La Ménagère is one of Florence’s most ravishing dining experiences and has a little something to offer for everyone. While the exquisite atmosphere may seemingly suggest exclusivity, La Ménagère has managed to leave behind the pretentious attitudes often associated with such an aesthetic. At any time of day, you could find a chatty group of American students with laptops open sat right next to a couple dressed to the nines on a luxurious date. Reservations are not required, though if you’re planning to get a weekend dinner during the high season I would recommend them.
La Ménagère is so much more than a restaurant; the boutique, whimsical flower shop, and classy bar found inside all lend to create the distinctive La Ménagère experience. Being open from 8am – 2am means that the experience is ever changing and evolving throughout the day; Opening with American brunch vibes and at closing as a classy cocktail bar. La Ménagère rotates through three menus as the day progresses: brunch, aperitivo, and dinner. The menu is diverse and incorporates components of many global cuisines, but the foundation of the menu is built on strong French and Italian roots. Throughout my many visits to La Ménagère, I found some favorite menu items and insights into the best times to visit. When in Florence, La Ménagère is a can’t miss in my books and this post is aimed to help ensure you have the best possible experience.
Favorite time to visit: Aperitivo
I will dream about aperitivo at La Ménagère for the rest of my life. For those of you unfamiliar with the term “aperitivo,” it’s the Italian ritual of having an aperitif or light cocktail accompanied by some small snacks before dinner. If you go to a restaurant for an aperitivo, you often order a drink, and they will send out a complimentary snack to accompany your beverage. The snack is often a bowl of potato chips or olives but at La Ménagère they go above and beyond. A bowl of black olives, potato chips, and an assortment of hors d’oeuvres consisting of a tomato tartlet, a cheese filled pâte à choux bun, and a prosciutto sandwich. While the hors d’oeuvres are underwhelming, they make the experience feel like a treat and the drink well worth the money. The cocktails range from 13 to 16 euros which is steep for Florence prices, but when you consider their high quality and the complimentary snacks that accompany them, it’s worth it for a special evening. Of everything I’ve ordered at La Ménagère, the cocktails are the menu items most worth the cost. Aperitivo at La Ménagère is an experience you don’t want to miss.
Least Favorite Time to Visit: Breakfast/Brunch
Don’t get me wrong, brunch at La Ménagère is still acceptable, I just think they shine brighter in other areas. One of the core pillars of a great brunch is serving great coffee, and the classic canister of burnt coffee from a global coffee giant doesn’t quite cut it for me at their steep price point. You can find far better coffee at a much more reasonable price right down the street at SimBIOsi Café. In terms of the food, it is a typical American style brunch; think pancakes, avocado toast, and pastries. The avocado toast with a poached egg is delicious, especially when paired with their sweet potato fries, but it’s nothing special and certainty doesn’t warrant the price. If brunch is the only time you’re able to visit La Ménagère, I would still recommend going simply to enjoy the beautiful experience of dining in their carefully curated space but be prepared to spend a pretty penny on brunch that won’t blow you away.
Favorite Bites & Sips
This “favorite bites and sips” section is very sip heavy. The cocktails are by far my favorite thing at La Ménagère and since I always dined with groups who love to order different drinks and swap sips, I got to try my fair share of their cocktail menu.
If you flip to the “Classique Cocktails” section of your menu, you’ll find some elevated classics. My go-to order at La Ménagère was always the Ménagère Spritz but the Limoncello gin fizz and Lucano Sour were both frequently ordered by my friends and family and neither ever disappointed. If you’re looking for some more experimental and unique cocktails, I would recommend flipping to the “Cocktail Signature” section of your menu. My top three cocktails from this section were the Cacao & Vaniglia, Ananas & Mais, and Pompelmo & Uva Bianca.
If the lights dim and the candles are lit, that means your aperitivo has run into dinner time. You could use this as your que to leave or what I would recommend you do is order the “Gnudi ricotta e spinaci, con pecorino e tartufo nero” and stay for dinner. Gnudi is a Tuscan ricotta dumpling and La Ménagère serves theirs in a pan with sizzling cheese and shaved black truffles.
With a whopping one bite to six sip ratio, I think we’re ready to move onto the next section.
Least Favorite Bites & Sips
It was very rare that I ordered something I didn’t enjoy at La Ménagère but two items come to mind when thinking of menu items that I recommend skipping. Like many, I love coffee cocktails but the caramel espresso martini and coffee negroni at La Ménagère were both major disappointments. The caramel espresso martini was drinkable, but one of the worst I’ve ever had. My three friends and I passed the martini around to try to finish it in pursuit of not wasting our money but no one really wanted to be drinking it. The coffee negroni on the other hand was tough to even choke down; with the four of us trying to finish it we still had to leave the drink unfinished in the end. As I mentioned earlier, La Ménagère doesn’t excel in coffee and the flaws in their coffee really shine through when used in these cocktails.
La Ménagère is one of my favorite spots in Florence and a restaurant which has beautifully executed their concept. While there were some disappointments, through the many times I’ve been to La Ménagère I have never once had an overall negative experience that discouraged me from returning. From the ravishing interiors to the exquisite cocktails, La Ménagère is a must visit when traveling to Florence.
Address: via De’ Ginori, 8/R 50123 – Firenze
Website: https://www.lamenagere.it
