La Giostra Florence: A Candlelit Dinner Under the Carousel Arches
Updated October 2026
Some restaurants feed you. La Giostra makes you feel like you were invited to a private party in a cellar full of candlelight. I have eaten here more times than I can count, and every visit ends the same way: Soldano stops by the table, pours something special, and the evening stretches past midnight without anyone noticing. If you only book one long, slow dinner in Florence, this is the one I would send you to.
La Giostra sits on Borgo Pinti, a quiet street a short walk from the Duomo and Sant'Ambrogio market. From the outside it is easy to miss. Step through the door and you are under low brick arches strung with thousands of tiny white lights, with tables set close together and the low hum of people who know they found somewhere good.
The History of La Giostra
The name means "the carousel," and it is not a whim. According to the restaurant, these sixteenth century brick arches once housed carousel horses, and their menu tells the story of the space serving as winter storage for the carousel of Piazza dei Ciompi back in the 1700s. Walk in and you can almost picture the painted horses tucked away for the cold months.
The restaurant opened in 1992. It was founded by Alberto and his three children, a family with deep roots in Florence and a castle in Chianti. Today the house is led by Soldano, who oversees the cellar and still works the room like a host at his own dinner party. The menu itself is signed by Soldano, Anastasia and Dimitri Kunz d'Asburgo Lorena, and you feel that family touch in every detail, from the welcome glass to the way regulars are greeted by name.
The Room
There are only sixteen tables, which is part of the magic. The space is intimate without being cramped, and the lighting does the rest. It is the kind of room that makes a regular Tuesday feel like an anniversary, which is exactly why La Giostra earned its place in my guide to the most romantic restaurants in Florence.
Expect white tablecloths, walls covered in photographs and mementos, and a soundtrack of clinking glasses and laughter. It is lively but never loud. Couples, families celebrating a birthday, and old friends catching up all seem to fit here equally well.
What to Order
The menu changes with the seasons, so treat this as a guide to the autumn menu rather than a promise. In the cooler months this is a kitchen that leans into truffles, porcini and game, and it does them beautifully.
Start with the fried Tuscan porcini if they are on, crisp outside and meaty inside. Then go straight to the pasta. The ravioli with pecorino and pear is the dish people talk about on the walk home, sweet and salty in the same bite. In truffle season, the taglierini with white truffles is pure Tuscan autumn on a plate. If you want something heartier, the pappardelle with wild boar, juniper and pine nuts is rich, fragrant and very Florentine. Pasta lovers should also read my list of the best pasta restaurants in Florence.
For mains, the Fiorentina T bone is the classic choice for a table that wants to share. The fillet named for Lorenzo il Magnifico comes with lardo di Colonnata and béarnaise, and it is as indulgent as it sounds. There is also a porcini risotto with nepitella, the wild mint that grows all over the Tuscan hills, and a tagliata with lardo and white truffle for a truly decadent finish. If steak is your priority on this trip, my guide to steakhouses in Florence covers the city's other great grills.
Leave the wine to Soldano. The cellar is his domain, and telling him what you like and letting him choose has never failed me. Expect a bottle with a story attached.
When to Go
Dinner is the main event. The lights, the candles and the late hours are what make La Giostra special, so book an evening table and plan to stay a while. Dinner is served every night of the week, and the kitchen keeps going late, which makes it a great choice after a full day of museums or a sunset walk along the Arno.
La Giostra also serves lunch on weekdays. A midday meal is calmer and a nice way to see the room in a different mood, though for a first visit I would still choose dinner. With only sixteen tables, reservations are essential, especially on weekends and through the autumn truffle season.
Address, Hours and Booking
La Giostra is at Borgo Pinti 12r, Florence, a pleasant walk from the Duomo through the streets of the Santa Croce and Sant'Ambrogio neighborhoods.
Dinner is served daily from 19:00 until midnight. Lunch is served Monday to Friday from 12:30 to 14:00, with no lunch service on holidays. To reserve, go through the La Giostra website or phone the restaurant on 055 241341. Hours can change with the season, so check the official site before you go.
Quick Facts
Restaurant: La Giostra
Address: Borgo Pinti 12r, Florence
Neighborhood: between the Duomo and Piazza Santa Croce
Open since: 1992
Setting: sixteen tables under sixteenth century brick arches lit with tiny white lights
Must order: ravioli with pecorino and pear, seasonal truffle pasta, Fiorentina
Dinner: daily from 19:00 until midnight
Lunch: Monday to Friday, 12:30 to 14:00
Phone: 055 241341
Website: ristorantelagiostra.com
Best for: romantic dinners, celebrations, long nights with great wine
Planning a trip to Florence and want help choosing where to eat? Email me at info@florencelife.co and I will point you in the right direction.
Dining room, pasta and entrance photos courtesy of La Giostra.
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