Review of Da Garibardi

We ate here on a Saturday night and the restaurant was packed with Italian families ordering bistecca alla fiorentina. It looked and smelled so good we have vowed to go back and order it, even though trying to eat that much beef would probably kill us!

My husband ordered delicious gluten-y things, and I had the gf ribollita (a thick soup made mostly of beans and dried bread, served with a good drizzle of olive oil and gf bread on the side for dipping) and the pici al cinghiale (really cool Tuscan noodles with a wild boar ragù, a tasty and typical local dish).

The food was excellent (I still can’t believe those pici!!) and the atmosphere as non-touristy as you can imagine. (They did have an English language menu, and the staff understood English, but they spoke Italian to us and we did our best to speak it back). Dress was casual but very chic; this is Italy, after all!

Overall, a great spot to eat excellent, AIC-accredited traditional Tuscan food. I recommend making a reservation, because the place is very popular (our reservation was for 7:15, which is quite early in Italy, but the place filled up quickly).

UPDATE: we went back and had the bistecca alla fiorentina! I am a butcher’s granddaughter, and I grew up in cattle county, and I’m telling you that steak was _incredible_. I had a really delicious crostone (toasted gf bread topped with kale, garlic, beans, and olive oil; don’t ask me how something so simple can be so good; it just is) to start, and we ordered roasted potatoes and broccoli as sides. Then the best tiramisu of my life, gluten or no gluten, for dessert. The waiter brought us complimentary limoncello with the bill. This was probably the best meal I will eat all year, if not all this decade.

If you decide to try the bistecca, just note that a) it’s meant to be shared b) you must order it rare c) it will be expensive, but _worth it_.

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Very

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Separate gluten-free menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Most/All

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent