Trattoria La Casalinga

We stumbled upon this place while exploring the area and it turned out to be the perfect choice for lunch. The atmosphere was cozy and welcoming, with a genuine, homey vibe. The staff were incredibly kind and attentive, making us feel right at home from the moment we sat down. The food was absolutely delicious,classic Italian comfort dishes, full of flavor and clearly made with care. Everything tasted fresh and authentic. And considering the quality, the prices were very reasonable, which made the whole experience even better.

Great traditional Italian food, excellent service, and a cozy atmosphere. The location is easy to reach. We didn't have a reservation but still got a table - though I highly recommend booking ahead. Our waiter was friendly and made us feel welcome. We had a great time and can't wait to come back!

The food was good but it’s like other touristy Florentine restaurants, nothing special. We came because of various reviews but found them exaggerated and unreliable. Price is reasonable though. Reservation recommended as there is a line of tourists like us who probably read the same reviews!

Sometimes when you're traveling, it can be really difficult to find the right place — somewhere you can truly enjoy a meal in a homely atmosphere. I'm not a fan of touristy spots or flashy restaurants. I prefer home-style cooking, something in the spirit of alla nonna. When I arrived in Florence, I asked my friends to take me to exactly that kind of place. And this restaurant was exactly what I was hoping for — a place where the food feels homemade and the atmosphere makes you feel like part of the family. From the warm, attentive, and genuinely heartfelt service to the cozy interior and, most importantly, the simple, delicious, and traditional food — everything here made me feel like I had suddenly acquired an Italian grandmother who just cooked me a real dinner with love and years of experience behind it. I highly recommend visiting this restaurant. Go for the traditional dishes. They might not be overly sophisticated or artistic in presentation, but what you'll get is that warm, comforting feeling of a homemade meal — even if you're miles away from home.

I don't know where to start. I would simply recommend this place with "Just Visit!" Reasonable pricing, down to earth and genuinely tuscan menus, attentive staff with no excessive fake kindness (it's my best compliment - might not be others cuppa) Artichoke cream gnocchi was the best. I'm just so sad I was too full to try more.

Almost didn’t come as saw a recent midrated/bad review, but this place was our favourite dinner spot in all of Italy on our trip. Spaghetti bolognaise was to die for, and the tiramisu was elite. florentine steak of course was fantastic, and very reasonably priced. We went twice during our 3 day florentine stay. Very local focussed, don’t try upsell wine etc

Nice bread, spinach and proper pasta. The menu wasn't labelled for vegetarian/vegan but you could make it up with a few of the sides. We had to ask for pasta with just tomato sauce and no cheese and they were happy to accommodate the choice. Service was awesome, nice people even after it got pretty busy when we got in.

I ate here in 1976 and it's still owned by the same family. Home style cooking with large portions. We were seated late, but the food was freshly prepared. Wonderful experience in all ways.

What a great find while wandering Florence. A superb experience with the staff and food. The menu had so many options. They had a great outside patio but the true beauty was indoors. The restaurant felt so homey and the vibe was just serene.

I had the spaghetti ragù and roasted chicken breast (no pics). The service and food are fantastic. We were waiting in line for pizza next door but it started to rain really hard so we left that line and came here. Sometimes happy accidents are the best. Fantastic meal

Casalinga was recommended to me as an authentic Italian trattoria that had gluten free optoins - and it was the best recommendation of my trip! I got the gluten free pasta (two options, a short pasta or a spaghetti) with the ragu sauce. The ragu was the best I've ever had! It tasted like it had been simmering for hours. We arrived around 2pm and were seated right away, but as we were leaving there was quite a long line of folks waiting to be seated. Trust me - the food would be worth waiting in line for a table! My friend is not gluten free and she got the tortellini which she said was amazing! I would highly recommend if you're in the area!

Our second night in Florence, and we stopped by this gem of a place because it was recommended by our host because of the steak. Apparently, this is a specialty of Florence. We were seated at a nice table right away. We started with a delicious Chianti at the table. There's bread and olive oil at the table. We noticed that the bread was bland but I think that's what the olive oil is for! We decided to share all our food and started with bruschetta. The tomato is fresh and perfectly seasoned. It comes with four slices. Next we ordered ravioli and a pasta dish with duck sauce. Sorry that I don't have photos is that because we are it up! The raviolis were good but not the best ever; however the pasta with duck sauce was super delicious. Pasta was cooked to perfection. Now the steak. It was a little over two pounds. It was delicious. Although we said medium rare, it came more rare than some in our party would've liked. I thought it was delicious although I may have told my husband to cook it a little more if we were home but for some reason it didn't taste rare. I can't explain it. Maybe it's the beef, maybe it's the aging. Maybe it's because we're in Florence! Lastly, cappuccino. I am addicted. The coffee is great everywhere. Honestly, the other day I drank 5 espressos throughout the day and still was able to sleep. But I digress. The waitstaff is nice. The menu is in Italian...no translation but the waitstaff will help if you speak English. The restaurant is cozy like most here.

