This is one of Florence's oldest restaurants—which may be why it has acquired so many alternate names over the years.
It was originally called "Il Pennello" or "del Pennello" because, since the late 1400s, it is has been housed in a palazzo that once belonged to Renaissance artist Albertinelli (his famous artistic buddies Cellini, Pontormo, and Andrea del Sarto all used to dine here).
Then, as the tourist trade became more important in the latter 20th century, the restaurant started to play off its proximity to Dante's house, calling itself first "Casa di Dante" and now "Sasso di Dante."
Its claim to fame is the antipasto table, groaning under the day's changing array of two dozen appetizers. They also do several fixed-price menus for €20–€25 (drinks extra). [In fact, it's barely in the €€€ range; you can easily get a full meal here for €30–€40.]
The best of the primi are under the handwritten lo chef consigla (the chef recommends) and pasta fresa (hand-made pasta) sections of the menu.
They do a perfectly grilled pork chop and, if the antipasti and pasta have done you in, several light omletes for secondo.
Ristorante Sasso di Dante
Via Dante Alighieri 4r (between Via dei Calzaiuoli and Via del Proconsolo)
(Duomo/Uffizi)
tel. +39-055-294-881
www.ristoranteilpennello.it
Closed Sundays at dinner and Mondays
€€€
Bus: C2; 14, 23, C1
Hop-on/hop-off: Teatro Verdi (A)
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English (Inglese) | Italian (Italiano) | Pro-nun-cee-YAY-shun |
Good day | Buon giorno | bwohn JOUR-noh |
Good evening | Buona sera | BWOH-nah SAIR-rah |
Good night | Buona notte | BWOH-nah NOTE-tay |
Goodbye | Arrivederci | ah-ree-vah-DAIR-chee |
Excuse me (to get attention) | Scusi | SKOO-zee |
thank you | grazie | GRAT-tzee-yay |
please | per favore | pair fa-VOHR-ray |
yes | si | see |
no | no | no |
Do you speak English? | Parla Inglese? | PAR-la een-GLAY-zay |
I don't understand | Non capisco | non ka-PEESK-koh |
I'm sorry | Mi dispiace | mee dees-pee-YAT-chay |
Where is? | Dov'é | doh-VAY |
...a restaurant | un ristorante | oon rees toh-RAHN-tay |
...a casual restaurant | una trattoria un'osteria |
oo-nah trah-toar-RHEE-yah oon ohst-air-EE-yah |
I would like to reserve... | Vorrei prenotare... | voar-RAY pray-note-ARE-eh |
a table for two | una tavola per due | oo-nah TAH-voal-lah pair DOO-way |
...for 7pm | per le sette | pair lay SET-tay |
...for 7:30pm | per le sette e mezzo | pair lay SET-tay eh MET-tzoh |
...for 8pm | per le otto | pair lay OH-toh |
I would like | Vorrei... | voar-RAY |
...some (of) | un pó (di) | oon POH (dee) |
...this | questo | KWAY-sto |
...that | quello | KWEL-loh |
chicken | pollo | POL-loh |
steak | bistecca | bee-STEAK-ah |
veal | vitello | vee-TEL-oh |
fish | pesce | PEH-shay |
meat | carne | KAR-neh |
I am vegetarian | sono vegetariano | SO-no veg-eh-tair-ee-YAH-no |
side dish [veggies always come seperately] | cotorno | kon-TOR-no |
dessert | dolce | DOAL-chay |
and | e | ay |
...a glass of | un bicchiere di | oon bee-key-YAIR-eh dee |
...a bottle of | una bottiglia di | oo-na boh-TEEL-ya dee |
...a half-liter of | mezzo litro di | MET-tzoh LEE-tro dee |
...fizzy water | acqua gassata | AH-kwah gah-SAHT-tah |
...still water | acqua non gassata | AH-kwah noan gah-SAHT-tah |
...red wine | vino rosso | VEE-noh ROH-so |
...white wine | vino bianco | VEE-noh bee-YAHN-koh |
...beer | birra | BEER-a |
Check, please | Il conto, per favore | eel COAN-toh pair fah-VOAR-eh |
Is service included? | É incluso il servizio? | ay een-CLOU-so eel sair-VEET-zee-yo |
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Ristorante Sasso di Dante
Via Dante Alighieri 4r (between Via dei Calzaiuoli and Via del Proconsolo)
(Duomo/Uffizi)
tel. +39-055-294-881
www.ristoranteilpennello.it
Closed Sundays at dinner and Mondays
€€€
Bus: C2; 14, 23, C1
Hop-on/hop-off: Teatro Verdi (A)
Walks & Seminars
Wine tastings
Cooking classes
Special meals
Vineyard excursions
» Chianti
» Other Tuscan wine regions