Interview with Coral Sisk of Curious Appetite
I first met Coral Sisk when I went on one of her Curious Appetite Gourmet Food Tours in Florence. Coral led our group on a walking tour through central Florence to sample some its best artisanal produce and traditional Florentine dishes. Her passions for the origin of produce, the significance of traditional dishes, and the art of food preparation are truly impressive, and taking a tour with Coral was both delicious and deeply informative.
I met up again with Coral on a hot summer day in July over chilled Vermentino at Fiaschetteria Fantappie (Via dei Serragli 47r, near Santo Spirito), to interview her about her life before Florence, what brought her here, and her top restaurant picks after 4 years as one of the city’s top food bloggers.
Sarah: What brought you to Florence from the United States?
Coral: Long story short, I initially came to Florence for a wine studies program at Apicius International School of Hospitality through a Food & Wine Pairing certification I was working on in Seattle at a local wine academy. However, my obsession with Italy started well before that as I have Italian heritage. After visiting Florence for the first time in 2005, I decided I wanted to one day live in Italy. Between 2006 and 2012 I took a lot of steps to make this happen, including earning a degree in Italian Language and Literature with a minor in Food Studies at the University of Washington and applying for citizenship – I was really determined to move to Italy.
Sarah: How did it come about that you started doing food tours?
Coral: About a year before leaving for Florence in 2012, I had started working for a food tour company in Seattle. I had been writing the Curious Appetite blog for a couple years by this point, which meant that I was going to a lot of networking events for food bloggers. I had also been interning for Sheryl Wiser of Cascade Harvest Coalition - an organisation involved in sustainable agriculture and the promotion of small producers, farmers and little restaurants – and Sheryl was hugely supportive of me. At one of these networking events she said that there was an owner of a food tour company that she wanted to introduce me to - Michael Rogers of Seattle Food Tours, now known as Show me Seattle. I had no idea that food tours would be something I would be suited to…I didn’t even know they existed! Michael - who is still today a great influence and hugely supportive - invited me to give it a try, and at first I wasn’t sure. But, as soon as I started, I loved it.
When I moved to Florence I gained experience working for food & wine tour companies performing various roles from assisting with cooking classes to managing company blogs. After a while I realised that I had all these ideas for my own project, and I thought - why don't I just come up with my own line of food tours and focus more on my writing? I designed tours based on my experience and places I had grown to love, but also based on my philosophy of high-quality food. Every place that I pick to visit on my food tours is based on my personal set of standards. And now I'm more dedicated to my blog and external writing assignments for really awesome publications, like Eater and Vogue Magazine.
Sarah: That really does come across in your website – that you have a particular point of view, style, and taste regarding food and drink.
Coral: People that come on my tours do tend to be more independent and adventurous. I want people to have a bit of curiosity and open mindedness. I don’t list the places that we will visit on the tour because I want it to be a surprise, and that requires a certain amount of flexibility and trust from people.
I love it when people ask a lot of questions and really care about the food – that’s what’s cool to me. It’s humbling when serious foodies or food professionals choose to do a tour with me. I am young, but I have been obsessed with food since I was a kid and have always worked in food in some capacity.
photo courtesy of Coral Sisk
Here are Coral’s top restaurant, café and bar recommendations for Florence, from high-end dining experiences to your local panini joint.
Traditional Florentine
Via dei Girolami 28/r (Ponte Vecchio)
+39-055-213-619
Located in an old goldsmith’s next to the Ponte Vecchio, Buca dell’Orafo is upmarket, with white table cloths and black-tie waiters, but it maintains an old world trattoria vibe. The food is phenomenal every time. They underline on the menu the dishes that follow Florentine tradition (not just Tuscan tradition, but the specific Florentine discipline for that dish). Their pasta is amazing every single time.
Del Fagioli
Corso Tintori 47r (Santa Croce)
+39-055-244-285
I think that this family-run place has the best bistecca in town. When I take people there on food tours, their eyes literally roll back in their heads. They source their beef from Chianina – the heritage breed of cattle that is raised in Tuscany, which bistecca should come from.