My neighbor recommended TLC, and luckily it was near the airBNB. They serve traditional Tuscan food, in an al fresco setting. For an antipasto, I ordered anchovies & olive oil w/ eggs, and for my primo I had the roasted pork. I forgot what mija & ITC ordered. To accompany the meal, we ordered a Tuscan chianti recommended by our waiter. First of all, the anchovies were amazing! They were large, silky smooth and paired well w/ the eggs atop crusty bread. This antipasto is very Tuscan. Secondarily, unfortunately the pork was dry. However, the flavor was really good from the seasoning and natural juices. Lastly, the wine was an excellent rec. The chianti paired well with the savory food. Regarding the ambiance, the are tables inside and outside. However, the inside is almost like eating al fresco bc of the open doorways. The service was very friendly & warm. We were lucky to get a table quickly w/o prenoting. Restaurants in the area were very busy on a Mon night. TLC was a very good rec fr my neighbor. They offer tasty Tuscan dishes in a casual setting, and the service is welcoming.

Recommended by our food tour guide. On the not-so-busy side of there river. Got there early so there was no wait nor any need for a reservation. Ordered the fish in tomato sauce, and chickpeas , the anchovies and boiled egg appetizer, and the spinach contorni. Excellent food, though the spinach was a little plain. Worth a visit. Friendly staff, many of whom speak English.

This restaurant was recommended by a local chef, and we were thrilled to find out was only a 3 minute walk from our apartment. Trattoria la Casalinga is a lovely restaurant and our server was helpful and charming. The menu is only in Italian, but he spoke perfect English and made suggestions to guide our choices. We srarted with a salad of thinly slices, raw baby artichokes and shaved parmesan. Add some fresh fresh pepper and it was so tasty. Two pasta dishes were great! Homemade pasta doesn't need much to complete it, and the asparagus sauce on my pasra was light and slightly creamy with bits of asparagus. The cheese ravioli was simply dressed with butter and fresh sage. Deloghtful! We finished with a ricotta cheese torte that was dusted in chocolate and a crispy crumb-type topping. Fantastic! So glad we chose this over panna cotta, which is available at most Italian restaurants back home. Then, sweet wine served with cantucci (biscottti) for dipping. What a great mreal!

During my summer in Italy, I lived in the Oltrano district, which is filled with excellent restaurants, lesser-known-to-tourists. My landlord said I should try Trattoria La Casalinga because it tasted like the meals his mom and grandma make. And he was being sincere. So, I went here and ordered 5 courses on my first night. I loved each course, starting with the zucchini salad dressed with EVOO, and concluding with the standout: Tuscan-styled fried chicken, which had the crispiest skin and juiciest meat I've ever had. Traditional Tuscan cuisine includes salumi and cheeses, pesto dishes, and wild boar ragu, so try these while you're in the area. I loved that it wasn't a pretentious place, and it was filled with regular locals, so I ate there at least once a week before I left Firenze. You'll need to go to their website, and send an email for a reservation, just because it is so popular and populated. They usually respond within an hour or so. Normally, you need 2-3 days in advance to get in. I never got to sit outdoors, but the restaurant is in Piazza Santo Spirito which is super vibrant at night. Loved the area.

Recommended by a local! Off the main road, but close to the palace! Dog friendly as well!

We've gone to a few Michelin star rated restaurants while in Florence and this was the best food we've had. Our server Andrea was a Gentleman and gave us excellent recommendations. Every time he came back to check on us, my plate was empty and you can tell he appreciated how much we appreciated the food. The restaurant itself was very nice and not a tourist trap. We will be back for more every time in Florence and recommend you try it. Pricing was excellent and I thought there was a mistake at first because the same meal in NYC would've been easily double.

Bruschette solide. La ribolita era molto saporita con una consistenza molto densa. il ravoli era buono ma avrebbe potuto usare un po 'più di sapore nel ripieno.

