Teatro del Sale

We are so happy that our class introduced us to Teatro del Sale & the Sant'Ambrogio neighborhood. As study abroad students, we were grateful to get an authentic Florence experience. Although we did not get the chance to see a live show, we were able to see the beautiful stage and interior, and enjoy some of the best food! We loved how passionate everyone was about their job and Florence in general. We can't wait to go back and catch a show!

Teatro del Sale is the real highlight of a class trip I took with ISI Florence. The vibe here was so unique—part restaurant, part cultural hub. We had a delicious appetizer platter with fresh homemade bread, accompanied by prosecco to toast to the experience. It was the perfect balance of food, community, and creativity all wrapped into one. You really feel like you're a part of something special. If you're looking to step away from the tourist crowds and dive into Florence’s authentic side, Sant’Ambrogio Neighborhood is where you’ll find it. It’s the kind of place that stays with you long after you leave.

The entire evening was magnificent! This is a must when you go to Florence.$37.00 will get you a 6 course meal. The food was beyond delicious and I couldn't have asked for anything more! Be sure to either skip lunch or have a light meal because there is soooo much food during the dinner. You will be happy you did as you will want to taste everything. You're welcome 😉

I had a fantastic opportunity to visit the Teatro del Sale on a field trip through ISI and was delighted to see the interior of the building. Our group was also given some great food and some prosecco which truly elevated our experience to the next level. Thank you Teatro del Sale.

An amazing experience at a very reasonable price for what you're getting! Multiple courses of delicious buffet food and a unique piece of theatre every time you go; it was a highlight of our trip. In particular, me and my partner are vegetarians (the only vegetarians there), and once we had communicated this to the chefs, they took the time with each course to make a unique veggie option for us, keeping us informed about what was in each meal. We were blown away by the effort and care taken, as we were fully expecting to stick to one course throughout. Our advice, part of the experience is that it is very Italian, we would recommend having a grasp of the language basics and the whole show is in Italian too. You need membership to get in; we bought this and then sent an email to inquire about booking. Thank you for a wonderful experience!

Teatro del sale is a culture institution in town and if you want to spend an incredible dinner with outstanding food and enjoy music or show this is the right place. Membership cost you only €15 and all you can eat food €35 excl drinks. It sounds expensive,but what you get in return is pure quality throughout. It was pne of the most amazing discovery in Florence!

This was an amazing experience! We got a guided tour through Sant'Ambrogio and go to see places we now will be returning to! We started walking to Cibero Caffe, which was absolutely delicious with a warm and welcoming environment. We then headed over to the market where we tried fresh produce and walked around learning about all the different vendors. Finally we went to Teatro Del Sale, which was our classes favorite part. We learned all about the history of the theater and watched the chefs cook in the glass window kitchen! We had a tasting with our class and everything we ate was delicious! We will definitely be returning.

Absolutely love this place. For a small annual circo-lo membership fee you can come for lunch/brunch or the evening dinners which are always followed by some kind of show (small concerts, performances, etc). (You need to pay separately for each occasion though). The food is amazing, cooked by the famous Cibreo kitchen staff. It is served as a buffet style meal, with unlimited refills and wine. The whole place is extremely cozy, with wooden interior and books around. Plus you also get to peek inside the kitchen through a glass window. Start eating with self-control though, as more and more awesome dishes will keep coming as they are prepared! Also, subscribe to their newsletter as sometimes they have 2x1 deals.

This review is way overdue. We were here in September of 2019 ... After seeing chef Fabio Picchi on Somebody feed Phil I made a mental note to check out his restaurants while in Italy. The first night my husband and I got to Florence we decided to try our luck and see if we can get in to Circo Lo Teatro del Sale for dinner. And sure enough we got in. I was so excited for this experience. The staff was very friendly and helpful. One of the hostesses went out of her way to find us a small table cause the place was so full and mostly communal tables. The food was delicious. Everything we ate was flavorful, perfectly cooked and seasoned. We really enjoyed our dinner, we even met the chef in person. Unfortunately last year he passed away and it was heartbreaking. I'm very thankful that I got to taste his amazing food at this place and also his other restaurant Cibreo. Both places were amazing.

Have to try it. They have so much things to try. All kinds of great food that you will only see in Florence. The food was great. You have to become a member of the club, though. And pay attention to when the new dishes come out. They'll call it out and everyone rushes to the line to get it. It's a bit chaotic, but worth it (and there is plenty of food). It's about €32/per person +€7 membership fee. You get endless water, wine, and coffee.

We went to see a show with a friend and had no idea what we were getting into. You do need reservations & to get the membership before entering (easy to do), then get ready for the doors to open. As others have stated...get a seat fast! Dinner is buffet style but is more of a free-for-all, "no line". The cook will shout the dishes as they are offered. Get your own wine, water, caffe & dessert just outside of the dining area. Not for the timid. The food did not seem to stop...it kept coming, so watch out going for seconds at any point, because there will always be more until you hear "dessert". After dessert the chairs & tables are moved for the show. Amazing food, amazing concert. Great experience!

