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Oltrarno/Santo Spirito: Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco

Borgo San Jacapo 43r , Phone: 055 215706
www.cinghialebianco.it

Reviewed by: GailS from MA, review #3709

When: 2011

Seemed like a tourist trap

My husband and I ate here mostly because of all the positive reviews I've read here. The experience was disappointing.

The food was good, but not outstanding. The service was the real issue. We went on a Monday and it was the evening of the day we arrived from the States. We went a bit early, around 7:30, and were seated immediately. Our courses were rushed with the waiters hovering ready to remove plates as soon as we completed a course, ready to set down the next one. When it came to ordering dessert we had about a half a glass of wine each to finish and told the waiter we would order when we finished with the wine. We had multiple waiters stop and ask us for our dessert order after this within less than 5 minutes.

After ordering dessert and limoncellos and finishing the desserts the bill was dropped on the table as they removed the dessert dishes. The quality of the food was OK but not worth compromising the dining experience. I wouldn't go back - there are much better choices.

Reviewed by: jan55612 from Minnesota, USA, review #3697

When: 2010

While this may once have been a lovely osteria, it seems to have morphed into a tourist trap. We were disappointed and will not return!

Four of us had dinner at Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco on October 23, 2010. Even though we had made a reservation for 8:30, we still waited for more than a few minutes for a table. To make the wait worse, there was no where to stand where we weren't in someone's way. We kept getting bumped and jostled by the wait staff and other dinners as we tried to squeeze against a wall.

We were disappointed in the food. My husband ordered a veal dish, which was not at all tender. The service was condescending and rushed, with the waiter bringing the second course before we finished the first, and asking if we wanted dessert before we finished our secondi. He then brought the check without us asking for it! The cost of the meal was not inexpensive, but we felt like we were in a fast food churn mill instead of a nice osteria. Unfortunately, what may once have been an authentic, family run restaurant, seems to have morphed into a tourist trap that is trying to see how many times it can turn each table in one night. We will not return.

This review is the opinion of a Slow Travel member and not of slowtrav.com.

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Oltrarno/Santo Spirito: Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco

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