Amazing food and servers that are truly attentive. We did not have a reservation (on a Tuesday) and miraculously a table appeared even with a seemingly full house. They helped to make our daughter's 18th birthday "the best birthday of her life". The steak, pappardelle, and "3P" were delicious. Oh and the Affogato! so so so delicious. The setting is quiet and authentic. Please do yourself a favor and experience a memorable meal from a caring and thoughtful staff. We will 100% return. Thank you for a lifelong memory.

Can't understand the good reviews at all. Grumpy, hectic waiters (except for one), mediocre food. The icing on the cake: the boss(?) at the till pours leftover red wine out of carafes and sells it again! He also does this quite obviously at the counter. Disgusting!

One of the restaurants I wanted to try in Italy and it definitely did not disappoint! Since the menu was all in Italian, we just asked the waiter for the three most popular pastas. The three recommendations were a pesto, a spaghetti, and a ravioli. The pesto was a table's favorite! The pesto sauce was delicious and the chunks of meat made it a standout! The spaghetti was pretty good, very light. As for the ravioli, they're huge! I wish there was a sauce for the ravioli, but I understand they want to let the fresh pasta shine. The dishes came out so fast too! I remember going to the restroom and when I came back, the dishes were already at our table! You can definitely tell it's homemade pasta. PASTA IN ITALY IS NO JOKE, IT IS BETTER!

My friend and I loved this restaurant during our stay in Florence & found it to be pretty authentic (as far as we can tell). As with any good restaurant, there was a bit of a wait to be seated- which we didn't mind too much because they had a stand with peanuts out that we could snack on while we waited. Once we were seated we had a chance to look over the menu & make the tough choice of what to order. I went with the ribollita, which our waiter said was a traditional Tuscan soup. It was truly delicious with great flavor. It was a hearty soup and was definitely substantial enough to stand alone as a dinner entree. My friend loved her pasta with duck sauce that was on the appetizer menu as well! This trattoria appeared to be family-run; we had a great meal here and would definitely recommend!

@justpadge_eats The chicken was a tad on the dry side but simple seasoning tasted good and the roasted potatoes had crack on them I tell you I couldn't get enough of them. The Cantaloupe and Prosciutto combo was interesting but certainly worked. The highlight of the meal was dessert Limoncello made into a sorbet, come on!

We were in Florence (Firenze) looking for an authentic typical Tuscan meal and dining experience. Tour books say to avoid the typical tourist places and eat in the "Oltrarno" area on the other side of the Arno River - crossing over the Ponte Vecchio. Yelp found us Trattoria La Casalinga (The Home-maker's Restaurant). Found in a small side street in Oltrarno this very typical Tuscan style restaurant is a reach back into the past with authentic stews and preparations found in a true Italian home. We started off with an excellent Classic Chaniti and moved onto a simple but amazing spinach and ricotta ravioli. The main course was an amazing Arista di Maiale al Forno - broiled pork chop and Peposo dell Impruneta - a succulent beef stew. The pork chop was perfectly cooked and not dried out. The beef stew is literally what "Mama" makes (yes Mama was in the kitchen cooking and making sure everything was perfect) and the use of peppercorns in the stew is something I may steal. We ended the meal with a limoncello sorbet and a tartufo "drowned" in coffee! If you want authentic Tuscan food, put on your walking shoes and hop over the bridge to visit Trattoria La Casalinga. Ask for the charming Vincenzo and be ready for a really amazing meal.

It was raining and boboli gardens was closed. We window shopped the antique stores and browsed for clothes. Eventually, hungry, we hit yelp and turned up this place. 10 mins to open so we went around the corner to Volume for an aperitivo. Finished, we headed here and were seated without a reservation because of the rain. A mix of locals and tourists on our night. We chatted up the Firenze couple next to us and then enjoyed our meal. Artichoke and cheese was ok. Carciofi could've been roasted rather than close to raw. Wife's minestrone of sorts was excellent on a rainy night. My rabbit was a little dry but still good and after knife and fork had done their best I used my hands like a Texan would. Dessert was a slice of apple pancake with ice cream and went down fine. Good find. Make a reservation.

