experience, rating Kalimera as very good, satisfying restaurant to return to.

Address: Borgo la Croce 33/R, 50121, Firenze.
Phone: +39 005 200 1719.
Website: https://www.facebook.com/kalimeralangologreco/?
Email: ristorantekalimerafirenze@gmail.com

By Taryn Henning, Emma Udchitz, Oona Sutherland,
Phoebe Theisen

We left pleasantly surprised and pleased with the experience.
Overall the meal quality surpassed any expectation we could have
had. The environment was a small, homey restaurant with no more
than 30 chairs inside and out with a mix of both American and
Italian clientele. They had the option of both an English or Italian
menu which was very helpful and the menu had a traditional style
of starters and multiple course options. Each item was anywhere
from 8 to 30 euros, depending on your choice. Our
waiter was also amazing in helping us order since none of us had
ever been to an establishment like this before.
The ingredients were fresh, well prepared and individually made by one of the two workers at the establishment.
A lot of us went out of our comfort zone and ordered the raw meat
because our waiter had explained what each of the options were
and how they have multiple shipments a week of fresh ingredients.
Along with the tartare, and vegetarian dishes, we also ordered a
platter of cheese and other assortments of aperitivi that had a
variety of local meats, cheeses, honey and different crostini. Our
waiter also gave us a bread soup to try, which was very good.
Between the food, service, and comfort of the restaurant we
would recommend this establishment to our friends. A Crudo
exceeded our expectations. The service was absolutely
amazing. The flavors really stood out, and we could tell it
was very fresh and high quality food. The whole experience
was outstanding, most of us would go back. Although some
of us did not eat the raw meat, we loved the bread soup and
cheese platter.

Address: Via Mazzetta 5/R, 50125, Florence Italy
Phone: +39 366 113 9184

By Julia Sciabarasi, Madison Rojas, Serena Sandoval, Brenna Golden, Julia Sullivan


The restaurant offers a wide
variety of dishes ranging from pasta, meat, salads as well
as an extensive pizza menu. The restaurant has a tendency
to get very crowded, so reservations are highly
recommended, although not required. The restaurant
features two rooms for seating and seats between 100-150
guests. The pizzeria has counter seating as well as
numerous high top tables and booths. The clientele
consists mostly of a local crowd, specifically regulars who
come in during lunch break.
The staff of Fuoco Matto was very accommodating to our
group. Upon entering, the hostess was very friendly, and
greeted us as soon as we walked in. We did not have a
reservation, but they were able to accomodate the 5 of us
without hesitation. Fresh, warm bread was brought to our
table with olive oil, along with a liter of still water. The menu
was in English, which was very convenient for our group.
We ordered house red wine for the table, which was slightly
small, but we all enjoyed our glass with dinner. We had
some questions about the menu and the restaurant in
general, and our waitress was extremely helpful and eager
to answer questions. She explained the process of using
the wood fire oven to create the perfect texture,
temperature, and blend of flavors in each pizza. It was also
noted that many of the different ingredients in each pizza were DOP (Protected Designation of Origin).
Between everyone in the group, we ordered a few different
pastas and pizzas, and the food arrived in a very timely
manner. In all of the dishes, the
ingredients were very fresh and bursting with flavors that
complimented one another. The pasta was cooked perfectly
al dente. The crust of the pizza was crisped deliciously, and
the cheese melted on top of the fresh tomato sauce and
bread to create a wonderful meal for a very reasonable price.
Overall, we would highly recommend Fuoco Matto Pizzeria
to others. The service was excellent and the food was
incredibly tasty. The restaurant atmosphere was very warm
and welcoming, making this a very comfortable place to enjoy a meal. The staff was very skilled at their job and
openly engaged with customers, and the pizza quality is what brings customers to Italy!
Address: Via Diciassette Aprile, 16
Phone Number: 055 495140
Email: info@fuocomatto.it
Website: http://www.fuocomatto.it/

By Brooke Bailey, Mia Barnes, Haley Billingsley, Johanna
Carmichael, Shane Chambers, Tiernan McKeown

Gelateria De’ Medici is conveniently located in Piazza Beccaria. It
is a welcoming, family-run gelato parlor. The atmosphere is elegant
with a chandelier and a grand setting. No reservations are needed as it
is a take-away establishment. However, it is strongly encouraged to
order ahead for specialty cakes. The parlor is open six days a week
and open from morning until midnight.
Their menu consists of 44 different flavors of gelato, fruit sorbets,
cakes with fruit or mousse, and even gelato stuffed fruits. These flavors
are constantly updated based on the seasons and available
ingredients. Upon walking in, you see a large counter for service and
two available seats. The staff at Gelateria De’ Medici were very
friendly, willing to describe each flavor, and let you sample as many
flavors as you desired. With so many wonderful options it was hard to
just pick a couple. The pricing for gelato is between 2 and 4
euros, and for cakes it is 15 and 32 euros. The price of gelato was based on the cup
or cone size chosen, so customers were able to have multiple flavors in one serving.
The quality was outstanding. It was fresh and had a smooth, creamy texture.
The consistency was just right, not too soft and not too hard.
Overall I would recommend Gelateria De’ Medici to a friend or
family member. With such wide variety of ice-cream flavors and other
goodies it would appeal to anyone with a sweet tooth.

Piazza Cesare Beccaria, 7R/ 055 386 0008/
info@gelateriademedici.com /
https://www.gelateriademedici.com