Trattoria La Casalinga

Delicious, simple, well priced. We ordered there cola and zucchini con grain, fagiolli, and bistro Fiorentina and a quartino of wine.

We decided after reading this great reviews for this restaurant. But I can’t say that was my best food which I ever had.
The Pasta Bolognese /​rangue was a very small potion and just spaghetti/​meet/​sauce but no flavour no herbs nothing else…
The bread was so hard like a stone and the vino della case had a quality like wine from a Tetra Pak.
And the stuff was so in hurry and unsmiling.
That is not a typical local Italian restaurant, it’s just a restaurant for tourists.

Omg so delicious. We didn’t understand the menu. But the waiter helped us order. Everything was so delicious. Our favorite restaurant so far on our vacation.

Authentic, rustic Tuscan cuisine prepared simply, but without compromise. Run like a mom and pop shop, the service was efficient and friendly. After a week in Florence, this meal was a fitting capstone. Every dish could stand alone, and choosing a favorite is an impossible task. That said, the banana cake was unforgettable. No foodie tour of Florence is complete without dinner here. A word to the wise: make reservations a few days in advance, otherwise you will likely be shut out.

We were looking for an authentic Italian experience and found it! On a Saturday, we stumbled upon a short line outside the restarant that hadn’t even opened until 7:00pm. We joined the line and were one of the only parties accepted without a reservation because so many of the locals had reserved a table for the night. The waiter was kind and made great suggestions from the Italian menu. We got the scalapina and spaghetti with zucchini and the house red wine. Reasonably priced, very tasty, and REAL authentic experience. You should make a reservation and eat here!

Our AirBNB host recommended this place as being good… Home-​made food. We had the spaghetti with red sauce and ravioli with meat sauce. Both were delicious. With two drinks and a very delicious chocolate cake (more like an undercooked brownie/​fudge), it came to about 30 euros for our lunch.
I don’t remember the names of anything but it was all delicious!

Oh my, this is why we love Unilocal! This trattoria was only one block from our apartment in Florence, and we stopped in here (before 8 pm thanks to the tip from other reviews). We were able to get a table for 4 no problem (provided we were out by 9, no problem). The good was amazing! We had the antipati platter of the house and then the girls had spaghetti bolognese and we had roast chicken with sage potatoes and veal. House red wine to top it off and we were all so full, there was no room for dessert. LOVED THIS PLACE! Simple food, perfectly done. Bravo!

Amazing, homestyle Italian food. The anchovy starter is simple, but ingredients are outstanding – wonderfully briny and meaty anchovies, fruity olive oil, and the added texture of boiled eggs that take on their flavors. The ribollota soup, though not the prettiest dish in the world, was hearty and bursting with flavor. My kids downed the spaghetti carbonara like no business – again, super simple: spaghetti, eggs, bacon, but the best plate of carbonara in our whole time in Italy. And their steak with arugula, parmiggiano reggiano, balsamic vinegar was a beautiful symphony of contrasting flavors and textures.
HOWEVER, there is no customer service here. We arrived a little after noon and were «greeted» by an unsmiling man asking who sneered at us before bringing in an unsmiling woman who said we could eat there as long as we could be done by 1pm. Food order was taken quickly and dropped off in hardly a word spoken to us (in addition to a misunderstanding that led to us getting two steak dishes and us simply accepting it so as not to upset them even more). Despite having one of the best meals we’d had on all of Italy, our impression of the restaurant was definitely soured by the disappointing way we were treated.
I have never been invited to dinner at someone’s nonna’s home, but if I did, I would imagine I would be served such hearty, well done food such as the food made at Trattoria Casalingua. Unfortunately, unless you’re a local and/​or regular, don’t expected to be treated like family here.

