Cornettos and Cannolis
- Lauryn Nichole
- May 24, 2024
- 11 min read
When I shared that I was traveling to Italy, everyone's first question was always, “What are you most excited about?” My response was consistently the same: “The food!” The architecture, the course, and meeting people were all on the back burner—food was my number one priority! As a foodie who can chow down a rack of ribs in less than ten minutes, I couldn't wait to dive into Italian cuisine.
A Disappointing Start
Imagine my surprise when the first thing I ate here wasn't earth-shattering. My heart sank a little bit, but it was the first place I went to, I didn’t check the reviews, and it wasn’t true Italian food.
I ordered a blueberry muffin from Shake Cafe. I gave it a 5 out of 10. It was a slightly dry and lacked the punchiness of a true blueberry muffin. I was expecting sweetness, notes of cinnamon, and ripe blueberries, but it fell short – I honestly prefer my mom’s blueberry muffin recipe.
A 70 Euro Wagyu
Later in the day, my friends and I went to Paoli for dinner. I wanted a sandwich, but when asked what I had a taste for, I said nothing in particular. People-pleasing Lauryn strikes again! One of the group members suggested pizza, and Emily (our unofficial tour guide) found a restaurant. We put it in Maps and set off. Upon arrival, I got a little nervous. The waiters were dressed in white button-downs, black slacks, and nice shoes; they even had aprons on. I could tell this was going to be expensive.
We walked into this fancy restaurant and were seated in the middle section. Emily asked if we wanted to order waters for the table, and my face mirrored that of the people around me – confusion. She explained that water here isn’t free like it is in America. You have to order bottles of it for the table, and they are typically around 2-3 euro. This was my first culture shock. We decided to split two bottles of water among the table.
Once that was settled, I began looking at the menu, and sure enough, everything was expensive. I wasn’t in the mood for a heavy dinner, just a light lunch. I ended up finding one of the cheapest things on the menu, beef stew, and decided to eat that; it was 18 euro. When the waitress circled back, I placed my order and listened to what everyone else had decided to eat – risotto, gnocchi, fettuccine, and wagyu (this part is important). This restaurant did not have pizza, which was the whole reason we came.
Our food came out, and I was stunned into silence. When I ordered beef stew, I incorrectly assumed it would be similar to the American version – a brothy consistency with potatoes, maybe some carrots, and beef – oh, how I was wrong. I was served five beef chunks with a little bit of sauce and black peppercorns, and I was convinced there was no way I would get full, but surprisingly I did. We went around the table and rated our food; I gave my meal a 7 out of 10 - it was good, just not what I expected. Everyone else really loved their food, with 8s, 9s, and 10s being given out. The guy who ordered the wagyu said it was the best he had ever eaten in his life!
We all finished our meals and felt as if we could crawl into bed and enter a food coma! The servers came and took away our empty plates, and we sat and chatted a little while longer while we waited for the check – it never came. Eventually, a server returned with dessert menus asking if we would like dessert – we declined – but they were looking at us with confused faces and we were replicating that same confusion. I then asked where do we pay, and that’s when we discovered you rarely pay at the table for meals in Italy! You typically go up to the counter/register in the front to pay.
Splitting the Bill
Oh, okay! No big deal. We gathered our things and headed up to the front to pay, but instead of receiving six separate checks, we received one large bill. We asked if we could split the bill up, and the cashier interpreted that as splitting the bill evenly; this would mean everyone would have paid 35 euro (my meal was 18 euro). The majority of this check was coming from the 70 euro wagyu with a side of potatoes and a beer to drink! Some of the members in our group seemed okay with this divide, and I didn’t want to start a confrontation, so I reluctantly started pulling out my wallet when Brooke said she was not okay with paying 35 euro when her meal was only 15 euro. Thank the Lord! She then asked the cashier if there was any way to only pay for what each individual ordered; he had to get a manager to see if that could be done.
I would say this is the biggest culture shock I have experienced while here! It’s literally a foreign concept to only pay for what you ordered! I guess it could be chalked up to America being a more individualist country with European countries being more collectivist, but I really don’t know. It would have been a different story had all of our meals been priced around the same, but the wagyu was throwing everything off! I could not believe that some people were okay with that split! Jaw-to-the-floor! It was so outrageous that it has become a running joke throughout the trip. He said he would never forget the best wagyu he’s ever eaten, and I too will never forget this 70 euro wagyu!
