Restaurant in Florence, Italy
Michelin-starred Four Seasons dinner, tasting menus only.
Il Palagio earns its Michelin star and its €€€€ price tag inside the Four Seasons Florence's Palazzo della Gherardesca — a formal, marble-and-Murano dining room with a 1,200-selection wine list and a kitchen that lets Tuscan seasonal ingredients do the heavy lifting. Book well in advance (this is a hard reservation), and time your visit for autumn when the seasonal menu and the wine program align at their strongest.
Dinner at Il Palagio will cost you well over €66 per person for a typical two-course meal, and considerably more if you follow the tasting menus or take the sommelier's advice through a wine list that runs to 1,200 selections and 15,000 bottles. That is the deal on the table. What you get for it is a Michelin-starred kitchen inside one of the most architecturally serious dining rooms in Florence, a wine program strong enough to anchor the evening on its own, and a level of formal service that most restaurants in this city cannot match. The condition: you need to want this format. If you are after modern bistro casualness, book somewhere else. If you want a long, considered dinner in a setting that earns its price, Il Palagio delivers.
The dining room sits on the ground floor of the Palazzo della Gherardesca, the historic palazzo at the heart of the Four Seasons Florence property. Marble floors, Murano glass chandeliers, and high ceilings set the ambient register well before the first course arrives. The energy is quiet and deliberate — this is not a room that hums with social noise after 9 PM. Conversation carries without effort. For food and wine explorers who want to actually discuss what is in the glass, that matters. Compare this to the livelier rooms at Borgo San Jacopo, where the riverside terrace generates a different, more animated atmosphere. Il Palagio is the choice when the meal itself is the event, not the backdrop to one.
Chef Paolo Lavezzini builds the menu around a philosophy of ingredient quality over technical showmanship , creative dishes that do not chase novelty for its own sake. Two tasting menus run alongside an à la carte, giving you a choice of commitment level. The seasonal emphasis here is genuine rather than decorative. Tuscan produce drives the menu's direction across the year, which means timing your visit has a real payoff. Spring brings lighter, herb-forward compositions; autumn shifts toward richer, earthier material , truffles, aged cheeses, game , which aligns well with the wine program's depth in Tuscany and Piedmont. If you are visiting Florence in October or November, this is the season where the kitchen's ingredient focus and the wine list's strengths converge most naturally. That seasonal alignment is one of the better arguments for planning the visit deliberately rather than treating it as a last-minute booking.
For context on how this kitchen sits within Italian contemporary fine dining more broadly, Osteria Francescana in Modena and Le Calandre in Rubano both push harder on technical ambition. Il Palagio's lane is more classical , substantial, grounded dishes rather than conceptual cuisine. That is not a weakness; it is a different target. Explorers who want to eat across the Italian fine dining spectrum should also consider Piazza Duomo in Alba and Enrico Bartolini in Milan for the more avant-garde end of the register.
Wine Director Walter Meccia and Sommelier Francesco Moradei oversee a list that is one of the most serious in Florence. 1,200 selections, 15,000 bottles in inventory, with particular depth in Tuscany, Piedmont, Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Champagne. Wine pricing sits at the $$$ tier , expect many bottles above €100. Corkage is available at €51 if you have something specific in mind. For wine-focused visitors, this program is a genuine draw and arguably the strongest argument for booking Il Palagio over comparable options in the city. If the wine list is your primary motivation, Enoteca Pinchiorri remains the reference point for Florence , it runs deeper still , but Il Palagio's program is serious enough to satisfy most enthusiasts without the additional formality overhead.
Il Palagio holds a Michelin star (2024) and is ranked #483 on Opinionated About Dining's Classical in Europe list for 2025 , a credentialed position in a competitive field. Google reviews sit at 4.5 across 295 ratings, which is a stable floor of satisfaction. For comparison at the Italian contemporary level across the country, Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler in Brunico, Dal Pescatore in Runate, and Agli Amici in Rovinj occupy similar critical territory in their respective regions. Il Palagio's OAD ranking places it solidly within the serious-but-not-elite tier of European classical dining , worth the spend for the right guest, not a restaurant that needs to apologise for its price.
If Il Palagio is fully booked or over your budget for this trip, Atto di Vito Mollica and Degusteria Italiana are worth considering in the fine dining tier. For something less formal, Gunè San Frediano and Konnubio offer a different price-to-quality equation. Pearl's full Florence restaurants guide covers the city's range across every tier. For hotels, bars, wineries, and experiences, see our Florence hotels guide, Florence bars guide, Florence wineries guide, and Florence experiences guide. For Italian contemporary dining beyond Florence, L'Olivo in Anacapri is a useful comparison point at a similar award level.
Yes , it is one of the more reliable choices in Florence for a celebratory dinner. The Michelin-starred kitchen, formal marble dining room inside the Four Seasons, and a 1,200-selection wine list give you all the ingredients for a significant evening. At €€€€ pricing with wine added, budget accordingly: this is a two-person dinner that will comfortably exceed €200 with any serious bottle. For romantic occasions specifically, the quiet atmosphere and attentive service make it a better call than the busier rooms at Borgo San Jacopo or Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura.
Il Palagio is a formal hotel restaurant inside the Four Seasons Florence , the format is table dining rather than bar-counter eating. The Four Seasons property does have bar facilities separate from the restaurant, but if you want a counter or bar-seat dining experience in Florence, Il Palagio is not the right format. Consider Konnubio or Gunè San Frediano for a more informal seating arrangement.
