Podere 39 in Florence is a place that I fell in love with long before I ever had a meal there. I have spent much time on and around via Senese (at the base of which you’ll find the restaurant), and whenever I pass by in the evening, I long to be inside the intimate and magic setting that characterizes this dim-lit cave of a restaurant.

It can probably host up to 20 tables at a time, which seems essential to maintaining it’s charm. I guess that this is important not only for the intimate atmosphere, but also because of the immense care that goes into the making of each plate.

Here you’ll find fare that is typical to the Tuscan campagna (countryside), but with a flare of something else. The menu presents a very subtle fusion of flavors, including typical dishes from a few different regions of Italy.The choice to be inventive with classics tastes makes this place a humble but fearless anomaly to the typical Tuscan restaurant. There is also great seafood at this place, so you may find some of the best spaghetti alle vongole that there is in Florence.