We had heard that we needed to be in line prior to opening, so we got here early and were the first people in line. Luckily, we did not have to wait too long, and we were escorted to the back room since we did not have a reservation. Ended up getting the cheese plate, pesto, and ravioli with butter and sage. The cheese plate was delicious, with the exception of the gorgonzola (we are not huge blue cheese fans). The pesto was delicious as well, one of the best pesto dishes we had in Italy. However, the ravioli was pretty plain to be honest. I am sure they wanted the focus to be strictly on the ravioli, which is why it didn't really come with a "sauce," but it was a real disappointment since I literally had the best ravioli of my life the night before lol. We decided to just dip the rest of the ravioli in the pesto sauce to give it some more flavor, which definitely helped! All in all, it was an okay meal. We are definitely glad that we tried it, but it probably would not stay on our "must go here" list if we ever get a chance to go back to Italy.

The Florentine steak they're so famous for was a huge let down. We asked for it rare, and it turned up medium. When we asked the waiter about it, he said that it was indeed rare but it was a female cow, not a male one which usually looks red when rare, or something like that which didn't really make much sense to us. To me there's nothing worse than an overcooked steak, and to pay big money for one like this just hurts me. Honestly the taste was not that standout, chewy just like any other overcooked steak, and I fully believe that if it was cooked more rare it would have tasted better. The rest of the side dishes were average as well.

So good and simple! Truly housewife cuisine. Don't miss this place on your trip to Florence!

I desperately wanted to love this place, especially after reading the positive reviews, and being highly recommended by our tour guide. La Casalinga is known for its traditional, home-style Italian cooking, with affordable prices and decent portions. It is only open from 7-10pm for dinner, and gets extremely packed, so plan to arrive early or make a reservation to guarantee a table. The hubby and I arrived around 7:30 and were seated right away (guess we just beat the dinner crowd?!). Our waiter was polite, and brought out our bread and water quickly (again- reminder that water and bread service is NOT complimentary in Italy). We quickly realized that the menu is very big and entirely in Italian. With the help of our waiter and google translate, we ordered a few dishes that we thought were ravioli, meat balls (Bolito misto con salsa verde) and scallops (scallopini. I asked our waiter for seafood recommendations- at which point he pointed to three items, the branzino and two forms of scallopini). The ravioli was exactly as we had expected, a solid dish. However, we quickly found out that Bolito misto con salsa verde was an array of what seemed like grilled/boiled meat (ours contained pigs foot, beef tongue, half a chicken, and some cut of pork) accompanied by a parsley sauce. Sallopini? Definitely not scallops, but a thinly cut, grilled piece of pork. As someone who doesn't particularly love meat, I had a difficult time with the main course. The hubby, on the other hand, ended stuffed after consuming (and enjoying) 2 pounds of meat. The prices are extremely reasonable- for how much meat we ordered, the house wine, and our appetizer, our total bill only came out to ~$30. Our waiter (despite his language confusion), was extremely attentive and friendly. As one of the few tourists in this restaurant, we did not know that bills are to be paid at the front check-out counter. He kindly did it for us. Towards the end of our meal, the restaurant quickly became crowded with local diners, with a line out the door. All in all, a solid, classic Italian meal. However, it just wasn't my cup of tea.

Famous for the steak, although they are not able to give you a small portion. They tried to cut a small portion for us, but even then, it was 0.9kg. Shared between 2 people, we definitely had food babies after the meal. I highly recommend getting a salad or some vegetable antipasti, it's a LOT of meat! Like most good restaurants in Florence, the place fills up by 8pm, so come early or reserve. They have seating in the back, as well. When we went, it was mostly locals and Italian tourists, with a handful of English speaking tourists. We enjoyed the place, but don't think we'd get the steak again if we went back (unless we share among 3+ people, haha).

Hearty Italian food good for groups or couple of friends to have a good time. It's spacious inside and there is a room with artful decors and the laughter of diners echoing through. Service is super fast and efficient. Wonderful. Menu is in Italian and you will need help from the waiters for translation. The waiter does recommend quite standard items like pasta with duck sauce and their pork. If you wanna go with less mainstream items like prosciutto with melons, you gotta request it yourself. Great place to have an evening out across the oltrarno river. Prices are very affordable and the place makes you feel like you are under paying for such a nice ambience. A stroll back across the arno river will be a nice after dinner walk.

I had the sliced steak and spinach as a side. Steak was cooked perfectly, with great flavor. The spinach was good, but I didn't like it as much as I like creamed spinach. For dessert I had something called croccantino di gelato all'amarena. I highly recommend it! Pictures are attached. I hope to go back tomorrow.

