Within earshot of the Basilica di Santo Spirito, famed as one of the preeminent examples of Renaissance architecture, the name really doesn’t do justice to this place. You certainly don’t come here to admire the view because there isn’t one – just a nondescript quiet Oltrarno back street – and while there’s an impressive dozen draft crafts on tap, their names listed by Scrabble-style letters which cling to a board above the bar, it’s the Asian-Tuscan fusion food that draws in the locals.
The owners come from a brewing background, something that’s super evident each time you order a pint – or should I say two-thirds of a pint, which is the Italian trend right now. They are more than happy to impart advice on their “birra artisanale” offerings from the likes of Chianti Brew Fighters, Busa dei Briganti and Brùton to Firenze’s very own Archea Brewery, a stone’s throw from the premises – and how they are best paired with the accompanying dishes. They will even throw in a complimentary bowl of heavenly nori seaweed chips with your first draft – an Asian take on a pint and a bag of nuts. Quite frankly, I’m sold. The food, crafted by 31-year-old Korean chef Yejin Ha, is divine. It ranges from delicious Korean-style steamed ravioli stuffed with pork, ginger and spring onion; a Florentine tripe mandu with tomato and parsley; fried wonton stuffed with liver and spleen pate and parsley gel; to tantalising mains like fried and sautéed chicken wings with soy sauce, mirin, yuzu, mustard, peanuts and white wine vinegar.
Pint of View, Borgo Tegolaio 17R, 50125 Florence; pintofview.it
By Lee Osborne, Creative Director, Secret Trips
