Alla Vecchia Bettola
If your travels have left you hungry for fantastic traditional Tuscan food, this simple restaurant is a must. Alla Vecchi Bettola is nestled away from the tourists on the Santo Spirito side of the river, near the Piazza del Carmine but is worth the 15 minute trek from Ponte Vecchio. Here you’ll find some of the best Florentine steak in town, and the amazing array of meat dishes will not disappoint. For the adventurous, try some of the house specials, Penne alla Bettola in spicy cream tomato sauce, rigatoni dressed with crushed olives, or riso sulle testicciole d'agnello (a "local's" rice dish cooked in a halved sheep's head). Secondi range from anatra ripiena tartufata (stuffed duck in truffle sauce) to the superlative carpaccio con rucola -- pounded disks of beef piled high with arugula and tissue-thin slices of pecorino cheese. The wine list is simple, and usually the house wine will suffice, but the hosts also cater to their international clientele with a small selection of French wines. This restaurant is becoming more and more popular, so be sure to go now and enjoy the local flavor.
34r Via Luigi Ariosto
Phone ++-39-055-22.41.58
Open Tues-Sat noon-2:30pm and 7:30-10:30pm