Fine Dining

Restaurants in Florence, Italy

Recommended by Biba owner of Biba's Restaurant located in Sacramento, California

• Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco, Borgo San Jacopo, Firenze 215-706
• Latini, Via Palchetti, 6 Firenze 210-691
• Sostanza, Via del Porcellino, 25 Firenze 212-691
• Il Francescano, Largo Barellini, 16 Fireze 241-650
• Cibreo, Piazza Ghiberti, 25 Firenze 234-1100

Recommended by Kimberly Wicks Bartolozzi.

Haldo Vino, Via S. Gueseppe, Florence 055 241 1773 lunch, dinner & pizza

Baldo Vino Enoteca, Next door to the above inexpensive, first rate lunch or dinner 055-734-7220

Osteria del Chinghiale Bianco, Borgo s. Jacopo 43 Florence. Friendly, fair prices, good Tuscan food.

La Casalinga, Via Michelozzi 9, Florence 055 218624. The name tells it all “homemaker”

La Pentola del Oro di Giuseppe Alessi, Via di Mezzo 6 Florence. He’s a character, but a gastronomic genius.

Il Cantinone (del Gallo Nero) Via S. Spirito 6 Florence. Tuscan fare, dress casual

13 Gobbi, Via Porcellana Florence. Tuscan with a twist, great for people watching

Paris

• Le Balzar: One of the culinary institutions of the Latin Quarter. Close to the Sorbonne, this timeless brasserie has a menu of traditional dishes. The excellent service, in an original 1930s atmosphere, makes this an incomparable restaurant in a lively neighborhood. Recommended by Melissa Chandon. 49, rue des Ecoles 75005 Paris Métro: Cluny La Sorbonne (10) Tél: 33.(0)1.43.54.13.67 www.flobrasseries.com
• Brasserie Bofinger, Paris. 7 rue de la Bastille, Paris. Tel 0033 1 42 72 87 82.
• Au Pied de Cochon: http://www.pieddecochon.com/

Best Shopping

Paris

La Tuile à Loup
http://www.latuilealoup.com/
35 rue Daubenton - 75005 Paris - France
01 47 07 28 90

A wonderful shop located in Paris in the Latin Quarter that sells French provincial pottery from all of the regions. Truly a must see. We visited this store on the May trip to Paris. Recommended by Melissa Chandon and Meredith Lindley.

Une boutique brocante spécialisée dans l’art populaire c’est-à-dire l’artisanat traditionnel des provinces de France : poteries d’Alsace et de Savoie, vaisselle traditionnelle provençale, etc. Aussi un grand choix de vannerie, d’objets en bois, d’ustensiles et d’accessoires de cuisine anciens

Book Review

Davisville Travel's recommended books for your journey.

• Cook's Tour: In Search of the Perfect Meal, by Anthony Bourdain
• The Paris Cook Book, by Patricia Wells
• The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold
• Mistress of Spices, by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
• A Heartbreaking work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers
• Prince of Tides, by Pat Conway
• The Lexus and the Olive Tree, by Thomas Friedman......Recommender by Judy Smith who finds this read relevant to our times.
• The Apprentice: My Life In The Kitchen, by Jacques Pepin (Author) for someone who has read books about food and wine, you might like to know that Jacques Pepin's memoir, The book has just hit the Amazon book shelves.

Movie Review

The Movie List

Bend It Like Beckham, Sundance Film Dance Festival selection. A British comedy about a young east Indian girl who would like to play professional soccer, caught between her culture and her dreams. Submitted and recommended by Shirlee McKibbin.

Mostly Martha, a must see movie about love, cooking and family..... submitted and recommended by Melissa Chandon