The rituals of Il Bargello
The traditions that make Il Bargello unique
At Ristorante Il Bargello, in the heart of Florence, eating is only the beginning.
Over the years, gestures and traditions have grown that are passed on evening after evening and that make every visit an experience to live: small rituals that tell the spirit of the house, Tuscan hospitality and the atmosphere of Piazza della Signoria.
The flask, the gottino and the Bargellometro
The house wine is the one from Il Bargello’s Chianti flask, poured as it once was into the typical gottino, the traditional glass of Florentine taverns and served by consumption, in keeping with the old country tradition. Alongside the flask, the wine list holds the most important labels.
And this is where the Bargellometro comes in: here wine is measured by consumption, and if you don’t want to be branded a “Poppante” (a lightweight), you’d better get to work on the flask! It’s the playful, convivial way we toast the Tuscan table at Il Bargello.
The Steak Bell
Our most impressive steaks have a ritual of their own. When a fiorentina weighing over 1.5 kg comes out, the guests themselves ring the Steak Bell, wearing the Bargello hat.
The bell has its own story. Where it hangs today, a column once stood: during the renovation, Marco thought a bell would suit the spot. He found it in Cerignola, in Puglia; so Marco, Claudio and Saverio took the car, drove all the way down and brought it back to Florence. Since then, its sound marks the most memorable moments in the dining room.
Discover The Florentine Steak
La foto al Banco dei Prosciutti
Anyone who comes to Il Bargello can’t skip the customary photo at the Ham Counter, together with the gastronome in his unmistakable straw hat of the old-time host. It’s the counterman himself who draws guests into this small ritual, which becomes the perfect keepsake:
a moment that captures the spirit of Il Bargello and of Florence.
The team's Spaghettata
Il Bargello is made of a great team: long-standing staff who have been with the place for over twenty years, like Roberto, Franco and Giovanni, and young people who bring their energy. Every day, everyone gathers to eat together at the same table, with the dishes that have always told the story of Florence and Il Bargello.
The Spaghettata is famous: at least once a week, for over twenty years, the team enjoys the favourite dish of founder Rodolfo, Spaghetti alla Carrettiera, simple, tasty and convivial. Over lunch, as in a Tuscan home, everyone shares stories and life, just like family.
FUN FACT
Il Pozzo antico
During the 2024 renovation, Marco rediscovered a historic relic right beneath the family restaurant: a well thirteen metres deep, engraved with the year 1711, though the story of this relic may reach back to even more distant times.
A silent witness to an ancient history, that of Florence and its most famous square.
LA BARGELLATA
THE CONVIVIAL RITUAL OF IL BARGELLO
The greatest convivial ritual is La Bargellata: the Tuscan dinner where everyone sits at the same table.
Every Saturday from 1 October 2026 to 30 April 2027, by reservation, from 8:00 pm.
What is the Bargello gottino?
The traditional glass used in Florentine taverns, served when drinking house wine from a flask.
What is the Bargellometro?
The playful way Il Bargello measures wine by consumption, poured from the flask: if you don’t finish the flask, you’re a “Poppante” (a lightweight).
What is the Steak Bell?
A Bargello ritual: when a steak over 1.5 kg comes out, the guest rings it wearing the Bargello hat. The bell was brought from Cerignola.
What is the Bargello Spaghettata?
The team’s weekly lunch, for over twenty years: spaghetti alla carrettiera, the favourite dish of founder Rodolfo.