In Florence there is one of the best restaurants in the entire Italy, Leggenda dei Frati, set in the charming scenery of Villa Bardini, its park and its museum, where a lucky onlooker can experience the Renaissance charm that characterizes the whole complex.
The sight is unbelievable, to say the least. From there one can see the entire city, elegant and full of wonderful energy.
You can enter the restaurant directly from the park of the Villa that, extending on many hectares, is a perfect mix of Baroque and English gardens, looked after down to the smallest details, with every kind of plants and fruits.
The main loggia of this museum complex is the scenery for the culinary experiments of the chef and patron Filippo Saporito (member of the Jeunes Restaurateurs d’Europe),
of his wife Ombretta
and of the chef Alessandro Rossi,
who are able to give life to natural and “zero kilometers” dishes thanks to the varied vegetable garden located in the park of Villa Bardini, which they personally grow with dedication.
Excellent raw materials, extraordinary innovations and respect for tradition are the ingredients of this excellent restaurant, a truly unique model.
The settings are elegant and refined, same as the flawless and professional service looked after by Mauro Fradeletto, who was able to recreate a welcoming atmosphere where one can feel as if he were at home, a polished home, full of true works of art coming from the Galleria Continua of San Gimignano.
However, as soon as the dishes are served, they become the unquestioned protagonists of a truly polished cooking, proud and never ordinary, with a deep attention to the ingredients, which are exalted in their form and flavor.
A cooking that respects the Tuscan tradition, even if some recipes clearly reveal the Chef Flippo Saporito’s Sicilian origins, which he is very proud of.
The true art of this cooking emerges also in its variety, which ranges from a traditional and very tender fiorentina to a tartar of refined shrimps with a mousse of the same crustaceans, including also “humble” ingredients as lard and pigeons, which are reinterpreted and exalted by an outburst of flavors that can deliver genuine emotions.
But even after an extraordinary lunch, nobody can say ‘no’ to the dessert, here at Leggenda Dei Frati. I have already told many people about the magic that Filippo and Alessandro can make with seven different kinds of chocolate, a sort of dismantled Sette Veli that would enrapture anyone.
Every aspect of the preparation of this wonderful dessert deserves the right attention, not only because it is prepared live, in front of the curious eyes of the clients: when one tastes it, every bite makes you discover a delicious and completely different flavor.
If you are lucky enough to stay until the closing of the restaurant, you can ask the chef for a nocturnal and completely private tour of the museum. There you can witness the passion with which Filippo depicts and describes the works of art, with a technical competence that would leave anyone astonished. You can feel the master’s sensitivity, the same you can find in the attention he gives to his dishes, in the atmosphere of his restaurant and in the energy and professionalism of all his team of great professionals.
Leggenda Dei Frati, a true example of haute cuisine and of true Italian culture, which one should enjoy and be proud of.
We are honored that our Millesulmare is part of their wine list, bringing a bit of Mount Etna into this wonderful Florence reality.
Our most heartfelt compliments!