It was right in the heart of the Renaissance period, when America was celebrating its 88th birthday, that The Agnolo began to serve its first dishes. According to a documentary shown on French television it was here that friends of Leonardo da Vinci met together, accompanied by a certain Frenchman by the name of Michel de Montaigne, a famous philosopher and writer of that time, a regular customer during his frequent stays in Florence.

The inn in borgo San Lorenzo then known as “Locanda dell’Agnolo”, began in 1580 and it is without doubt the oldest restaurant in the world even though it has never sought official recognition. (Botin in Madrid dates back to 1725).

The Osteria dell’Agnolo Restaurant is situated just 100 metres from the Duomo of Florence and still today it is considered to be one of the most important landmarks of Tuscan cooking with a wine shop offering the most esteemed Chianti DOCG.

Tradition and history melt together in an oasis of flavours and aromas and can be seen in the homemade pasta and the famous “bistecca fiorentina”, two of the most popular dishes served here. It is also famous for its pizza, baked in a wood burning oven.

The Osteria is furnished in a rustic style and consists of two floors, providing 200 place settings. There is a hi-fi system, six Plasma TV screens, satellite television and air-conditioning – everything necessary to provide comfort in a tasteful, cosy atmosphere.

The Osteria has an additional merit, which makes it unique – it is open 365 days a year, from 11.30 in the morning until 1.30 at night.