Saporium Firenze

Where to Eat and Drink Well in Florence for Wine Lovers

"To accompany Chef Ariel Hagen’s vibrant, ferment-forward cuisine, Saporium Firenze offers an extensive wine cellar of over 1,000 bottles in sync with its gastronomic vision. Seasoned sommeliers curate both prestigious and niche regional Italian wines with a focus on cool-climate grapes (considered ideal gastronomic wines) and on independent and biodynamic producers. The wine menu offers an impressive range of vertical tastings beyond the expected regional Tuscan labels. Connoisseurs will also appreciate the presence of rare vintages from over the last 40 years, particularly the ’80s and ’90s. Next door, Saporium runs an elegant lounge serving playful small bites , fine wines and a variety of modern cocktails with fermented and botanical extractions." - Coral Sisk

What to Eat in Florence and Where

"Perched along the Arno under the tower of San Niccolò, this kitchen reimagines zuccotto—sponge cake soaked with alchermes and filled with ricotta or gelato and chocolate—presenting it as an alchermes‑coated rose." - Coral Sisk

The 35 Best Restaurants in Florence, Italy | Eater

"Among Florence’s Michelin-starred darlings, Saporium is worth celebrating. The restaurant, which also has a green Michelin clover, looks like a mix between a Renaissance palace and an arboretum, while the food consists of various memorable tasting menus by chef Ariel Hagen. Combining the chef’s passions for fermentation and Italian biodiversity, dishes include taglioni dressed with sambuca flowers and fermented koji crema, risotto with sheep milk kefir and preserved lemon, and squab-filled agnolotti in eel broth. It’s all made with organic ingredients and wild botanicals sourced from Borgo San Pietro’s flagship resort in Chiusdino, a once abandoned Medieval family estate turned luxury villa on several acres of converted farmland. Know before you go: The speakeasy-style lounge next door offers cocktails accented with items like smoked juniper and fermented orange along with snacks like saffron bone marrow arancini." - Coral Sisk

"At this restaurant, Ariel Hagen, a young and friendly chef who, despite his name, hails from Florence, divides his time between the open-view kitchen and the tables in the dining room, where he happily explains dishes to guests and shares his enthusiasm for sustainability. His dishes are showcased on tasting menus but can also be chosen individually à la carte style from either menu depending on your preference. Among the desserts, don’t miss the Caterina De' Medici’s rose, a modern version of the traditional Florentine “zuccotto” cake with a beautiful combination of milk and Alkermes liqueur. The wine list is of the same high quality as the cuisine, featuring excellent labels with an impressive choice of wines by the glass, as well as some extremely rare labels from the 1980s and 90s that will be appreciated by wine connoisseurs. There’s also a choice of excellent Borgo Santo Pietro wines." - Michelin Inspector

"Saporium is the new fine-dining restaurant at the superb Relais Borgo Santo Pietro, an old property where the internal decor demonstrates a rare elegance, especially in the evening when hundreds of candles provide soft lighting and a romantic ambience in the dining room. In fine weather, meals are served under an elegant 13C portico overlooking the garden, with the property’s 100ha grounds and the Valle Serena as a backdrop. Much of the produce used in the cuisine (designed by executive chef Ariel Hagan and transformed by resident chef Luca Ottogalli into modern, delicate dishes) comes from the hotel’s own olive groves, vineyards, orchards and vegetable gardens. The focus here is on seasonal ingredients from this extraordinary region – the saddle of hare with cavolo nero and pear is a perfect example! A whole host of wine-pairing options are possible thanks to a wine list featuring over 1 300 labels. We recommend trying one of the Borgo’s own wines, such as the harmonious and elegant Pinot Nero." - Michelin Inspector