Osteria delle Belle Donne
Review by Thomas Alessandrello, Louis Andreacchio, Gabriella Mansilla and Anna Renkert
Osteria Delle Belle Donne is known for its authentic Tuscan cuisine. We were surprised how comfy and cozy this restaurant felt. It had dimmed lights, which made it feel more welcoming and it felt like a cute spot for a couple to sit with glasses of wine and share a warm meal. The staff was very friendly and welcoming as well. We sat outside on a warm afternoon and were treated with an authentic Italian server who did not speak English to us, which was nice because he allowed us to speak Italian to him, even if we struggled. For an appetizer, we were to the artichoke frittata due to the seasonal artichokes. The small artichoke frittata cooked in a small round cast iron pan. It was so rich and pleasing that we could have ordered another one! There wasn’t much egg but enough to complement the flavor of the artichoke leaves and cloves. After enjoying our appetizer, we tasted the pici pasta in a cavolo nero pesto sauce with crumbled sausage, spaghetti alla chitarra and a traditional spaghetti as well. The cabbage pesto was very seasonable as well as delicious. The spaghetti was perfectly prepared and there was just enough sauce to cover each and every noodle. The waiter added a little of parmesan cheese which topped it perfectly. The fresh chitarra pasta is a classic Tuscan dish, and the one I enjoyed the most, with the creamy chicken liver and onion sauce as the focus. Finishing the dish with a little parmesan cheese helped seasonally balance the dish. For our second course, we tried the grilled pork chop with spinach. The beautiful char on the bone-in pork chop helped keep the meat juicy. We also ordered raw vegetables, although we were unaware the vegetables would come raw. The contents of the plate were in-season vegetables like artichoke, radishes, and fresh fennel paired with an olive oil that had fresh cracked pepper and salt – again, letting the freshness and quality of the ingredients be stars on the plate. The pork was cooked perfectly and completed our lunch meal. All this was paired with their house wine, made from none other than the legendary sangiovese grapes. After a delicious main dish, we ordered the chestnut pudding which I had heard was great. Although it ended up not being my favorite, it was still sweet and had great texture for a pudding. The meal was a bit on the pricier side which we didn’t mind paying since the quality of the dishes was so high. The perfectly cooked, beautifully crafted dishes at Osteria delle Belle Donne will have us coming back for more of their seasonal Tuscan classics.
Osteria delle Belle Donne
Via delle Belle Donne 16/r
Tel. 055 238 2609
Hours: Open daily Lunch 12:00-2:30 pm; Dinner 7:00-11:00pm