Borgo San Jacopo

Innovative Italian fine dining in Florence

Red salad quinoa, cauliflower, beetroot, sprouts, lovage mayo

On my trip to Florence, sampling local fine dining cuisine is on top of my agenda. After all, classic, casual Tuscan cuisine is already amazing, I was wondering if a fine dining treatment can take it to another level? Does fancy, innovative cooking techniques, combining with prime ingredients really make an impact? To put it to the test, I visited Borgo San Jacopo, a 1 Michelin starred hotel restaurant in the heart of Florence. Headed up by Peter Brunel, the chef is renown for his forward-thinking, outside of the box ideas to create dishes that are unusual, creative, while staying true to the Italian root. 

Hand cut beef tartare, lettuce sauce, egg, capers, onion and truffle pearl

Gnocchi, blue cheese fondue, sour butter, tapioca, truffle and blackberries

Wild boar ragout, Tuscan bread crumbs, hazelnuts and herbs

To fully experience what chef Peter Brunel has on offer, I sampled both of his tasting menus. Out of all the dishes, one of the stand out was the beef tartare. The balance of flavour was wonderful, the capers acted as a wonderful seasoning, while the truffle offered a beautiful aroma. The potato gnocchi, cooked with blue cheese was an interesting dish, the bold and salty taste of the cheese worked nicely with the mild tone of the gnocchi and the sourness of the berries offered a touch of sharpness to a rich tasting dish. The pigeon was absolutely sensational, marinated in red wine and milk which offered tonnes of robust savoury flavours. The addition of foie gras added another layer of richness and a hint of earthiness, it was by far the best dish of the meal.

Ribollita

Suckling pig, marinated with milk and wine, langoustine, kumquat and black truffle

Pigeon breast, marinated with Brunello di Montalcino and milk, foie gras

Without a doubt, Borgo San Jacopo totally deserves its Michelin star status. The cooking was indeed creative and full of impactful tastes, while visually so appealing at the same time. I really appreciate how the chef taking classic Tuscan cuisine as a foundation and turning to something truly modern and full of imagination. As is inside a 5 stars hotel, I was expecting the service to be world-class, but I felt it was standard at best. I wonder if it is because of the language issue? Put that aside, if you only judge from its cooking, Borgo San Jacopo is a great fine dining choice if you visit Florence.


Food 4/5

What I paid: 
£140 per head with wine

Average cost without drinks and services:
£130

Borgo S. Jacopo, 62/R, 50125 Firenze FI, Italy

https://www.lungarnocollection.com/borgo-san-jacopo