Nirvana alla Fiorentina
Galleria degli Uffizi, Firenze
Coco Lezione, Firenze
Piazza della Signoria, Firenze
“Ringing cell phones disrupt the Ribolita as it cooks.”
The Buddhists call it, “Nirvana;” I call it, “mid-autumn dinner for one at Coco Lezzone.” No frills and down-to-business decor in a place that has done it right for more than two centuries is a sure ticket to transcendental bliss.
Coco Lezzone first opened its kitchen to the public in the early 1800s and since then has diverged little from its purist approach to unpretentious, authentic Tuscan fare. Over the years, it has become my personal Mecca for what I like to call “it is what it is cuisine,” especially on a wet evening in the middle of autumn.
During a recent trip to Florence, I stopped in to dry off and fill the tanks with three of my favorite and highly recommended local specialties:
Ribolita - a hardy Tuscan soup made with bread and vegetables.
Brasciola alla Fiorentina - breaded veal cutlet cooked in marinara sauce seasoned with sage leaves.
Mascarpone con Lamponi - whipped Italian cream cheese with raspberries
As always, the meal was accompanied by a quartino di rosso della casa (a quart of the house red).
Coco Lezzone’s interior is simple, but timelessly homey.
Ribolita, Coco Lezzone
Brasciola alla Fiorentina, Coco Lezzone
Mascarpone con Lamponi, Coco Lezzone
Timeless decor at Coco Lezzone, Firenze