Wow the food was amazing. Everything was fresh, great portion sizes and absolutely delicious. The service was great as well with all the wait staff being very helpful Nd accommodating. The atmosphere was so fun too...lots of young people! Highly recommend making a reservation here as it was full and there was a line out the door before it opened! Absolutely amazing!

Casa Linga was actually recommended by the owner of the hotel we stayed at in Montrosso. Turns out it's not really some secret little place and instead it's pretty well-known and very busy. Translation: Make a reservation any day of the week, especially if it's not the dead of winter! It's on a little side street but not really hard to find. The best we could do it a 7pm reservation, which is when they open. By the time the doors opened there was already quite a line to get in. Once inside its bigger than it looks with a couple different rooms. Its nice but not a fancy place with home-style Italian food and wine at reasonable prices. We were promptly seated and given menus, which as others have noted are not in English. However our waiter was helpful and able to translate whatever we needed to understand. The menu has most of the basics on it along with some steaks that we didn't try but looked pretty good. The ravioli I can say is quite good however. Also the house chianti was pretty good. Our service was fine if a little hurried, at least by Italian standards. It's worth a visit if you want a good basic meal at decent prices. Just make a reservation.

MUST EAT restaurant in Florence. One of the best and freshest dinners I've had in my entire stay in Italy. Casa Linga translates to housewife, it's incredible. One of the most incredibly tasting Italian places, I loved their meats, pastas, antipasto, and of course, CHEESE. Upon entering you notice the home like decor, family style everything. The kitchen is composed of Cooks in their 60s servicing family recipes passed down by generations. I would call, make a reservation and show Up Early. The area it's nestled in is called Santo Spiritu, a trendy younger area to have good food, enjoy music, and dance in the streets. Big fan of this area. Highly recommend coming here more than once and trying a little bit of everything! Enjoy your visit - I know I did!!!!

This has to be one of my favorite trattoria's I've tried in Florence so far because even though it's located in a somewhat touristy piazza (right next to piazza santo spirito), their menu prices and food portions are VERY reasonable. Make reservations if you can because this place gets PACKED. For dinner yesterday evening (it was a Wednesday); if we didn't make reservations for 9, we probably would have not been seated immediately because were little groups of people here and there waiting outside. I'm a fan of the food very much! We ordered bruschetta and melon with prosciutto. SO good. My main dish was the tortellini in sugo di coniglio (rabbit) and it was really hearty and yummy. I tried some of my friend's trippa al fiorentina and it was delicious as well! Other people in my group got the pesto pasta, spaghetti al pomodoro, and the gnocchi dish. All the primo piatti range from about 6-8 euro; definitely worth it for the portions you get. Another one of my friends ordered the carpaccio and I really liked it for my first time trying some. Service fee is 2 euro, and they bring out bread! There is no English translation of their menu so I would recommend coming here with prior knowledge of common Italian dishes.

I think the best item here was the ribollitta. If we didn't have that, I'd say that this meal was about average. Pasta was okay, I've had better on my trip. There's no English menu as of July 2016. I wouldn't classify this restaurant as catering to tourists, as it felt authentic, but maybe the food just wasn't the best. Service was typical Italian. You'll sit here for an hour no matter what you do.

3.5 stars. Reservations recommended, but on a Tues night in February we were able to snag a table on short notice. The menu is all in Italian, but our waiter was happy to help translate and make recommendations. The menu changes frequently, but the items in all caps are the favorites/recommended dishes. The much-hyped Florentine steak was good and tasted really beefy, in a good way, but J's conclusion is that Texas steak is still better because of the presence of a nice char and also a thicker cut to the slab of meat. My butter and sage ravioli was a little disappointing. Maybe it's because my American palate likes more flavorful food, but I just felt like it was a little bit bland, despite the loads of Parmesan that I was adding and despite the amount of buttery oiliness that was present in the dish. The desserts were the highlight of our meal: * Profiteroles were great! Not too sweet but sweet enough and rich enough to please. * Schiacciata alla fiorentina (a moist white cake with a central layer of mildly orange-tinged cream) was delicious! I usually don't like citrus-y desserts or baked goods, but there was just a hint of orange flavor to the cream so it was good.

Delicious food, friendly staff, couldn't ask for more. The menu is in Italian and was hard to understand, our waiter saw us busting out Google translate and promptly came to translate it for us. We would have gone back had that not been our last night in Florence. Highly recommend.