Piazza de’Peruzzi 3/r (Santa Croce)
+39-347-85-62-570
Not just Tuscan fare, the owner of Club Culinario is really dedicated to reviving traditional plates from all around Italy. He has a passion for “materia prima” (raw materials), and for example he will spend his day off going to source cheeses from producers who still hand-milk their sheep and age their cheese in caves that were formed by the Etruscans. This guy is a hero in my mind, even if the food isn’t purely Tuscan. If I had to pick my absolute favourite restaurant in Florence, it would be this one, for the amount of soul, passion, and work that goes into it. And the wines are always really good and interesting.
Something unique/slow-food
Culinaria Bistrot
Piazza Torquato Tasso 13r (Santo Spirito)
Great for people looking for a bit of an international flavour, Culinaria Bistrot have a Moroccan/French take on Tuscan food while sourcing their ingredients from local small-scale farmers and producers.
High-end
Piazza del Monumento 9/14, Cerbaia in Val di Pesa
+39-055-826-132
Located in Cerbaia, 50 km outside of Florence, the group of chefs at La Tenda Rossa are doing something really special. Run by a group of women who are extremely passionate about cooking, they do really interesting things with ingredients from the local territory. This would be my top recommendation for something romantic and interesting and innovative.
Lungarno Benvenuto Cellini 69/r (San Niccolò)
+39-055-55-35-677
A Michelin starred farm-to-table restaurant that delivers the full luxury dining experience. Located at the bottom of Piazzale Michelangelo, facing the Arno.
Via di Parione 32r (Piazza Santa Trinita)
+39-055-284-291
A branch of the Caffè Florian from Venice, the restaurant is full of art, sculpture and photography, and it feels like you are dining inside a contemporary art museum. This would be a perfect place for a date. It’s also one of my top picks for cocktails in Florence.
Mid-range
Il Magazzino
Piazza della Passera 2-3 (Oltrarno)
+39-055-215-969
Il Magazzino is a tripe and offal based restaurant – meaning that they put tripe, lampredotto, cow tongue, and all sorts of things in their main dishes. I quite like these things, but it’s a matter of personal taste. There is a lampredotto-stuffed ravioli that they do that is wonderful.
Cibrèo Trattoria
Via dei Macci, 122r (Sant’Ambrogio)
+39-055-23-41-100
There is Cibrèo Ristorante, Cibrèo Trattoria, Caffè Cibrèo and il Teatro del Sale – they are all good, but my preference is for Cibrèo Trattoria. Il Teatro del Sale is a locally famous theatre restaurant.
Gilda Bistrot
Piazza Lorenzo Ghiberti 40r (Sant’Ambrogio)
+39-055-23-43-885
The woman who runs Gilda’s is like a Tuscan Lucille Ball. The atmosphere is really warm and inviting, and they really take care of you.
Cheap and cheerful
Via Ardiglione 47/r (Santo Spirito)
+39-055-211-072
Super-cheap, with plates as low as 4.50 euro.
Trattoria Sabatino
Via Pisana 2r (Santo Spirito)
+39-055-22-59-55
Inside Mercato S. Ambrogio
Piazza Ghiberti
+39-339-83-84-555
Osteria dei Pazzi
Via dei Lavatoi, 1/3r (Santa Croce)
+39-055-23-44-800
Osteria Vini è Vecchi Sapori
Via dei Magazzini 3 (Piazza della Signoria)
+39-055-293-045
Marco of Semel (photo courtesy of Coral Sisk)
Panini
Focaccine Bondi
Via dell’Ariento 85 (San Lorenzo)
Tucked away among the stalls of San Lorenzo market, Bondi sells super-cheap little focaccia and it always empty because the tourists all go into Mercato Centrale, but they are missing out.
Panificio Brunori
Borgo Pinti 16r (San Lorenzo)
A bakery that also does delicious and super cheap sandwiches. They also do schiacciatina – delicious little filled foccaccia.
Lì X Lì
Via Ventisette Aprile 42 (San Marco)
A truly local panini shop that is full of Florentines. Not pretentious at all and the owners have a good sense of humour.
