Travelers' Intercom

Florence repasts

I was in Florence, Italy, on a Christmas-in-Florence tour, Dec. 21-28, ’04, and found several good places to eat in the Centro Storico area. Both are on the street that is about one block from the famed Ponte Vecchio.

• On Borgo Santi Apostoli is Il Boccale Ristorante (Borgo S.S. Apostoli, 33r; tel. 283384). I had pasta, grilled veal, salad, custard, a quarter bottle of red wine, a small water and coffee for €18 (near $24).

Il Boccale is a small place — only nine tables — and is open for lunch and dinner. With excellent food and great service, it is popular with the locals.

• The name of Borgo Santi Aposto­li Street changes when it crosses Via Por Santa Maria and it becomes Via Lambertesca. At Trattoria Antico Fattore (Via Lambertesca, 1/3r; tel. 288975), four of us had dinner, enjoying salad or pasta, a main course, wine, water and dessert for €15 each.

There are other small places on these streets, but I did not get their business cards.

The hot chocolate and the chocolate candy bars at Rivoire in the Piazza della Signoria are excellent anytime.

JAMES F. OLANDER
Arlington, VA

Related Articles

• Milan trattoria — Travelers to Italy looking for a trattoria near the Milan train station can go with confidence to Trattoria La Baita (phone 02-6694173), just around the corner from the station at Via Lepetit 27, corner of Via Vitruvio. On the night we were there in October ’04 it was a cheerful, bustling place without any loud,
• Dining out in Buenos Aires — My husband, Joe, and I visited Buenos Aires (B.A.), Argentina, in March-April ’06 (Sept. ’06, pg. 84). The restaurants were plentiful and excellent and our dollar went far in ensuring that we could eat well without spending a lot of money, so let’s talk food! We’re sticklers for going to local places, and we did try
• Palate pleasers in Athens — My wife and I dined at the following restaurants in Athens, Greece, in February ’05. • The restaurant Alexander the Great (3, Meg. Alexandrou Str.) is just off Karaiskaki Square where the Metaxourghion metro station is located. The proprietor spoke English well and went out of his way to help us. We had the lamb special (€15,

Navigate