If you don’t have a reservation, they send you to the backroom. Perhaps they are not too happy all these tourists coming due to a recommendation from a blog? I wonder!
Today I tried the Ribollita, which was good. The red wine was good too. Unfortunately, the waitress was rude, the minute I walk in she said, finish at 830, ruined my experience. It’s almost saying «your business is not appreciated»
I didn’t even want to try anything else, felt like I’d be in trouble if I stayed past that time. I was there before 7pm, even before they opened for dinner. Restaurant was not full. I did not expect this from a family run restaurant as others had great reviews. She was complaining that I didn’t leave a tip. Why would l? Eating in Italy is an experience enjoyed slowly, not an eating marathon! So unfortunate!
I don’t recommend!

Great restaurant for authentic Italian food and lots of options! We had the bruschetta as an appetizer; it was simple but satisfying. They split it up on two plates for us and we were surprised when they served us two huge pieces of bread loaded up with the tomato-​y goodness! We loved the flavors and the simplicity of the dish. For the main course I had the simple penne al pomodoro (made spicy); it was cooked al dente and served piping hot. I loved every single bite. Along with the meal we had the house red wine (½ liter). Highly recommend for a dinner date with friends or a big group!

Make a reservation esp on Fri/​Sat. This is the best food we have had in Italy. Try the mushroom pasta — you will not regret it. I love this place!

My friend ate here in July and recommended it. I would recommend making a reservation, as locals love it here and it’s packed. We called and were told there was no availability, but I asked my husband if we could please just go in and see if we could wait. It worked! We waited for 20 – 25 minutes, and were sat. I am so happy we got in. Their food was delicious. If you like pesto at all, you MUST get spaghetti pesto. It was out of this world delicious. My husband liked his sage butter sauce ravioli, and the roasted chicken with potatoes was a nice change from eating just pasta all the time. It was a tiny bit dry, but still good. Even though we didn’t eat all of the roasted potatoes because we were too full from the pasta, I still recommend the pesto pasta. It was incredible. Tiramisu was great, and panna cotta with strawberry sauce was amazing. If I had to choose one, I’d choose panna cotta at this restaurant. It was so good. My friend told me to not come home without eating it, and she was right.

After reading the wonderful reviews on Unilocal,including one written recently by a trusted Unilocal friend from New Orleans, I was looking forward to a nice lunch in Oltrarno near Chiesa Santo Spirito while in the neighborhood visiting Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s former home, Casa Guidi. The last time we ate on this side of the river, we were disappointed at best and, unfortunately, that was also the case on this our second visit.
We were seated right away, but the waiters were too busy with everyone else in the room and we had to wait ten minutes to be acknowledged. Even then, the waiter was in a hurry, rudely interrupting our questions about the menu to run off to another table. Strike ONE!
Once we finally ordered, our drinks appeared promptly, a bottle of mineral water (€ 2.50) and a half-​liter of vino rosso della casa (house red wine — € 4). The water was water and the wine decent and at a very reasonable price for Florence.
We shared an Insalata Caprese (€ 7.50) which turned out to be a small ball of mozzarella, two small tomatoes cut into sixths, and two basil leaves. It was «OK», but more expensive and not nearly as big or as good as many I have had in Italy in recent months.
I ordered the Ribollita (€ 6.50), a hearty Tuscan soup made with stale bread, cannellini beans, and vegetables like cabbage, carrots, celery and the like. It was tasty and filling, accompanied by the local unsalted bread which I utilized to mop-​up what was left in the bowl. For such a basic dish, what Italians would unassumingly call a «peasants» dish, the price was a tad high and probably should have been in the € 4-​€ 5 range.
My wife had the tortellini panna e prosciutto (€ 7.50), a not so generous dish of apparently handmade tortellini, bravo, in a cream sauce with pieces of prosciutto crudo. Unfortunately, her tortellini were not close to «al dente» and could have used another minute or two in the boiling water. I have eaten is hundreds of restaurants in Italy and I have never been served either undercooked or overcooked pasta. If a kitchen in Italy cannot cook pasta properly, they have no excuse for being in business. Strike TWO!
When the waiter arrived and asked how our meal was, my wife told him about the pasta, but he seemed to care less. We ordered a piece of tiramisu to share and it was also below average. While waiting for the check, I saw several tables of «locals» being served a complimentary «digestivo» before leaving, usually a local beverage such as grappa or limoncello. But the tourists, my wife and I obviously, were neither offered a digestivo nor an apology for the poorly cooked pasta. Strike THREE … YOUR OUT!
With the bill coming to € 36.50 for a salad, two pasta dishes, one dessert and drinks, including a mandatory € 4 service charge, it was not an overly expensive meal, but the bang for the buck just was not there and was not a good value.
CombatCritic Gives Trattoria La Casalinga 4 Bombs Out Of 10 … More Bombs Are Better!

