Trattoria Cibreo

Possibly the best value for money meal you’ll get in Florence. This is the (much cheaper) easy-​going down-​to-​earth spin off of the ristorante cibreo next door, and shares the same chef and kitchen. What you get is a first class service and food at trattoria prices, 7 euros per starters And max 15 for a main dish. Superlative, great service, good food, wonderful experience.

Great spot in Florence. Views of the Duomo and amazing food.

Maybe I missed something? First, note that there is a Trattoria Cibreo and a Restaurante Cibreo. They are next door to one another so they are easy to confuse. The trattoria is affordable and very casual (butcher paper on the tables). The restaurante is pretty fancy and is $$$. They have the same menu though, so I’m not sure what you’re paying extra for except for ambiance and service. We went to the Trattoria. Second this is rustic and «simple» TUSCAN food, so there is no pasta for example. The pâté antipasta was great and my husband loved his minestrone and pork chop. The fish I ordered was blah. I guess I was expecting something mind blowing after the reviews we saw and left a bit disappointed after spending our last meal in Italy here.

Stopped for wine during our day of wandering and a first course, main course, and a coffee later, we rolled ourselves out.
Everything was delicious. We let the owner choose everything for us and weren’t disappointed. My main course was the artichoke stuffed with egg yolk on a bed of delicious mashed potato. When it arrived the waiter delicately sliced it open from the stem down and with this the yolk was broken and spilled over the mash potato. My partner had the liver pâté in a sea of some of the most amazing béchamel sauce ever, served with a side of mash. The roast beef at the table beside us looked like no roast beef I’ve ever seen but I wish I’d had room to try it, it looked spectacular.

Tres bonne trattoria, je suis toujours un peu déçu à Florence entre le rapport prix/​quantité qui est vraiment moins bon que dans beaucoup d’autres villes italiennes. Si vous avez faim entrée plat dessert est conseillé. Le staff est très sympa est en plus de nos desserts nous avons eu droit à une petite part de gâteau au chocolat en cadeau

So… this is that review that I wanted to be stellar, but… it kind of fell short. Here’s the play by play: I arrived about 7:45 p.m., wasn’t actually looking to eat here, but it was the first time there were tables, so I decided to make a dash for it. They were only seating outside, which was ok (until the twin accordian players and their boombox showed up). However, you may want to note that outside, the tables are quite short, even sitting with the short stools. I felt very high from the table and could see a bigger guy (not necessarily fat), struggling to stay on his stool.
I was seated promptly, the menu is in Italian, and while one of the waitstaff is great at explaining everything in English, you may want to have a small dictionary as she was very busy at each table. When I ordered, she checked to make sure that I knew what I was ordering, which was great since my dictionary did not cover the word ‘meatloaf’. She must have had quite a few Americans in because when she explained the dish she said, «It does not have tomato sauce on top. It is cooked in a water bath. It comes with mayonnaise that is quite strong.» She probably didn’t know why I was giggling, but clearly some Americans had probably been here and expected something different when they ordered the ‘meatloaf’.
Anyway I ordered the Minestrone with white fish to start with and then the meatloaf. The antipastis were 7 euro, primi piatti were 8 euro, and secondo were 15 euro. I didn’t really think that was steep, although the portions are not microscopic, but they are a bit smaller, so if you are very hungry, you’ll probably need to order a couple of courses to make sure you are satisfied by the end. What probably drove the cost of my dinner up was the water… 7 euro!!! I don’t think I’ve ever had water that expensive! Order a glass of wine, it is quite large and only 2 euro.
My first dish came out and it looked great. Green and orange were the primary colors and it smelled heavenly. I don’t think I’ve ever had fish in my minestrone and that’s why I was pretty excited to try it. It was delicious… even a little spicy. As I was eating my soup, I noticed a family with a child turn up. While the family were having trouble communicating with the hostess, they ended up sitting down and surprise, they had a high chair they could bring out to the table. I kind of wondered what the little one would eat, but at one point the hostess brought him a large stick of bread… which actually looked like a bone. He was delighted.
The couple sitting in front of me continually got the wrong dish at each course. The waiter was very apologetic, but I was a little dumbstruck that it happened at every course they ordered. Then this lady had asked for her bill and no one ever came back with it. She sat there for some time before the hostess finally asked her (probably because she had people waiting for tables) if she was ok and the lady told her she wanted her bill.
My second dish came out and it wasn’t entirely what I was expecting, but I like to keep an open mind. There were two round, grey slices with pistachio on the plate with a huge dollop of homemade mayo. They also brought out a tiny salad in a bowl. The meatloaf had the consistency of a very thick, solid pâté. I did eat all of it, but I did slather it up with the mayo. Actually, in my opinion, the mayo was the best part of that dish. It was quite strong, but in a good way. It was tangy, there was a bit of kick, and it was very creamy. However, the meatloaf didn’t really stand up to the mayo and that was a bit of a disappointment. Oh and the dressing on the mini salad… AMAZING. I was tempted to ask for another dish of the salad. From what I can tell… lemon, Pecorino cheese, and basil… maybe??? If they sold it in a bottle, I would buy it.
I did want to try their desserts because… well this place has a reputation, so I wanted to try all of it. The hostess explained all of the desserts and the Chocolate Pudding with Caramel Sauce (Chocolate Budino) was the one I decided on. It was a pretty work of art with sauce splatter on the plate like a Jackson Pollock piece. However, I don’t actually think it was a caramel sauce. I think it may have been espresso or something coffee flavored. The budino was so intense and so rich. It isn’t very sweet, so if you are looking for something sweet, don’t order it. It is rich, it is certainly chocolately, but in more of a dark chocolate way. I did eat all of it (it isn’t a huge portion), but lactards beware… it is a custard, and I am certainly paying for it right now.
My bill with two courses, a dessert, water, and glass of wine was 38 euro. Remember that 7 of that is just water! It is certainly one of the more expensive meals I have had and it while I did enjoy parts of it, I think I’d rather have a bowl of pasta down the street.