As a Michelin-starred hotel restaurant with a dedicated kitchen team, Il Palagio is equipped to accommodate dietary requirements , this is standard at this level of operation. That said, the database does not include specific details on their current approach. Contact the restaurant directly when booking to flag restrictions in advance; this is particularly important if you are choosing a tasting menu, where modifications need to be agreed before service. Booking lead time at Il Palagio is significant (hard to secure at short notice), so raise dietary needs at the time of reservation, not on the day.
Three things: First, this is a formal dining environment inside a luxury hotel , dress accordingly. Second, the wine list is one of Il Palagio's strongest assets; let the sommelier guide you if Tuscan or Italian wine is not your area. Third, book well in advance , this is a hard reservation, particularly on Friday and Saturday evenings. First-timers who want a shorter commitment can book à la carte rather than committing to a full tasting menu, which gives you flexibility to calibrate the evening's pace. OAD's 2025 Classical in Europe ranking (#483) and the Michelin star set the quality floor reliably.
Il Palagio serves dinner only , Monday to Saturday, 7 PM to 10 PM, closed Sunday. Lunch is not on offer, so this is a direct call: if your itinerary requires a midday fine dining option in Florence, look elsewhere. For dinner, the Friday and Saturday slots are the hardest to secure. If you have flexibility, a mid-week dinner often books more easily and the kitchen's output is no different. Autumn evenings are the standout timing: seasonal Tuscan ingredients are at their peak and the wine list's Piedmont and Tuscany depth gives the sommelier more to work with.
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Il Palagio | Italian Contemporary | Nestled in the historic centre of the city of Florence, in one of the city's most renowned and well-known hotels - the Four Seasons Hotel - there is a restaurant that presents the most correct and ess...; Situated on the ground floor of the extraordinary Palazzo della Gherardesca, Palagio is a perfect choice for a romantic, luxurious evening, thanks to its marble decor, sumptuous Murano glass chandeliers, and its unforgettable setting in an elegant hotel. In the kitchen, Paolo Lavezzini creates two tasting menus and an à la carte featuring substantial dishes which are creative yet unfussy, and which focus on top-quality ingredients.; Opinionated About Dining Classical in Europe Ranked #483 (2025); WINE: Wine Strengths: Tuscany, Piedmont, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Italy, France, Champagne Pricing: $$$ i Wine pricing: Based on the list\'s general markup and high and low price points:$ has many bottles < $50;$$ has a range of pricing;$$$ has many $100+ bottles Corkage Fee: $51 Selections: 1,200 Inventory: 15,000 CUISINE: Cuisine Types: Italian Pricing: $$$ i Cuisine pricing: The cost of a typical two-course meal, not including tip or beverages.$ is < $40;$$ is $40–$65;$$$ is $66+. Meals: Dinner STAFF: People Wine Director: Walter Meccia Sommelier: Francesco Moradei Chef: Paolo Lavezzini General Manager: Massimiliano Musto; Situated on the ground floor of the extraordinary Palazzo della Gherardesca, Palagio is a perfect choice for a romantic, luxurious evening, thanks to its marble decor, sumptuous Murano glass chandeliers, and its unforgettable setting in an elegant hotel. In the kitchen, Paolo Lavezzi creates two tasting menus and an à la carte featuring substantial dishes which are creative yet unfussy, and which focus on top-quality ingredients.; Michelin 1 Star (2024) | Hard | — |
| Enoteca Pinchiorri | Italian - French, Italian Contemporary | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Santa Elisabetta | Italian, Creative | Michelin 2 Star | Unknown | — |
| Borgo San Jacopo | Italian, Modern Cuisine | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura | Modern Italian, Italian Contemporary | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Cibrèo Trattoria | Tuscan Trattoria | Unknown | — |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
Yes — it is one of the stronger arguments for a special-occasion booking in Florence. The ground-floor dining room of the Palazzo della Gherardesca, marble decor, Murano glass chandeliers, Michelin star (2024), and a 15,000-bottle wine cellar add up to a credentialed setting that is hard to match in the city. Budget well over €66 per person before wine, and expect the tasting menu to push that considerably higher. For a romantic dinner for two with serious food and a serious wine list, it delivers.
The venue database does not confirm a bar dining option at Il Palagio. The restaurant operates as a formal dinner service, Monday through Saturday from 7 PM to 10 PM, closed Sundays. If informal or bar seating is a priority, Cibrèo Trattoria offers a more relaxed format in Florence without the Four Seasons price point.
Chef Paolo Lavezzini runs both tasting menus and an à la carte menu, which gives some flexibility compared to fixed-format omakase-style restaurants. Specific dietary accommodation details are not in the available venue data, so contact the Four Seasons Florence directly at Borgo Pinti 99 before booking to confirm what can be adjusted.
Il Palagio is a formal hotel restaurant inside the Four Seasons Florence — dress accordingly. Dinner runs Monday through Saturday, 7 PM to 10 PM only; there is no Sunday service. The wine list (1,200 selections, 15,000 bottles, with strengths in Tuscany, Piedmont, and Burgundy) is one of the most serious in the city, so budget for it. The Michelin star (2024) and OAD Classical in Europe ranking (#483, 2025) confirm the kitchen is operating at a high level, but the format rewards guests who engage with the full tasting menu rather than treating it as a quick dinner stop.
Il Palagio serves dinner only — 7 PM to 10 PM, Monday through Saturday. Lunch is not offered, so the question does not apply here. If a midday fine dining option in Florence is what you need, Santa Elisabetta or Enoteca Pinchiorri are worth checking for lunch availability.
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