This was a dream come true to come here. I love Fabio Picchi and Maria Cassi! I had sough this place and simply walked in and made reservations for that night. Yes, you pay a membership fee. Seriously, this is more than an experience. This was an investment. When I made the reservation, Maria was there! Within a 2 minute walk was Fabio's grocery store, that I found serendipitously. FABIO WAS THERE! All sense of composure had a left me, as I ran up for a picture. Mind you, I live in Los Angeles. I see the occasional star and could give less of a thought. With Fabio and Maria? Yeah... I was probably scary. Okay, back on track. Once they opened for seating, you enter through an area you can get water or wine. Beverages are unlimited. Coffee was available with desert. Try to sit by the kitchen window! It will add to the experience and you will be closer to the food! I loved every course they dolled out. The apertivo table was constantly humming with amazing sides. The screaming from the window as they announced the next course just elevated the moment. All of your senses are being stimulated. I was overwhelmed in the most beautiful way. After the deserts the show begins! Maria Cassi was so full of life and joy, I didn't need to understand her to laugh and appreciate what she so openly and willingly gave to her audience. The 2 other girls I met from Abu Dhabi, whom I had invited, felt the same way. This place is a precious gem that I was humbled to be able to experience. The cost was so minimal for what we enjoyed. I know some people are not excited about paying a membership or an extra fee. Take my money. This was is something I will keep with me well beyond that day.

This is the best experience so far. It is €30/per person +€7 membership fee for a 20+ course meal in a self serve environment. You get bottomless water, red and white wine. Pace yourself as the dish is prepared the chef yells out from the window. Interesting the environment was open and people were quite friendly. I had quite interesting conversations with people sitting on the next table. After two hrs the tables are cleared and you are treated to an hr of theatre / live music depending on the day. I enjoyed listening to Italian music even though I couldn't understand a bit of that.

Teatro Del Sale is a special dinner theater in which you have to become a member of (6 Euros for non-Italians) to enjoy the privileges that are offered. The theater/dining area was beautifully decorated and our table was in a perfect location: near the back table where the food was served buffet-style and in clear view of the kitchen where all the moves of the chefs could be observed. The number and variety of the courses was overwhelming--there were probably around 20 total offerings overall. It was fun having the head chef shout out the contents of the upcoming course (in Italian so I had no idea what was going on) with so much gusto. My favorite dish was a sweet meat sauce over stuffed and fried ricotta pasta balls. We had banana gelato for dessert and it was so good that I went back for seconds! When it was time for the entertainment portion of the evening, all the tables were moved out of the way and we huddled our chairs toward the stage. It was a pleasure enjoying the amazing guitar abilities of the world-renowned flamenco guitar player, Juan Lorenzo! Be sure to check out Teatro Del Sale when in Florence, as the dining experience is unlike anything else in the world.

I can't sing their praises loud enough! This place is amazing! It was definitely such an experience! Words don't do it justice, you just have to go, to understand. You pay €7 to become a member, then Pay €27 for the dinner & unlimited wine. Yes, I said UNLIMITED WINE! The chef prepares course after course, pops his head out of the kitchen when a dish is ready and screams out what he's made. You then, get up, and get served. You will easily go through 10 small courses; everything,even the dessert, is amazing! Once dinner is over, they close the open kitchen, and then a show! We saw a delightful concert. Sometimes they have comedy shows, or plays, etc. Such a great concept! But make sure to make a reservation!!

A brief review of Teatro del Sale.....well, it is unique and quite a lot of fun. It requires a yearly membership as it is a club - so 5 Euros per person to get a card which is good for one calendar year. Then, you are entitled to eat breakfast, lunch or dinner. Each is buffet style, breakfast is 7 Euros, lunch 15 or so and dinner is 30. They are open Tuesday through Saturday. Dinner is a long event lasting from 1900 until they move the chairs and table around for the show at around 2130. Ours was a combination of live music, Tango and poetry. it can be opera, it can be comedy or just music. But it is ALL in Italian. If you attend dinner, which I highly recommend, you need to go in and immediately grab seating. Ignore the signs which appear to be reservations - they are not. Grab seats. GRAB seats. :-) As a buffet, it is a free-for-all...not for the timid as you must go get food as it is released very 10-15 minutes at a table. The main guy SHOUTS out the meals and makes a ton of Italian jokes which no one seems to pay any attention to....I watched the local men and got up when they did, etc. We ate breakfast and lunch in addition to dinner (why not?), and the food is exceptionally good. So in summary - for dinner it requires reservations (in Italian only) as they seat 99 only. You must get there early - I would say 1830 is far less of a mess than arriving at 1900 like we did as I had to get the memberships taken care of. The food is exceptional. It's an interesting place, wine and books all centric to the place but that's really no surprise - and it was friendly and utterly unique. I would say it's on the border of being a "must see and do" but it is not for everyone due to the casual approach and, like I said - it's a free for all to get food! Breakfast and lunch are normal, as they are not time-driven like the dinner show. At least 85% of the people attending were local or at the least native Italians. We've never seen or experienced anything like it and we have traveled quite a few places. Good stuff.