After some back and forth, the manager was able to split up the checks; however, I got stuck with both waters on my ticket, which was about 6 extra euro. I did end up getting paid back, so that was good! This has been the case at most of the restaurants we have been to. It’s really difficult to only pay for what you requested, and most of the wait staff are not well-versed in how to split the bills. One restaurant flat out said no, we don't do that, “You eat together, you pay together!” This kind of started my alone-time eating adventures.
I will say the food here is extremely filling! The portion sizes are smaller, but I am still satisfied after the meal! That’s likely why the people here are so small! The quality of the food is just better. After dinner, I really wanted to grab some gelato! Emily took us to her favorite spot, Grom, and it was amazing! I had been craving lemonade since my arrival, so I ordered the lemon-flavored gelato. I get gelato almost every other day. It’s hard to resist.
The Good!
Now onto some of the best food I have had here!
This section of food has brought me immense joy! The days where I have eaten at these places have made me the happiest and left me with the feeling of home! There will be days where I am craving some fries and lemonade from Chick-fil-A or a quesadilla from Blue Coast Burrito, but eating at these places, though the cuisine is different, makes the homesickness fade.
Starting off strong with Amalfi Pizzeria! My mouth is watering thinking about it. I have come to realize that I am a big fan of quality bruschetta, and Amalfi has the best I have tried thus far. Who knew toasted bread with garlic, some herbs, sliced cherry tomatoes, and olive oil could be so good? The quality of the olive oil is like nothing I have ever tried. I have heard numerous times that olive oil can be used to season, but I have never believed that because the flavor is so flat (at least American olive oil is). What kind of seasoning could it possibly provide? But here, pour me a glass, I could sit and drink it! It’s so flavorful and has a rich olive flavor with some deeper notes that are impossible to put into words. The tomatoes are fresh, and there is not a blemish in sight, and it’s so filling. I loved it so much that I went back the very next day and ordered two of them as my dinner!
Next up is Caffe Fiorenza! To date, the best thing I have had in Italy is from here! Their pistachio cannoli with a caramel and peanut shell is revolutionary! This is what I was expecting when I envisioned mind-altering Italian food. This cannoli saved the food experience for me. The shell literally tastes like a caramel apple coating and the timing could not be more perfect since I just got my braces off! Anything with caramel is an automatic purchase! The pistachio filling is so rich and creamy, it just melts in your mouth. I even bought one for my suitemate, who is a big pistachio fan, and she loved it too!
The second thing I have purchased from there is a plain croissant. Nothing about this croissant is plain. It is the best croissant I have ever put into my mouth! Nothing else can compare; when I return home and eat my Publix croissants, a part of me will weep remembering the delectable delight from Italy while eating this mediocre imitation. A sinful replication of what should be. The croissant is light and airy, sweet but not too sweet, and the bread is everything bread should be. They top it with a light glaze of what I can only assume to be a mixture of sugar and honey, and it’s otherworldly - I don’t really like honey, but this is amazing.
While not in Florence, I feel as if this place must be recognized! During one of our weekend trips to Rome, we stumbled along Binario Zero Caffe for breakfast. Our server was incredibly kind and funny, and the food was really good. Most of the girls ordered the Continental Breakfast, which came with toast, eggs, bacon, ham, cheese, orange juice, and your choice of a cappuccino or espresso all for nine euro! I am greedy and ordered all of this plus a side of pancakes with fruit. I am just not a toast girly and was in dire need of some pancakes and fruit! I had been craving fruit ever since I got here and was so happy to see it was an option on their menu. I have never had eggs that were that good! I don’t know what they did to them, but they were amazing. That food has been the highlight of my trip, and our server received my first European tip! One of the girls, Kyla, had placed her bag on the back of the chair, and our server came behind her and grabbed the bag, teasing that if I were a pickpocket, I would run off with my new bag, so keep it in your lap! She joked around with us, recommended things we try, and gave fun aunt vibes.