Great place near Palazzo Piti for home style Florentine food. Very friendly atmosphere.

Amazing, homestyle Italian food. The anchovy starter is simple, but ingredients are outstanding--wonderfully briny and meaty anchovies, fruity olive oil, and the added texture of boiled eggs that take on their flavors. The ribollota soup, though not the prettiest dish in the world, was hearty and bursting with flavor. My kids downed the spaghetti carbonara like no business--again, super simple: spaghetti, eggs, bacon, but the best plate of carbonara in our whole time in Italy. And their steak with arugula, parmiggiano reggiano, balsamic vinegar was a beautiful symphony of contrasting flavors and textures. HOWEVER, there is no customer service here. We arrived a little after noon and were "greeted" by an unsmiling man asking who sneered at us before bringing in an unsmiling woman who said we could eat there as long as we could be done by 1pm. Food order was taken quickly and dropped off in hardly a word spoken to us (in addition to a misunderstanding that led to us getting two steak dishes and us simply accepting it so as not to upset them even more). Despite having one of the best meals we'd had on all of Italy, our impression of the restaurant was definitely soured by the disappointing way we were treated. I have never been invited to dinner at someone's nonna's home, but if I did, I would imagine I would be served such hearty, well done food such as the food made at Trattoria Casalingua. Unfortunately, unless you're a local and/or regular, don't expected to be treated like family here.

I'll preface this by saying I'm a fish eater and did not love the food in Florence generally. However, my boyfriend is a steak lover, so we had to come here by the amazing reviews. Thankfully we had a reservation as it was super packed. We started with the house wine and it was great. He ordered the Bistecca alla Fiorentina and still claims it's his favorite so far this trip in any region! Super glad he got to try it and it was a large portion. I ordered really the only thing on the menu that appealed to me without meat, which was a salad with tuna, onions, carrots and beans. Honestly it was large, my body wanted something healthy and the tuna and beans were fresh. So it was great! Come here if you want steak, not fish, along the salad was great!

Easy to locate, friendly and patient staff (has been hard to come by here), a good mix of locals and tourist customers. The food is fresh and well-priced and comes out fast. Very nice restaurant with a home style feel!

If you don't have a reservation, they send you to the backroom. Perhaps they are not too happy all these tourists coming due to a recommendation from a blog? I wonder! Today I tried the Ribollita, which was good. The red wine was good too. Unfortunately, the waitress was rude, the minute I walk in she said, finish at 830, ruined my experience. It's almost saying "your business is not appreciated" I didn't even want to try anything else, felt like I'd be in trouble if I stayed past that time. I was there before 7pm, even before they opened for dinner. Restaurant was not full. I did not expect this from a family run restaurant as others had great reviews. She was complaining that I didn't leave a tip. Why would l? Eating in Italy is an experience enjoyed slowly, not an eating marathon! So unfortunate! I don't recommend!

After reading the wonderful reviews on Yelp, including one written recently by a trusted Yelp friend from New Orleans, I was looking forward to a nice lunch in Oltrarno near Chiesa Santo Spirito while in the neighborhood visiting Elizabeth Barrett Browning's former home, Casa Guidi. The last time we ate on this side of the river, we were disappointed at best and, unfortunately, that was also the case on this our second visit. We were seated right away, but the waiters were too busy with everyone else in the room and we had to wait ten minutes to be acknowledged. Even then, the waiter was in a hurry, rudely interrupting our questions about the menu to run off to another table. Strike ONE! Once we finally ordered, our drinks appeared promptly, a bottle of mineral water (€2.50) and a half-liter of vino rosso della casa (house red wine - €4). The water was water and the wine decent and at a very reasonable price for Florence. We shared an Insalata Caprese (€7.50) which turned out to be a small ball of mozzarella, two small tomatoes cut into sixths, and two basil leaves. It was "OK", but more expensive and not nearly as big or as good as many I have had in Italy in recent months. I ordered the Ribollita (€6.50), a hearty Tuscan soup made with stale bread, cannellini beans, and vegetables like cabbage, carrots, celery and the like. It was tasty and filling, accompanied by the local unsalted bread which I utilized to mop-up what was left in the bowl. For such a basic dish, what Italians would unassumingly call a "peasants" dish, the price was a tad high and probably should have been in the €4-€5 range. My wife had the tortellini panna e prosciutto (€7.50), a not so generous dish of apparently handmade tortellini, bravo, in a cream sauce with pieces of prosciutto crudo. Unfortunately, her tortellini were not close to "al dente" and could have used another minute or two in the boiling water. I have eaten is hundreds of restaurants in Italy and I have never been served either undercooked or overcooked pasta. If a kitchen in Italy cannot cook pasta properly, they have no excuse for being in business. Strike TWO! When the waiter arrived and asked how our meal was, my wife told him about the pasta, but he seemed to care less. We ordered a piece of tiramisu to share and it was also below average. While waiting for the check, I saw several tables of "locals" being served a complimentary "digestivo" before leaving, usually a local beverage such as grappa or limoncello. But the tourists, my wife and I obviously, were neither offered a digestivo nor an apology for the poorly cooked pasta. Strike THREE ... YOUR OUT! With the bill coming to €36.50 for a salad, two pasta dishes, one dessert and drinks, including a mandatory €4 service charge, it was not an overly expensive meal, but the bang for the buck just was not there and was not a good value. CombatCritic Gives Trattoria La Casalinga 4 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