Great family style Italian cooking, seasonal and fresh. Service was good but either arrive early or make a reservation because the place is quickly packed!

This place was amazing. Lots of locals there and the menu is not in English, usually a pretty good indication the food will be authentic. I highly recommend the antipasti de mare.

I wanted to try Casalinga because it was old school, traditional Florence. I showed up at about 12:30 and the place was full but only waited a few minutes. When I left around 1:30, there was a line out the door. It is very crowded and noisy from the patron and staff talking over each other. The staff are not rude but they are very busy and doing their best to be efficient.
I ordered a tortellini con Bolognese. It was just OK but nothing special. The portion was large which, for me, isnt a benefit. The tortellini looked and tasted like the factory made and dried shelf stable stuff you can buy in the market. The sauce was good but not great. I probably wouldn’t allocate my carbs for it again. The guy next to me ordered the antipasti de mare which I would do instead next time.
The Tripe alla Fiorentina was my secondi and it was really good. Ive never had it before although Ive had other non Italian tripe dishes. It was a large portion too. There is nothing ‘on the side’ unless you order side dishes separately. There was a lot
of options and I would probably order some side dishes next time. In fact, you could split the secondi, and 1 – 2 sides, and have a meal for 2.
After stuffing myself on pasta and tripe, there was no room left for desert. I tacked on an espresso and got the bill. € 23, pay at the front.

Famous for the steak, although they are not able to give you a small portion. They tried to cut a small portion for us, but even then, it was 0.9kg. Shared between 2 people, we definitely had food babies after the meal. I highly recommend getting a salad or some vegetable antipasti, it’s a LOT of meat!
Like most good restaurants in Florence, the place fills up by 8pm, so come early or reserve. They have seating in the back, as well. When we went, it was mostly locals and Italian tourists, with a handful of English speaking tourists.
We enjoyed the place, but don’t think we’d get the steak again if we went back (unless we share among 3+ people, haha).

What a way to end a 16 day trip to Florence! My colleague, Rachel C steered me in the right direction when she suggested La Casalinga.
Be sure to call for a reservation. We had tried to eat here the previous week but although when we first walked by at 7pm it was empty, by the time we returned at 8:30, it was completely packed with locals, families and tourists.
And with good reason! I truly enjoyed everything that I ordered. No reinventing the wheel here, but if you’re looking for traditional Tuscan fare in a casual environment, this is your place. Because it was our last night in town, we didn’t hold back from ordering just about anything that we fancied, starting from the perfect bruschetta to a generous plate of pecorino for my friend (that I coveted… hardest keeping vegan in Italy for this former cheese-​lover!). I indulged in both of my favorite things to order when in this region: ribollita and spaghetti pomodoro (carb fest!). All of it basic; all of it excellent. They have admirable salad & contorni lists as well. I only have so much room… just enough for that crazy cheap, yet decent house vino.
Ambiance: bright & bustling. Normally I avoid bright places for dinner, but there’s something really inviting about the rooms full of happy people dining on comfort food here.
Price: extremely reasonable for what you get!
I found myself slightly sad that I didn’t get to eat here earlier in my trip so that I could return and eat here twice. This is a great thing.

