Locale Firenze

14th – 18th November

Native Florentine Simone Caponnetto lives and breathes the city’s unique cultural heritage. 

After perfecting his craft at some of the world’s very best – among them Narisawa** (Tokyo), Mugaritz** (Basque Country) and La Pergola*** (Rome) – Simone returned home to head up the culinary arm of Locale Firenze, arguably one of the most exciting gastronomic projects in Florence.

Housed inside a historical 13th century palazzo, Locale Firenze is perhaps better known for its eponymous bar (#46 in the World’s 50 Best). But make no mistake, under Simone’s creative guidance, the equally avant-garde restaurant has become one of the city’s must-visits.

Using only Italian ingredients – 80% of which come from Florence, including Simone’s own vegetable garden – Simone draws heavily on his travels to put a polyglot spin on traditional Tuscan favourites passed down from his nonna. “We like to play with contrasts: the restaurant is old, but the dishes are very innovative”, he explains, “we want people to have fun, to eat with all their senses, and to be surprised.”

As bold in appearance as they are in flavour, Simone’s artfully-plated dishes include the likes of ‘Barbecued Mussels’; ‘Steamed Turbot, Lamb’s Lettuce, Brown Turbot Broth’; ‘Antichucho Farm Skewers of Rabbit, Chicken & Duck’; and show stopping signature, ‘Risoni Pasta, Cuttlefish, Confit Cherry Tomatoes’.