Santa Elisabetta In Firenze

A taste that rivals any Michelin-starred restaurant in Seoul. A beautiful pairing.

Eating in the oldest tower in Florence, it's quite amazing to touch a stone thay was placed in the 6th century. The restaurant only has 6 tables, so definitely book in advance. All the dishes we had were lovely, i like their raw shrimp, the sole fish and the dessert (peach).

A fantastic experience in this 2 Michelin star restaurant, being pampered in this location is priceless, it is located in an ancient Byzantine tower. The dishes have refined flavors that cannot be tried elsewhere. Alex was able to illustrate our tasting journey to us, step by step at each course with passion and extreme preparation in his work. Wonderful environment Advised!

With two Michelin stars, the restaurant is located on the 2nd floor of the hotel. You have to sit in the sofa area on the first floor of the hotel and wait until you arrive outside to take a table. The dining space is located in an ancient tower built in the 6th century AD and can only accommodate 7 tables. The decoration is simple and the lighting is almost only based on a table lamp. Although it is enough for eating, there is definitely no lighting design for you to take pictures 😂 The guests are entertained with a highly controlled politeness and restraint. They always serve the dishes at the same time, confirm each guest's choice, and ask the guests what they think of each dish. It seems that I have never experienced this kind of outhouse service in Taiwan (maybe the Paris restaurant is closer) The quality of the food is commensurate with the two stars, the techniques are delicate but not difficult to understand, the flavors are layered but not complicated, some echo the tradition, and some are novel in orientation, but in the end they do not break away from the essence of Italian cuisine. Even if a few dishes are a bit hesitant, the overall flaws are not concealed. Welcome drink Originally it seemed to be champagne, but after we ordered non-alcoholic drinks, the restaurant took the initiative to change it. It had the delicate aroma of white cantaloupe, the citrus flavor of grapefruit, and finally the herbal aroma of sage. It was a rather elegant start and seemed to hint at some Asian flavors in the later menu. Appetizers Goat cheese/grapefruit Grapefruit gel makes the goat cheese smell feel light Oyster/bell pepper sauce The oysters are delicious and plump, the sour and spicy sauce and the bright green oil are simply delicious. Amberjack ham/horseradish Horseradish’s bright, spicy and herbal flavor is a crowd-pleaser Bread/mackerel/yuzu The bread was a little too soft, but the aroma of cooked mackerel was strong and the citrus flavor was nice chicken liver pate Use berries to make a glass-like shell, and then wrap it in rich and smooth chicken liver pate. The light sourness and sweetness of the berry skin makes the liver pate much softer. bread There are five kinds of bread sticks, the bread sticks are crunchy, the pepper aroma is good, the seaweed nut crisps are full and salty; the taralli shortbread has the aroma of brown sugar and the spiciness of ginger; the small piece of schiacciata bread with pork back fat has a good fat aroma, but the bread tastes a bit soft and sticky; the main bread itself is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and the olive oil and grassy bitterness when paired with it are wonderful Red shrimp/tomato bread/caviar The shrimp meat is soft and sweet, and the saltiness of the caviar adds a lot of color. The sweet and sour tomato wrapped in the crispbread roll in the middle is eye-catching, and the fresh aroma of olives and green oil at the bottom is also good. It seems simple but rich in flavor. The crispy cakes made with shrimp heads and shells on the side are basically shrimp cakes😆 Smoked amberjack/Bernaise sauce/lemon jelly/celery The smoky flavor of the amberjack is quite strong, but the flavor of the fish itself is not obvious. The egg flavor of the sauce is full, but a little too much. It is suitable for dipping into bread. Eel/Tosa vinegar/Almond/Tarragon A very Japanese dish, the eel skin is a bit crispy, the meat and oil are very delicate, but I don’t quite understand the logic of pairing it with almonds. The aroma of tarragon sauce is good, but it feels like it could be more, the balance is too Japanese. Duck/Peanut/Chestnut/Truffle/Raspberry The duck meat was a little dry, and the sauce was too much and the flavor was a bit mixed, especially the strong aroma of peanuts, but I really liked the sweet and sour taste of fresh berries. On the side is toasted crispy bread sandwiched with duck ham and liquid orange. It tastes good, but the main flavor is orange, and the ham doesn't have much presence. Straight noodles/seaweed cream sauce/bergamot/sea urchin/tuna roe The noodles taste great. The seaweed cream sauce has a rich seaweed aroma, followed by the salty taste of fish. Finally, it ends with the elegant aroma of lemon and bergamot. It should be my favorite dish today. Raviolo dumplings/ricotta cheese/Neapolitan meat sauce The meat sauce is rich in flavor and has a distinct tomato aroma. The dumpling wrapper has a good texture, but has a more traditional and earthy taste. Red snapper/sweet and sour basil sauce/onion sauce/garlic sauce Using bread to pretend to be fish skin is very clever. The bread is thick and crispy, wrapping the extremely tender fish meat. The contrast between the two is huge and eye-catching. The sauce base is a bit like canned mackerel in tomato sauce, but it adds a lot of depth with sweet onion sauce and garlic sauce. There are tomato-filled bread and mini waffles on the side. The bread is crispy, but the filling has too little flavor; the waffles are soft and paired with anchovy sauce. I don’t quite understand the purpose of putting them here. Squab/apple/teriyaki sauce/artichoke I also missed some notes here. I remember that the breast meat was a little dry, but it was paired with a lot of teriyaki sauce and applesauce, so it didn't matter. The pigeon legs on the side were cooked well, and they were paired with quinoa to add a crispy texture, and the leg meat was juicy. After the salty meal, the napkins and water glasses are replaced, which also reminds the guests to change their mood. I like this kind of thoughtfulness. Chocolate soufflé Let's go straight to the main dessert. It's a very big one and it's hot when served. The aroma of chocolate is full and rich. It's a straight-up dessert. But after the whole menu, such a portion is too much to bear 😂 Originally, the pre-dessert was moved to the end to clear the mouth, but I personally feel that it would be better to have it before the soufflé. I missed the note here, but my impression is that it is refreshing and delicious. There was tea at the end, but I couldn’t eat any more, so I packed it away. I gave five of them, including French fudge, chocolate, madeleines, etc. It was still delicious to eat the next morning.

