Restaurant Review: Baldovino (Firenze)

The cozy comfort and elegance of Baldovino

There are so many wonderful things I can say about Baldovino.  I've been going to this restaurant since 2006, the first time I studied in Florence and in 2011 I'm still going back.
I don't remember who told me about Baldovino but there's a lot to be said about this little restaurant tucked away behind the Dante Statue right next door to Santa Croce.
The restaurant is beautiful with beautiful colors and a very warm homey feel. When you first enter the restaurant seems small, but if you walk further back there are several other spacious rooms away from the main door. 
The waiters are friendly and always willing to speak Italian or English whichever your preference. As a first time visitor expect a menu in English! It vaguely bothers me, but I understand the impulse. Now that I've gone so often, that I call the waiters by name and get greeted with kisses and the general "how are yous?" and the occassional scolding of "You haven't been here in forever!" So they know to give me the menu in Italian.
However, for most first timers English menu and then the amazing waiters will ask which language you'd prefer to hear the specials (I mean honestly, even if I wasn't fluent in Italian I'd ask for the Italian! It makes everything sound so gorgeous and fluid and although the waiters' English is not generally bad, there is a certain amount of chopiness that comes with speaking your non-native language).
The menu is fairly large with antipasti, primi, secondi and pizza (plus of course desserts and such!). Now, I'm a creature of habit. I always get pizza when I go to Baldovino and I very rarely stray from my usuals.
Of the antipasti, I believe I've only tried their Tuscan-style Hummus, but it's to die for and if you're really hungry, you should definitely go for it!
Believe it or not, I've never gotten pasta or meat at this restaurant, although my mother and many of my friends have tried various dishes. I've heard nothing but good things and the menu rotates with the seasons. If you're in Florence during the winter months, I would seriously suggest trying something involving cinghiale (wild boar), rabbit or duck.
And now onto pizza!  I have tried many of the Baldovino pizzas, although I inevitably always go back to my two favorites.

Pizza Fiorentina

The first pizza I ever tried at Baldovino, back in 2006 was the Pizza Fiorentina.  It's still one of my favorites and I can't describe just how much I love this pizza. Delicious white pizza (no tomato sauce) with mozzarella, ricotta, spinach and an egg cracked and backed on top to gooey perfection. Egg on pizza? Yes, I know it sounds kind of strange, but honestly the egg is what makes this pizza special. The egg is essentially baked to the point of over easy, so you wind up with something similar to the consistency of eggs benedict. The egg yolks are just runny enough to blend perfectly with delicious tastes of cheese and spinach. It's light yet filling, so perfect for a Friday night meal with a glass of red wine.

Pizza Giardiniera

My second favorite pizza and the one I have continually gotten the last few months at Baldovino is the Pizza Giardiniera, or the garden pizza. It utilizes a small amount of tomato sauce and lots of fresh mozzzarella but the calling card of this pizza are the fresh vegetables lightly cooked on top. It has fresh peppers (either red or yellow), slices of red ripe tomato, red onions, mushrooms and black olives (that I either give to friends or request not put on my pizza since I don't eat olives). It's another refreshing and healthy pizza that makes me smile. It doesn't hurt that the pizza is absolutely gorgeous to look at as well. Also for this particular pizza, I usually request olio piccante (spicy olive oil) to drizzle on top because the slight heat is quite complimentary to the other ingredients.

If I'm with friends I love to end my meal with dessert! My favorite is the chocolate cake. It's dark chocolate smooth richness on a plate and is covered in homemade whipped cream, usually accompanied by fresh strawberries. Mmmm... I just made myself hungry.

La Torta Cioccolata: Perfect to share with friends

Finish off your meal with an expresso or even better a limoncello!

~Raspberry Truffle