Une bonne cantine pour tous les jours a un prix raisonnable avec les locaux. Service courtois et efficace. Fortement recommandé si vous êtes en ville. attention en été ou pendant les périodes de grandes affluence, une reservation vous évitera d’attendre une heure pour une table dans la chaleur

When people mention that they visited a restaurant they can tell locals enjoy as well as tourists, this would be the first one to come to mind in our travels through Italy. What an experience!
We didn’t have a reservation, but I would HIGHLY recommend making one prior to coming. Seems they run mainly off reservations because it’s not a big place. Since we weren’t starving, we were okay, waiting for about 45 minutes.
The only problem, which would have been solved had we made reservations, is that there is not a lot of space to stand and wait. You’re pretty much in the way, which is awkward. But this was how we watched the owner and his staff walk around and wait on people, chat with the locals who came in to eat and peek into the kitchen to see the activity. The owner himself is a character, which is on display by watching him walk around with a wad of euros in his hand. Which was satirized by the Simpsons-​esque drawing framed on the wall.
But the best part, the food. My spaghetti bolognase was wonderful and just the right portion size. Plus, the wine was cheap cheap cheap! A liter of Chianti was 2 euros. Can’t beat that in the USA! Unless you want Sutter Home. Ew.
The panna cotta was the best one I’ve ever had. I know that’s a general statement, but I swear, it was so simple, yet so creamy and delicious. I know I won’t get one that good for a long time!
Perfect Italian experience in the books!

This has to be one of my favorite trattoria’s I’ve tried in Florence so far because even though it’s located in a somewhat touristy piazza (right next to piazza santo spirito), their menu prices and food portions are VERY reasonable. Make reservations if you can because this place gets PACKED. For dinner yesterday evening (it was a Wednesday); if we didn’t make reservations for 9, we probably would have not been seated immediately because were little groups of people here and there waiting outside.
I’m a fan of the food very much! We ordered bruschetta and melon with prosciutto. SO good. My main dish was the tortellini in sugo di coniglio (rabbit) and it was really hearty and yummy. I tried some of my friend’s trippa al fiorentina and it was delicious as well! Other people in my group got the pesto pasta, spaghetti al pomodoro, and the gnocchi dish. All the primo piatti range from about 6 – 8 euro; definitely worth it for the portions you get. Another one of my friends ordered the carpaccio and I really liked it for my first time trying some.
Service fee is 2 euro, and they bring out bread! There is no English translation of their menu so I would recommend coming here with prior knowledge of common Italian dishes.

Unglaublich lecker… und noch dazu sehr günstig… Ich glaube für mich das Beste, was ich je an italienischer Küche bekommen habe… Bekam den Tipp von einem alten Einwohner und man trifft zum Glück dort mehr Einheimische wie Touri’s;-) Ich freue mich schon auf ein Wiedersehen…

Vom Reiseführer empfohlen und wirklich klasse.

Dans un esprit cantine, des plats très variés, simples et bons à déguster dans cette trattoria pas chère. Compter entre 15 et 20EUR pour un repas complet (2 plats, dessert, café, boisson). Tous les florentins qui travaillent dans le coin s’y pressent. Pour une étape typique au cours de votre visite de la ville à deux minutes du palazzo Pitti.

wer keine ahnung hat, wie eine ribollita schmeckt, hat hier einer der besten adresse. volstümlich und schmackhaft, die küche zeigt, daß tradition hier noch mit einem großen T geschrieben wird. die ambiente ist etwas abseits der touristenströmen, was auch wohltuend ist. ein deutliches zeichen: die stammgäste aus der umgebung werden vom personal gedutzt.
guten appetit!

Eine beliebte und gute Trattoria, unweit des Santo Spirito und des Palazzo Pitti. Typische und gute Küche, eher preiswert. Sonntags geschlossen. Tischreservierung empfehlenswert, da immer gut besucht. Freundlicher, schneller Service.