We went here for Christmas brunch and it was outstanding. Everything is closed on Christmas day and Florence is a ghost town. Great time to wander and take photos. Highly recommend.

[Florence Restaurant, Santa Elisabetta] ⠀ I visited Santa Elisabetta, the restaurant I'd been most excited about during my culinary adventure in Florence. It earned one star in 2020 and two stars in 2021 and has maintained that reputation ever since. Along with Pinchiori, Florence's undisputed No. 1, it felt like a "restaurant that upholds the pride of Florence." Located in the heart of the city, it was easily accessible and boasted a great wine list, so I had my eye on it since I was planning my trip. Oh, when I made my reservation, I was told a window seat would cost an additional 50 euros. I clucked my tongue, thinking, "What kind of thing are they charging for?" But I ended up getting a window seat... (I couldn't resist my wife's enthusiastic encouragement... haha.) ⠀ When I arrived, I found out it was a small restaurant with only about seven tables. I was shown to my table and was glad I reserved a window seat. The ceiling was low and the space was cramped, so if I'd sat anywhere else, it might have felt a bit cramped. At least the window gave me a sense of openness, making it less stuffy. The building itself was reportedly used as a prison in the 12th century, so the cramped interior felt inevitable. I chose the full-course meal (nine courses). While the first seven courses were fixed, the ninth course was an omakase, a chef's recommendation. ⠀ Next, I requested the wine list. By the time I arrived in Florence, I was already halfway through my three-week trip to Italy. I'd been to countless wine shops and restaurants, and had already developed a deep-rooted distrust of the Italians, thinking, "Oh, those Italians sell their wines for a lot of money." So, I wasn't expecting much in the way of value. But, hoping for a chance, I opened the list. And sure enough, it was. All the wines were more than double the Searcher price, and I couldn't help but think, "Wow, this is worth the money..." I was really missing the French Michelin stars... After thinking about all sorts of things, I decided I had to try BDM since I was in Tuscany, so I chose the Coldorcia Poggio Alvento 95 Vin. It was a wine featured on "Drops of God," and even for me, it was a long time since I'd had it, so it brought back memories. To borrow a phrase from "Drops of God," it's said to resemble "a serious samurai driven by youthful energy and reckless behavior." Well, I'm not sure about the samurai aspect, but the storage and bottle condition were perfect, so it was incredibly delicious. And then we had dinner... The quality of the food? Well... overall, it wasn't all that impressive. To be honest, it was a series of disappointments. From the unremarkable amuse-bouche to the dry bread, and the lack of novelty in the dishes... As I ate, I found myself wondering, "Do I really not understand Italian cuisine?" and "Do I have to force myself to appreciate it?" A few days before visiting Elisabetta, I had also visited the one-star Il Convivino in Rome, but it fell far short of my expectations. Now that Elisabetta is also a disappointment, I'm afraid I won't have the courage to challenge myself for a Michelin star in Italy. The only thing I remember was the pigeon breast dish. It was incredibly tender and moist, with a meaty flavor that burst with flavor. It was surprisingly tasty and enjoyable. My wife, sitting next to me, initially thought, "How can you eat pigeon? It's scary..." but she ended up devouring every last bit. Haha. ⠀ Overall, I'd say, "The food may not meet expectations, but it's a great place to enjoy wine." The BDM Olvin bottle was in good condition, but more than anything, the sommelier meticulously controlled the serving. As if he believed that 'not even a single chemise is allowed for a lady,' I saw that there was no chemise in my wife's wine glass, not even the last drop, and I thought, 'Ah, is this the sweetness of Italian men...' Insta @nathan_jnjw