What a way to end a 16 day trip to Florence! My colleague, Rachel C steered me in the right direction when she suggested La Casalinga. Be sure to call for a reservation. We had tried to eat here the previous week but although when we first walked by at 7pm it was empty, by the time we returned at 8:30, it was completely packed with locals, families and tourists. And with good reason! I truly enjoyed everything that I ordered. No reinventing the wheel here, but if you're looking for traditional Tuscan fare in a casual environment, this is your place. Because it was our last night in town, we didn't hold back from ordering just about anything that we fancied, starting from the perfect bruschetta to a generous plate of pecorino for my friend (that I coveted... hardest keeping vegan in Italy for this former cheese-lover!). I indulged in both of my favorite things to order when in this region: ribollita and spaghetti pomodoro (carb fest!). All of it basic; all of it excellent. They have admirable salad & contorni lists as well. I only have so much room... just enough for that crazy cheap, yet decent house vino. Ambiance: bright & bustling. Normally I avoid bright places for dinner, but there's something really inviting about the rooms full of happy people dining on comfort food here. Price: extremely reasonable for what you get! I found myself slightly sad that I didn't get to eat here earlier in my trip so that I could return and eat here twice. This is a great thing.

I wanted to try Casalinga because it was old school, traditional Florence. I showed up at about 12:30 and the place was full but only waited a few minutes. When I left around 1:30, there was a line out the door. It is very crowded and noisy from the patron and staff talking over each other. The staff are not rude but they are very busy and doing their best to be efficient. I ordered a tortellini con Bolognese. It was just OK but nothing special. The portion was large which, for me, isnt a benefit. The tortellini looked and tasted like the factory made and dried shelf stable stuff you can buy in the market. The sauce was good but not great. I probably wouldn't allocate my carbs for it again. The guy next to me ordered the antipasti de mare which I would do instead next time. The Tripe alla Fiorentina was my secondi and it was really good. Ive never had it before although Ive had other non Italian tripe dishes. It was a large portion too. There is nothing 'on the side' unless you order side dishes separately. There was a lot of options and I would probably order some side dishes next time. In fact, you could split the secondi, and 1-2 sides, and have a meal for 2. After stuffing myself on pasta and tripe, there was no room left for desert. I tacked on an espresso and got the bill. €23, pay at the front.

Delicious! And recommended by the owner of our air b n b. My husband and I came around 8:45 with no reservation and were seated right away. The waiter and staff were very friendly. FYI The menu is only in Italian. I ordered the roasted chicken (with potatoes) and my husband had the spinach ravioli. Both were delicious. We topped it off with chocolate cake and a sponge like cake (can't remember the name). Prices are reasonable. A great place for a simple but delicious dinner.

We ate there twice during our 4-day stay in Florence -- it was just that good. We devoured the tortellini panna e prosciutto (best of my life), veal, roast beef, bisteca alla fiorentina, patate arrosto, grilled zucchini, tiramisu, liter of white wine, etc., etc. My mouth is watering just thinking about it all. The service is great -- if your Italian sucks like ours does, no worries -- most all of the staff speaks English pretty well and will save you from looking stupid with your terrible pronunciations. And for what you get, the prices really can't be beat -- I think our 3 course meal plus a liter of wine only came to around $40. Expect a wait if you arrive later in the evening, although even with a line to the door, it only took about 35 minutes to get a table. On our second night, we arrived at opening and pretty much had the place to ourselves. If you're looking for an experience that is unique to Florence and away from the overpriced, overrated touristy areas, this is your place to go.

