The original business on this site opened in 1500 as a coach deposit and a meeting place for knights. It then became a wine shop where you could buy a goblet of wine and a bowl of bean soup.
In 1986 four young friends took on the restaurant and they still run it today. These days, Trattoria Bordino specialises in Florentine steaks cooked on the barbecue. I can happily report that the steaks are very good and very reasonably priced.
Trattoria Bordino
The restaurant is at 9r Via Stracciatella. It is on the Palazzo Pitti side of the Arno, not far from Ponte Vecchio. It is small and very busy at lunch time. If you can, grab a table outside as it can be quite cramped inside.
inside the busy restaurant
The walls are covered with old cooking implements and all manner of interesting things.
old things cover the walls
the wine selection
old baskets on the wall
The menu changes daily, and the waiter is just as likely to shout out the daily offerings. Not much English is spoken and you will be surrounded by Florentines enjoying a noisy lunch with friends. The food is good and inexpensive, the service is brisk and it is fun to sit with the locals.
the bread drawer
I ordered the Florentine steak. It was a good size, not huge like they are in some restaurants. This is a good thing, take a look at the dessert table.
dolce
this one had my name on it
I will leave you with some of the words of the trattoria has to say about itself. “The Florence dinner of the restaurant trattoria Bordino is a pleasure to live with happiness.” I don’t think I can add anything to this.