Nice hotel, ambience at table could have been better as I was staring into a wall while my fiancé looked out a window. Did like the minimalist decor. Service was attentive but painfully slow — dinner took 3.5 hours, and we had to take the petit fours home. (In contrast, just had a 6-course Roman Michelin tasting menu in <2.5 hours). Food was good — but not life-changing. Liked the pigeon and eel a lot, the signature fish (red mullet?) was a miss, as the meat was tender but extremely fishy.

Overall, it was beautiful food and great flavor! I think the wine pairing also went well with the food. Although all dishes tasted above average, considering the expectations of a Michelin-starred restaurant, the desserts and 1-2 dishes (e.g. duck and ravioli) were average. The service was overall friendly and we were grateful that they did not forget to congratulate us on our honeymoon.

Cuando decidimos visitar Italia, también nos comprometimos a probar una serie de restaurantes con estrellas Michelin (disfrutamos, y tenemos suerte, de tener una serie de lugares excelentes aquí en Chicago). Hicimos reservas para seis (! ) restaurantes, dos cada uno en Nápoles, Florencia y Roma. Santa Elisabetta es un restaurante íntimo (siete mesas) de dos estrellas en una torre de piedra de aproximadamente 1 , 500 años, ahora parte de un hotel de lujo. El comedor tiene relucientes pisos de madera, sillas de cuero, mantel blanco cubierto de mesas con una pequeña lámpara; parte de las paredes están expuestas, mostrando la antigua cantería. Ofrecen menús degustación de 5 , 7 , y 9 platos. Como siempre, seleccionamos el menú con más platos, junto con el maridaje de vinos estándar. El "Chef Experience" de 9 platos incluye elementos de los otros dos menús. No tenemos alergias alimentarias, pero no somos particularmente aficionados a las palomas. Esta ave estaba en el menú de 7 platos, seguro que también estaba en el 9. Respetuosamente, preguntamos si podría haber una sustitución y afortunadamente el chef podría hacer cordero en su lugar. Como era de esperar, tanto el servicio como la comida fueron excelentes durante las 4 horas y media que pasamos allí. Los maridajes de vinos eran realmente elevados cada curso, y estaban muy centrados en los vinos de toda Italia. Nuestro servidor (ojalá pudiera recordar su nombre) pasó mucho tiempo describiendo los vinos y enólogos. Quedamos tan impresionados con su conocimiento y entusiasmo por estos vinos, que le preguntamos si podía preparar una breve lista de tiendas de vinos. Esta fue la primera vez que hicimos una solicitud de este tipo. Encontramos el camino a una de las tiendas y compramos seis botellas.

We visited at the beginning of March to celebrate my husband's birthday, and it was an absolutely incredible experience. The food was stunning, so creative and delicious, and the service was impeccable. I can completely understand why the restaurant has 2 Michelin stars, extremely well deserved. We had the 7 course menu with wine pairings, and we were particularly impressed with the service from the sommelier Federico, he is so knowledgeable and interesting, he did a fabulous job explaining all the wines to us.