In Florence for a few days. AMAZING is a fitting one word description. Service was great. How can I go back to the States and have "Tuscan" cuisine having been here? Bruschetta was perfect. Nice fresh tomatoes, etc.! Prosciutto and Mozzarella ... Oh Dear! Lasagna al forno.... Whoa! Dessert see pics ... OH MY GOD! I'm coming back tomorrow before I fly back. Prices were very reasonable! Reservations recommended but I didn't have and was seated within 10 minutes (got very lucky). .... I went for a meal the following day and it was DELICIOUS! I started with Minestrone of Pasta e Fagioli. I'm sad I will not find this delicious soup back home. It was so good. I followed with the roast beef. It was perfectly season, tender and just melted in my mouth. The place had been around for 50 years so they know what they are doing, and do it at a reasonable price.

This was another great find in beautiful Firenze. We loved the fact that it was just slightly off the beaten path, and that it was packed with locals (although I was puzzled that so many were at lunch so late on a weekday...eh, maybe it's a firenze thing). We were "greeted" and seated by a gruff wiry and weathered lady with the most stunning blue eyes. She came back with a calculated turn and quite firmly and deliberately planted the salt and pepper shakers on our table. Once I was able to work up the courage to ask her a few questions about the menu, I realized she was quite friendly and helpful. We ordered the filetti di acciughe sott'olio(delicious anchovy filets), antipasto misto, which came with lardo (our "gruff" server kindly explained to us that we're to neatly lay out the lardo on warm toast and enjoy it as it slowly melts...divine), trippa alla fiorentina (tripe stew), and ravioli al sugo di coniglio (rabbit sauce ravioli), a bottle of wine she recommended and everything was oh so magically tasty. I would definitely come back next time I'm in firenze

Really enjoyed my meal here at Trattoria La Casalinga. The staff were all friendly. I was not quite sure what to order at first ( because so many items looked great) but my waiter was not shy to recommend his favorite dish! My friends and I all ordered pasta dishes and we shared a caprese salad to start. This is hands down one of my favorite restaurants in Florence. The prices were extremely reasonable and our pasta dishes were larger than most restaurants on this trip.

Absolutely a gem of a local Firenze restaurant close to the ponto Vecchio, the service is excellent. We had the ravioli which was superb, the vegetarian pasta which was incredible and the Florentina steak which was the star of the evening. This place is a must for those of you who want an authentic meal, you can expect to be surrounded by locals enjoying their meal, not many tourists know about this place.

What a wonderful find for lunch. We stumbled upon this place after visiting Palazzo Pitti. This place is very popular with the local. The menu is in Italian and since none of our phones were working, we asked the waiter for recommendation. We ordered the following - Rabbit pasta - Wild boat pasta - Sausage and beans - House wine Everything was delicious and so cheap! Highly recommend!

I was able to have lunch here on a busy Friday afternoon! We were seated after five minutes and our waiter was very helpful. He explained what dishes could be made gluten free, and I ordered the spaghetti ragù. It was very tasty! My friend had the spaghetti pomodori and she enjoyed it. There's free wifi and the atmosphere is cute and Italian cooking themed. I would recommend making reservations before coming.

We were walking around last night in search of a place to have dinner when we saw a line start to form outside this restaurant. It was 6:45pm and the restaurant wasn't even due to open until 7pm. We figured we would wait with the others and see what this place was about. Surely it had to be good if people were lining up before they opened! We started with the plate of mixed cheese and a liter of the house red. The cheese platter consisted of parmesan, gorgonzola, and two other cheeses I couldn't place. Queso fresco and Gouda, maybe? Next we had the spinach ravioli with sage and butter. Delicious! Our last course was a Florentine steak for the husband and roasted chicken with potatoes for me. My chicken was a little dry, not much to write home about, but the husband said that was hands down the best steak he's ever had in his life. So that alone is enough reason to give 5 stars to this place. I wish I had gotten something other than the chicken though, maybe a salad, because I was pretty full after the ravioli, and only ate less than half of the chicken. Tips: make sure you have Google translate open if you don't know Italian and don't want to be adventurous... The menu is entirely in Italian. Most of the servers seemed to know English though. Also, after you get your check from the waiter, pay up front on your way out. Next time we go, I'll definitely make reservations; the place was completely packed -- for good reason!