What’s the vibe?
Vini e Vecchi Sapori feels like stepping into your eccentric aunt’s house. Think peeling yellow walls, questionable and clashing artwork hanging on the walls, sports memorabilia and postcards from devoted diners around the world. The staff are fast, friendly and don’t take themselves too seriously. Locals compete with tourists for the handful of tables here, as it’s one of the few places so close to the centre that still serves great food.
What are the prices like?
Very reasonable, especially considering you’re a stone’s throw from Palazzo Vecchio, the Duomo and the Uffizi Galleries. Expect to pay around 15 euros for a pasta dish, and somewhere in the twenties for a meat secondo. A customary cover charge - coperto - of 3 euros a head is added to the end bill.
What should I order?
The antipasti game is strong here, so load up on crostini with lardo, chicken liver pâté and the unbeatably simple burro e acciughe (butter and anchovy). The paccheri (fat rigatoni) with courgette flower and saffron is Vini e Vecchi Sapori’s most famous pasta dish, but the slow-cooked duck ragu comes a close second. For dessert, nothing beats their house raspberry tiramisu, washed down with a glass of amaro (a herbal digestif).