Came for dinner after hearing all of the other Yelp reviewers rave about it. I must say, we were NOT disappointed. After going for brunch earlier in the day, we knew the routine, and with our membership cards already in hand we arrived at about 7:15 and waited until the opened the curtains at 7:30. Luckily we had the benefit of Italy playing their second World Cup game that night, so the place wasnt as packed as I'm sure it usually is. When the curtains opened up we quickly grabbed a prime table near the front as recommended. When the food came - and it kept coming for 90 minutes straight - we were simply in awe. There is simply no way to be fully prepared for it. There were about 30 courses coming out of their beautiful kitchen and they were all magnificent. The top three dishes (be sure to save room because they save the best for last!) were meatballs with marinara, chicken and potatoes, and strawberry gelato. As for the show, be prepared as most shows are only in Italian as others have stated. However, we got lucky and got to see an Italian comedian who did part of her routine in English, which was great because we could actually follow along and enjoy some of the jokes she made about the local Florentine people. All in all it was a great night. Definitely a must-do for anyone traveling to florence that loves great food and great people.

We heard about Circo-Lo Teatro del Sale on Rick Steves sometime ago and enjoyed the theatrics behind this dinner theater. Upon arriving in Florence, we decided to go see what it was all about. We called to make reservations, and made our way over to the restaurant. Since everything is within 20 minutes walking distance in Florence, there was no need to take a cab. Upon arrival, we had to sign for some marketing membership and paid for everything up front. Everyone here gets the same meal, and you'll just know when you arrive what they intend on serving. Everything is at your disposal, wine, pitchers of water, espresso, the meal itself and dessert. You seat yourself, and hopefully near the food otherwise you get trampled by every senior citizen in the restaurant. One of the chefs will scream something wonderful out the kitchen, something like "come and get it" and then you scramble to pick up your plate of food. For what you get, it wasn't expensive at all and you get to see a memorable attraction. If I hadn't watched this episode from Rick Steve's, I'm not entirely certain that we would have known about this gem in Firenze, Italy.

Such a great evening out if you love food and music. Tucked away in a less touristy neighborhood, it delivers a unique must visit experience while in Florence. Note they are closed most of August as a lot of places are in Italy for the summer break but give it a shot if you're looking for a very unique and special experience beyond the normal tourist locations. Highly recommended!

Such a fun experience! Dinner was great, and like others have said, take small portions and pace yourself. I'm not sure how much they vary the menu, but our favorites were the mussels in a spicy broth and the chicken meatballs. One of the hosts that spoke English gave us a brief explanation of how it all worked, and we had no problems. The entertainment was all in Italian, so I'm sure it would have been better if we understood more, but we still enjoyed it. We made reservations in person a few days before and then showed up at 7pm the night of, and had no problem. Check the schedule before you go, because some nights they are closed for private parties/events.

The experience is fun, I enjoyed the buffet even with lots of people there is plenty to go around. The food was ok, nothing spectacular but there were a couple dishes I enjoyed. The kitchen had large windows so it was fun to watch all the dishes being prepared, you will definitely be full by the end of your meal. My favorite part was the show at the end , it is a long experience about 2.5 hours because the show happens after the dinner but you get your 30 euro worth in my opinion.

this was a most magical, and unexpected delight during my stay in Florence. I just happened upon it wondering around and was drawn in by the items I spied from the street, two of the photos below are accurate. The person inside was very friendly, and I learned it was a dinner theater. there was to be a dinner and performance the following night, my last in Firenze-so i thought I'd try. Everything was superlative, the food, the atmosphere, the show!-and I would include Fabio's bellowing from the kitchen as part of the show- I don't speak Italian, went alone, and was seated with a delightful family that didn't speak much English but we did enjoy each other's company-some things are beyond words. This is an experience that I would not miss out on, make it a point to go if there is a show. Absolutely perfect ending to my time in that beautiful city.

If you want a different dining experience try Teatro del Sale. It does not disappoint. What can be better than a dinner and a show. A painless and quick process for first becoming a member. After that jut walk in like a regular. We have been here several times and each one is a great experience. The food is plentiful, the shows are amazing, and the character of the place is a don't miss. Enjoy your evening here and come back for more.

What an experience! Abundance of good food. I like how the chef announces the new food that is coming out for the guest to enjoy. The performers that night were ok. This place is away from the Touristy area. We didn't have any reservation but they accommodate us. Can i add they have one of the cleanest restroom we've been to in Florence. we had a good time. We love the ambience, the food and experience!

Not for me. First you must be a member and pay 7€ per person. Food was mediocre at best. Wine from a box. No table service; buffet and they ran out of the main course; should have jumped ahead of the ravenous locals. The play (actually a comedy skit) was in Italian, wasn't much physical comedy to enjoy. This was overpriced (74€ including the membership) for food and entertainment. I don't like posting negative comments but this was our experience; I would recommend you check the menu and entertainment before making a reservation.