The couple next to us had gone to all 4 Cibreo restaurants (including the theater) and loved all of them — so we knew figured this would be good.
Atmosphere:
Put on a scarf and go for the outdoor seating, interior décor is kinda unsexy — the panhandling accordion players can be annoying but do provide some atmosphere.
Service:
Excellent from the ones who spoke English, kind of chaotic from the ones who didn’t. The menu is Italian only but they translate for you in more detail than you’ll ever need.
Food:
— Almond and duck pâté — Duck wins, but both tasty
— Ricotta and potato cake — Smooth and creamy
— Chicken meat balls — OK, not amazing
— Flourless chocolate cake — Dense and delicious
— Raspberry cheesecake — Solid
For sliced desserts, they will split half portions if you order 2 as we did, so fewer calories and more tasting!

We were here for lunch, and it was the most amazing food I got in Italy. We got some kind of chicken meatballs in a tomato sauce. It was a simple dish, but still perfect. I’m looking forward to return for the full menu at some point.

I can only describe this experience as strange and my husband would give Cibreo one star. Aside from the menu getting lost in translation, what showed up in front of us didn’t look extremely appetizing. I had stuffed rabbit but the rabbit was mostly fat and the stuffing was tasty but could of used less salt. My husband ordered a squid dish but ended up picking out the squid entirely and then barely touching the rest. Could have been poor ordering on our part but I wouldn’t attempt it again.

Finally, after years of hearing about this restaurant, we finally made it here. What a fabulous meal!!! Il Cibreo did not disappoint. Great service as well where the waitress sits with you at your table and explains the meal. Wow! The freshest cheeses, veggies, fish. Yum yum!!! This should be a must on everyone’s list when visiting Florence.

The food and service were both outstanding. Nothing typical about this menu. (Actually written in pencil, so you know they arent turning out the same dishes every day. Inventive dishes and a lovely staff — I would recommend to anyone staying in Florence. Less expensive (I believe) than the «proper» Cibreo restaurant. About 8 tables for 4 – 6 people (you may share if you aren’t a full table yourself).
I along with two friends went in late upon our arrival to Florence (arrived at restaurant at maybe 10:45). The waiter said we could eat, but it would have to be quick. Obviously Italian quick, means a two hour dinner. The waiter sat down with us to explain every dish on the menu, it’s ingredients, and how it would taste/​be served. Truly wonderful meal from start to finish!

Again, my apologies for the hyperbole, but this was the best meal I think I have ever had in a restaurant. It lasted about three and a half hours, but was incredible.
The cliff notes version:
1) Great food
2) More expensive than the Rough Guide said (100 euro/​person plus booze)
3) Everyone speaks English
4) Do us all a favor and leave your kids at home /​hotel
I found the location through the Rough Guide, which said it was moderately pricey (20 for a main course). Even without the bottle of wine we would have been past the 100 euro/​person range. That said, it was worth it.
The appetizer course comes prix fixe, and ours was a dollop of fresh ricotta, a chicken pâté on a house made melba toast, a spinach and ricotta flan and tripe.
The pâté had a blend of sage and something else that was fantastic. The flan was great for flan, but add in the savory aspects and it was some of the best I have had.
The tripe was a first for me and my wife (she doesn’t speak Italian so didn’t know what it was). I found it very interesting. It was cut into 3 – 4 inch strips and tossed with a tangy/​herby vinaigrette. As it was my first experience with tripe, I don’t think I am in a position to comment beyond it was very good.
My wife liked it, but once I told her what it was let me have the rest. It was good enough that she wasn’t angry at me for withholding details…
I could go on and on, but I will spare you. If a 100 euro /​person (plus booze) sounds worth it to you, then you should definitely go here!

Very good deal! fantastic good and very good prices!
Cibreino share the same kitchen of the neighbour exoensive and famous Cibreo (owned by the same family) but the prices here are definetely lower and the atmoshpere is funnier and more friendly.
the menu is told by the waiter (very nice and kind, he speaks 4 – 5 languages) and the food, amazing!!!
No reservations, you have to go there and wait outside for your turn. but it’s worth it!