There are few things certain in life; Florence is one of the best cities of art in the world and that Sergio’s is a favorite in the San Lorenzo Market.
Often hard to find, both because of location and name, half of us say we are going to Sergio’s the other half say Gozzi’s!
Finding Sergio’s is not easy as it is located on the side the San Lorenzo church, people often walk right by, but those in the know…. stop! There is a single glass door, with a step up, and a framed hand-written menu placed outside the door daily. Both Gozzi’s and Trattoria Mario’s are the two oldest trattoria’s and the regulars in the area enjoy both! Alternating between these classics.
Since I began going there years ago, Sergio has passed away and his son’s Alessandro and Andrea have taken over, respecting the family traditions. The trattoria has been open since 1915, they must be doing something right!
The huge double dining room with the art covered walls and brightly lighted room welcome a vast assortment of people.
My lunch yesterday was great as usual, I had a pureed bean soup with kale and croutons, my husband enjoyed their famous ragu on potato gnocchi.
A favorite main course, is something your nonna would have made if you were born in Florence! Called a Braciola Rifatto, Andrea’s mom made this all the time. A thin slice if beef is floured, egged and then dipped in breadcrumbs and then panfried. The Rifatto part is that it is then “recooked” in a fabulous tomato sauce.
Andrea had moist roast rabbit with roasted potatoes. House wine is good as is the coffee.
Usually when I am hungry I will have the roast pork filled with Tuscan herbs or the grilled veal chop.
A gottino of vin santo and cantucci. Florentines speak pretty pure Italian, but there are also local words for things. A gottino is a short shot glass and locals call biscotti “cantucci”. Vin Santo, holy wine, is a light dry sherry like dessert wine.
This is also the place to have a Florentine steak.
Trattoria Gozzi Sergio
Piazza San Lorenzo, 8/r
open for lunch only
Closed Sundays
055/281-941
Next time I’m in Florence, I wanna meet you there for dinner. It sounds amazing.
I’ll have the Florentine, please, with those handmade chips on the side. Oh, and half a bottle of house red.
If I ever go to Florence I will definetely have to seek them out..delightful place 🙂
Nice post. Definitely a place to check out. Sounds a little like Casalinga off of p. Santo Spirito.
Judy, like Mario’s, it’s only open for lunch?
We’ll be back in January and will plan on heading here for lunch. We love Mario’s, too – we had lunch with Ann Reavis there last trip.
Chris&Scot Vallejo
Ciambellina, yes – like Casalinga, each neighborhood has their place which is a favorite.
Chris – yes- open only for lunch, the parents of both Sergio’s and Mario’s were friends as are their kids and now grandkids! generations of pleasure and great food!