For my dose of “American food,” Brooke and I went to Il Bovo and ordered burgers and fries! Sometimes you just need a good burger, you know? We also loved this place because you paid before you received your food, so we were allowed to order separately and pay individually.
The Bad
I am being slightly dramatic when I say the food was bad, so take it with a grain of salt. We are using an adjusted scale; normally, bad would equate to Rivergate Panda Express, but that's not the case in this scenario. Bad simply means it was okay.
Shake Cafe is going into this category! They have burned me twice at two separate locations! How they have as many locations as Walgreens in Middle Tennessee, I have no idea, because the food is incredibly mid. But just like Walgreens, they are on every corner. You already know about the blueberry muffin, but on another day, I decided to try out their Chicken Caesar Wrap and was so disappointed. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me! I should’ve known better. The Caesar dressing was non-existent; I just got a mouthful of parmesan cheese, and it didn’t even taste all that great. Now, I know better and will not return.
Then we have Benso’s. Here I ordered the ravioli with a ricotta and spinach filling in a creamy tomato sauce. The food was actually really good! The portion size is what I had an issue with. I was served seven ravioli, and I was still hungry by the end of the “meal.” Luckily, there was a bread basket meant for two on my table, and I used all of the bread to sop up the sauce, so I didn’t go home hungry.
Lastly, is Amalfi Pizzeria’s seafood pasta. This one is low-key a joke. The pasta tasted decent; however, the shrimp was served whole, as in the head was still on, and I could see the shrimp’s eyes. Now, we all know I am no vegetarian/vegan, but something about seeing the animal's face is unnerving. I decapitated all the shrimp and put them underneath my napkin. After that, I no longer wanted to eat it.
The Ugly
I bestow this title on one restaurant and one restaurant only: MaMMaMia. As a restaurant, you have to pick a struggle. You can either have bad food but decent customer service or good food and bad customer service like Caffe Fiorenza. MaMMaMia unfortunately has bad customer service and bad food. I ordered the bruschetta and a sausage pizza.
I was excited to try their bruschetta since I loved the one from Amalfi so much, but when I got it, it was disgusting. I took two bites and put my fork and knife down. The bread was bland and barely toasted. The tomatoes lacked any kind of flavor, and they were not cut up small enough.
The pizza, however, was something else:
My first time at this restaurant, the food was not as bad, but the customer service still left much to be desired. The food is very average and not worth the price. If you are ever in Florence, stay FAR FAR away.
I tried wine for the first time, and it’s very fitting that it be in this category. For my class, we did a wine-tasting lecture and tried three different bottles of wine. They were all horrible. I don’t know how anyone willingly drinks that. If you do, power to you.
We tried a white, a red, and an orange wine. The white wine tasted like rubbing alcohol, and the red wine tasted like pure acetone. I gave the orange wine a 2 out of 10. Others in my class hated the orange wine and were shocked to learn that I gave it higher than a zero. Needless to say, wine is not for me.
Tastes Still to Explore
I have really enjoyed trying out different breakfast spots; although I don’t know if it can be considered breakfast since I don’t make it there till 1:30! I have been to three different breakfast cafes so far and hope to go to more. I will typically get pancakes or some kind of pastry item. I believed I was trying Italian breakfast until I saw the receipt of one of the locations, and it said “American Inspired Cuisine!” I was so disappointed, but it was really good.
My class isn’t till 3:20, so I have lots of time to explore different brunch places and markets. I like to compare the Chai’s and rank them. The best I have tasted so far has been at Caffe Mario! It had the perfect ratio of milk to chai spice, and if I had the money – and the lactose tolerance – I would buy one every day!
Florence has some really cool markets that are similar to our farmers' markets. I had to go to one for class. I went to the Sant'Ambrogio market and bought some strawberries! They were so good and red through the middle. The market has butcher stands, seafood, pastry counters, fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, and so much more! There is another market I could have gone to for the project, but I chose that one, so sometime next week, I want to go to the other market to compare.
Before I leave, I have to go to a cooking class. I am currently looking into taking a pasta-making class, and I think that would be so much fun! I also want to visit a Trattoria. This is a place that will serve regional home-cooked meals. The menu options are typically family recipes, and the establishments are family-owned. I think it would feel very Sunday dinner-esque.
I have a little over a week left, and I can’t wait to try more food!
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