There are a lot of nice meals to be had in Italy but merely “nice” I can do at home. When I travel, I’m searching for local places where the food literally sings. Opera. Artisanal is key.
Cantinetta dei Verrazzano was brought to life by the wine making estate Castello Verrazzano which has been around since 1150. Hence, they know a thing or two about Tuscan cuisine. The wood panelled and stylish cantinetta showcases the best products made by local artisans. Many of the products, but not all, come from the Castello itself. I eat there each and every trip to Florence and it always wins, hands down, as the most memorable meal.
I arrived at the peak of the lunch rush. A crowd inside was waiting for tables and there aren’t many of those in this tiny place but there is a bar and Italians are known for eating and drinking standing up. It turned out to be the best table in the house.
The first thing I did was ask for a glass of Sassello the house SuperTuscan. Now let’s just get one thing straight, SuperTuscan refers to a wine that is a non-traditional blend of Tuscan grapes. The concept of blending regional grapes moved Tuscany’s wines past rigid DOC restrictions and into a new era. The name alone was a marketing coup. There are a lot of mediocre SuperTuscans and even a few which I would deem non-potable. Sassello is not one of those. I dream of Sassello. At lunch, I had both the 2004 and 2006. Delish.
Salvatore poured the wine and I ordered the farcite misto. By far the maiale (roast pork, on the right) was my favorite. In Italy pork tastes like pork and not like “the other white meat”.
I wan’t done yet. Il Secondi: pecorino crostini drizzled with syrupy balsamic and a side of arugula and tomatoes. Oh yes, and more wine.
For the finale, Michele, the barista, made me a Shakerto. It’s the Italian version of iced coffee, shaken with crunchy beans afloat. It was the pick me up I needed.
Cantinetta Verrazzano
Via dei Tavolini, 18
Florence
