Il Santo Bevitore
Il Santo Bevitore is located in Oltrarno, on the other side of the Arno River. It is situated a couple blocks from the Ponte Vecchio.
We heard alot of good things about this restaurant so we very eager to have dinner here. We arrived early, so we decided to have some refreshing Prosecco at the bar while we waited for our table. The main bar area has a beautiful old-fashioned look with its marble surfaces and wood finishing. The rest of Il Santo Bevitore is also impressive. The dim lights, candlelight and wood floors set the tone for an ideal night.
The menu is extensive and we were very pleased by all of our choices. The staff speaks English and they have an English menu available upon request. Our waiter was terrific and keen to keep both our water and wine refilled. We found him to be attentive, yet not intrusive with the service. He was helpful and knowledgeable about the best wine to pair with our meal.
For the starters, we shared their signature charcuterie and the Tuna tartare. We really enjoyed the selection of meats and cheese. The flavorful layer of tuna marinated in olive oil and oregano was vibrant and fresh.
We had a number of items to share and each food was an amazing dish after dish. The grilled octopus was lightly flavored and very tender without being mushy. The risotto with squid ink and baccala was very tasty indeed with the right amount of salt and seasoning. The spaghetti Martelli with marinated anchovies, friggitelli peppers and pine nuts was amazing. My son raved over the Spaghetti alle Vongole. It had a good amount of fresh clams and when he was finished he took his bread and soaked up all the brothy sauce.
After dinner we all had coffee and split a couple desserts. We ordered the molten chocolate lava cake with lemon sorbet and an orange sauce. And the second was the cheesecake al limone. Both of desserts were rich and delicious.
If you're looking for a fabulous meal in Florence, consider Il Santo Bevitore. My whole family enjoyed it. If we return to Florence in the future, we'll be stopping by again.
Il Santo Bevitore is very popular in Florence, be certain to make a reservation as the restaurant fills up very quickly after opening.
Phone number: +39 055 211264
Address: Via di Santo Spirito, 64/66, Florence, Italy
Hours: Monday through Saturday 12:30 to 2:30 pm, 7:30 to 11:00 pm
Sunday 7:30 pm to 10:30 pm