Osteria Donne Belle

Yes, the man that may be the owner can be a little off putting, but the food is delicious. We stopped in for lunch and he asked if we had reservations. We did not, and there were open tables. He sat us, maybe begrudgingly. We both ordered the rigatoni with tomatoes and basil. Fantastic. Really. Tomatoes and basil are my favorite food, along with pasta. Loved it. Loved it so much we came back for dinner. No reservations again, but he gave us a table. The only table left. This time we had the chicken stew and the meatballs. Loved them. Honestly this was the best food we had in Florence, and better than anything we had in Rome. It’s a tiny place and because the dude can be a little grumpy, make reservations. Bön appetito!

It had been our first few hours in Firenze and we were looking for a less crowded restaurant for lunch. We walked in and an older man (potentially manager/​owner?) asked us if we had made reservations. When we said we hadn’t, he told us «Allora fori!», gesturing us to turn around and walk away. He immediately turned his back on us and proceeded with his day. Granted we had our travel backpacks with us, we still looked like a decently dressed couple who could afford their meal. Such a harsh comment made us doubt our teeny tiny bit of Italian and we did not believe we had just been kicked out. «Did he mean we should wait outside?» «Did he mean we should eat on the porch?» We stood outside for a bit trying to understand what had just happened. A much kinder waiter then called out «Prego! Your table is ready!» He took my bag and we figured it had all been a weird misunderstanding.
Later that day, we met with our host and he clarified that the colloquial translation to what the man had told us is «Then get the f*** out of here!» and said he would immediately head over to the restaurant to make a formal complaint, since he recommends the place to his guests. I rarely give such negative reviews on Unilocal,but there are many, many other ways of dismissing customers other than «Get the f*** out of here». Oh, and was the food worth the hassle and the price? Nah. We ordered two different pastas, a salad and half a liter of wine. All very mediocre.

Excellent spot for our last evening in Florence. Small and intimate restaurant with a varied menu and wine list. The staff was friendly and the service good and the food was outstanding from bread to dessert. The seasonal chestnut pudding dessert was particularly delicious as was the pasta with spicy octopus and the pork with mushrooms. One of the best meals we had in Florence.

It is a tiny place with the smallest chairs I’ve ever seen. Maybe they were kids chairs? Didn’t bother me but if you’re a larger person, your rump might not fit too well… Really cute décor overall and friendly waiter, (maybe the owner/​manager) with a good sense of humor and very accommodating to my dietary requests. To my surprise, they had a really good homemade veggie burger.

Off the beaten path in Florence. Our meals were outstanding, the main meals were ravioli and the pasta with clam meat. Tiramisu was a home run. Other reports about place being small are very true. If you go inside and you’re over six feet tall, you’ll need to duck to enter (but you can stand up inside). Our hotel supposedly made a reservation for us, but when we showed up, they said they didn’t have our reservation. It was no problem since we got there early. Took one star off due to the cover charge, which is three euros per person for dinner.

English speaking and friendly. Food was pretty good but not much to look at out on the street tables.

It was the 90’s…I lived close by and thought I ought to check it out. So… this is based on what I remember :) 3.5 stars
Back then, it was this cozy, homey little place… mom and pop like…
I remember a dish that was meatballs in red sauce… really yummy… albeit a little heavy on the salt. Service was always lovely… a little dark but has its charm
Need to go back next time we are in Firenze…

Such a great find… on our last holiday in Florence we ate there twice! They make a gorgeous Tuscan pâté that is to die for! The service is consistently good and the menu is varied. The house wine is well-​priced and the atmosphere is warm and cosy. Nice cute guys as waiters too!

A small cozy restaurant located in a hidden street in Firenze. The restaurant is dimly lit with wine bottles and a rustic décor adorning the room. The workers and owner are very friendly and make you feel right at home.
This place has excellent food and great wine, but I’d have to say for the size of the portions, the prices are very steep. Despite this fact, I had an excellent meal at Osteria Donne Belle. My favorite dish was the Pasta con carbonara e zucchine (bacon and zucchini), mainly because of the bacon. The bacon really hit the spot with the pasta. Other servings tasted excellent as well, but definitely was not filling – at all. Even with 2 – 3 courses, this place won’t do the trick if you want a decent dinner.
It can get a bit steep. Expect to drop around 40 – 50 euros or so for a casual dinner.