L'Osteria di Giovanni

15/06/2026

Nothing to see here folks - just Caterina and the team making some more magic, and creating memories. Hopefully this little guy will be back in the future, perhaps with his family and friends to the place where he had such a great time!

08/06/2026

So this dish is definitely a hot favourite and we have been asked more than once for the recipe.

Now, you understand that we cannot divulge all our secrets, but, here goes! This is more or less the idea:

Boil Pici. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the pici until just al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining. Whilst the pasta is cooking ...

Brown the sausage meat. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the crumbled sausage meat and cook until dark and well done. Remove the sausage to a bowl, leaving the flavorful fat and brown bits (fond) in the pan.

Sauté the kale & aromatics. In the same skillet, turn the heat to medium. Add the garlic, shallot, and chili flakes, cooking until soft. Toss in the chopped kale and a splash of your reserved pasta water, covering the pan for 2-3 minutes to let the greens steam and become tender.

Combine. Return the cooked sausage to the pan along with the drained pici. Toss everything together, adding splashes of pasta water to create a glossy, emulsified sauce.

Serve. Remove from heat and stir in a generous handful of Pecorino or Parmesan cheese.

So in our version we do not use chili and we do not serve with cheese! We also add some whole cherry tomatoes at the end of the sauce making process.

If you are unable to get pici, you can use bucatini, cavatelli or pappardelle. It should be a pasta with a rough, chewy bite (so preferably pasta made with semolina flour).

So as many of you know, there is no absolute recipe for anything - it depends on the local customs, so find the version that makes you happy!

02/06/2026

Happy 2nd of June to Italy. Italy has a complicated history (but show us a country that doesn't! 🤪) and whilst the Republic (unification of States, Kingdoms, bits and bobs) was in1861, the overthrow of the Monarchy and the formation of the current republic is a mere 80 years old!

While carefully avoiding "king" comments 😁, let us wish everyone, everywhere a happy 2nd of June

In Florence later today there will be a public screening of Paola Cortellesi's film "There is still tomorrow". If you haven't seen it, do! Much food for reflection as we contemplate much about 2026 life!

Have a good one wherever you are, and VIVA L'ITALIA! 🇮🇹

TODAY, June 2nd, is Italy's Republic Day (or Festa della Repubblica) – a national public holiday commemorating the abolition of the monarchy and the birth of the Italian Republic as we know it today.

Public offices (banks, post offices, town halls, etc.) and schools will be closed on this date, while supermarkets and shops in major cities may have reduced opening hours.
Shops in smaller towns and villages are likely to remain closed all day.

Rome will also mark the occasion by opening its state museums and archeological sites for free, as will Florence.

For the occasion, the Municipality of Florence has prepared a program of celebrations in Piazza della Repubblica and Piazza dalla Signoria.
This is the agenda for the whole day.

At 10 am, in Piazza della Repubblica, the solemn flag-raising will take place
At 6 pms in Piazza della Signoria, the screening of the film "There's still tomorrow" by Paola Cortellesi
At 8:4 pm, in Piazza della Signoria, the live RAI of the show "The faces of the Repubblica - 80 years since the Referendum"

From June 2nd to 12th you can visit the exhibition “Marianne d’Italia” in Michelozzo’s Courtyard in Palazzo Vecchio.

02/06/2026

We are happy to show you your steak before it is cooked! Every steak is different - in meat/fat, weight, shape.

31/05/2026

PIci.

This kind of pasta is called pici, and it is from the Siena area of Tuscany. It is essentially a "fat" spaghetti strand made from soft wheat flour, water and a touch of EVO (cheaper than the more robust semola flour).

The history of this food has been traced back to 500 BC (via drawings) and the name is derived from a regional word "appiciare" which means to roll out, soften, placate.

The history of this food has been traced back to 500 BC (via drawings), and the name is derived from a regional word "appiciare" which means to roll out, soften, placate.

Our sauce is a traditional one with a touch of minced sausage meat, tomato and kale.

30/05/2026

Why have one flavour to taste when you can have three (debatably five if you include the mint and cocoa)?

28/05/2026

I piatti di pesce dipendono molto da ciò che troviamo fresco e di buona qualità presso i nostri fornitori e possono cambiare spesso. Ci teniamo molto alla freschezza e al sapore.

26/05/2026

Bistecca alla fiorentina looks like this!

Remember if you want to taste this sublime dish, we are happy to cook it for you. But if you want a meat that is cooked right through, we can help you find something that suits you better.

We have said it before; IF you are a meat-eater, you should taste this at least once in a lifetime.

24/05/2026

Abbiamo tanti piatti a base di carne e pesce, ma anche piatti vegetariani - basta chiedere!

22/05/2026

Not strictly speaking a Florentine or Tuscan dish, or even a historical dish. But such a good one.

Officially, tiramisù is attributed to the town of Treviso, and was created in the 1970s by the pastry chef Lolly Linguanotto who worked in a restaurant called Le Beccherie.

Rumour has it that is was served in a brothel in the area as a "pick me up" (a literal translation) to rebuild energy following "exertions".

The nearby town of Udine claims that they were already serving something similar in the 50s.

Whichever version you believe, it's a very good way to finish your meal.