A trip to Italy does not stop with a visit to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. One must soak in all that Tuscany has to offer in terms of scenery, food and wine. Ristorante Buca Mario is framed for the latter. Ribollita and soup were served along with wine in the Pallazzo Niccolini’s cellars in 1886. Word spread and soon Mario Corsini, the founder, found himself with many clients, some of whom were non-Florentine. In time, Corsini’s restaurant became famous for its typically Florentine taste and earned itself a place among the top restaurants in town. Buca Mario remains not only the best restaurant in Florence, but also one of the most unique places to dine, as it retains the original Florentine flavor and is even today situated in the cellars as per Corsini’s original idea.

The Tuscan cuisine is prepared by five top chefs whose specialties include authentic Tuscan dishes like Pappa al Pomodoro, Ribollita and Passato di Fagioli con Farro among others. The mouth watering food is followed by dessert of mouth watering local favorites that would leave you asking for more. This is followed by coffee of your choice. Even here you have a choice between the strong espresso, the lighter cappuccino and a few liquors. This, of course, is excluding the wines.

The wine menu is separate. There is a selection of both the vintage and the classics for the connoisseurs and the simple tasters. They range from the vino da tavola, the table wines to the champagnes, and are served depending on the client’s taste. The home of classic food in Florence, as Buca Mario is called, is in the centre of Florence near the central station at the Santa Maria Novella Church. You can make your reservations online to sample traditional food in Florence at www.bucamario.it/eng/storia-eng.html