Semel
Piazza Lorenzo Ghiberti 44r (Sant’ Ambrogio)
One of my absolute favorites. The owner does Panini fillings that are based off the Tuscan repertoire – for example wild boar in a tomato sauce, or even donkey in a wine and tomato sauce. He’s a genius in my opinion.
photo courtesy of Coral Sisk
Aperitivo
Via dei Serragli 47r (Santo Spirito)
+39-055-287-420
A small bottega near Santo Spirito with an excellent selection of wine and well-priced antipasti.
Le Volpi è l’Uva
Piazza dei Rossi 1r (Ponte Vecchio, Oltrano)
+39-055-239-8132
Meaning “the fox and the grape” this wine bar is a great place for a glass of wine near the Arno.
Via de Bardi 58r (Ponte Vecchio, Oltrarno)
+39-055-214-502
Good small snacks, good cocktails, and good wine, with a view of the Ponte Vecchio that can’t be beaten.
Via de’ Bardi 46r (Ponte Vecchio, Oltrano)
+39-055-286-258
Also with an excellent view of the Arno and the Ponte Vecchio, this is an excellent place to have some great wine, which comes with a light array of traditional aperitivo snacks (olives, crackers, cheeses and cold cuts.)
Lungarno Acciaiuoli 80r (Ponte Santa Trinita)
+39-055-290-423
Owned by the Ferragamo family, they also have an agriturismo in Arrezzo where they produce their own wine. You can get a table along the Arno.
Piazza dei Tre Re 1 (near Chiesa e Museo di Orsanmichele)
+39-328-966-6268
Cute contemporary picnic-like space tucked away near Orsanmichele between Piazza della Signoria and Piazza della Repubblica. They do nice tagliere and it’s especially lovely in the warm months when you want a refuge from the bustle of the center while still being smack dab in the middle.
Serafini
Via Gioberti 168r (Piazza Beccaria)
+39-055-247-6214
An unpretentious caffè and pasticceria near Piazza Beccaria with a generous aperitivo buffet.
Gottino
Via Vincenzo Gioberti 174r (Piazza Beccaria)
+39-055-244-797
A wine bar that is also great for aperitivo.
Piazza Santo Spirito 11r (Santo Spirito)
+39-055-282-596
A generous aperitivo buffet, also famous for their handmade pasta.
Vicolo dell’Oro 3 (Ponte Vecchio)
+39-055-2726-6987
Fun, bento-like snacks with stellar craft cocktails to match.
photo courtesy of Coral Sisk
Cocktails
Via Dante Alighieri 16r (Duomo)
+39-055-23-81-290
The OG of mixology in Florence, who is a totally smarty pants when it comes to making liqueurs, vermouths and essences. A true artist of drink-making with loads of passion and knowledge to match.
Via di Parione 32r (Piazza Santa Trinita)
+39-055-284-291
Stylish craft cocktails and Venetian-style finger snacks like tramezzini.
Rivoire
Piazza della Signoria 5 (Uffizi)
Where the negroni was born. In 1919 there was a Count Camillo Negroni, who had travelled the world and developed a taste for gin. In Italy they have the Americano, with vermouth, a bitter, and soda water. Count Negroni, returning from his travels, asked for an Americano, but asked that instead of so much soda water, they top it up with gin. And that’s how the negroni was born. Count Negroni frequented the Caffè Casoni, and also Rivoire, and at both places he asked that the bar tender make him this drink. So both of these places hold the title of being the birthplace of the negroni. The head bartender at Rivoire wrote the book on the history of the negroni, and so it is quite special to go to Rivoire and have an aperitivo.
Details for the reservation line can only be shared through word of mouth.
Florence’s first true speakeasy. I recently wrote about Rasputin for Vice Munchies – see the article here: https://munchies.vice.com/en/articles/inside-florences-first-speakeasy
Negroni (photo courtesy of Coral Sisk)
If you are looking for even more recommendations or for more information about the food and wine scene in Florence, here are some posts from Coral’s blog The Curious Appetite that you might enjoy:
Coral’s Food Tour company, Curious Appetite travel, offers a range of distinctive experiences for lovers of food and wine. Some of the great tour themes include:
Curious Appetite travel also offers Culinary Wine Adventures - private and small group wine tours into the various wine regions surrounding Florence.
Check out the full range of tours and Coral’s blog at
