Ora d'Aria

Casual fine dining in Florence

Roasted pigeon leg and breast, apple butter, honey

From my holiday experience in Florence, besides all of the tourist trap restaurants around the city, the restaurant quality in the city is generally really high, no matter if it is a rustic classic Tuscan restaurant or a fine dining joint. However, it appears all of the high-end restaurants are very formal in the city, with the exception of Ora d'Aria. Chef-owner Marco Stabile's restaurant is located in the heart of the city, with a casual, relaxing dining room overlooking the kitchen. For lunch hours, a great value for money, 5-course menu is also on the offer for 35 Euro per person, and that is what I opted for, with an extra a la carte dish.

Foie gras cream, ginger, scented egg yolk, licorice powder, crispy bread crumble

Olive oil and bread

Tortellini with  beef, lemongrass, cream and capers

Dish of the day was the foie gras cream with egg yolk, the chef somehow managed to add fine balance when using two such bold ingredients with the use of ginger, which really freshens up the whole dish. For the pasta dish, it was tortellini stuffed with beef, cream, capers, and lemongrass. The mixtures of ingredients were unusual, but all worked brilliantly, the capers were like a seasoning to the beef and the lemongrass acted as a great contrast to the rich cream filling. The final act was the roasted pigeon, it was cooked perfectly, the sweet and sour taste coming from the honey and apple was sensational, and worked like a treat with the well-seasoned meat.

Tagliolini, mint, lamb, bread crumble

Pecorino burger with pear

Pear ice cream with honey

To sum it up, the meal I had at Ora d'Aria was totally Michelin star worthy, the cooking was modern, creative with no fussy or fancy element. What I also really enjoyed was the relaxing, casual setting of the venue, which matched the food offering really well. The lunch menu was a great way to try out supreme cooking without breaking your bank, the well mannered, friendly service was another big plus about the restaurant, great for people who enjoy fine dining without the old fashioned fuss.



Food 4/5

What I paid: 
£60 per head with wine (lunch menu)

Average cost without drinks and services:
£130

Via dei Georgofili, 11R, 50100 Firenze FI, Italy

https://www.oradariaristorante.com/en/