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Ori Kafri is the CEO of J.K. Place Hotels, a stylish, boutique brand he co-founded with his father Jonathan and Eduardo Safdie in Florence in 2003. They currently manage Indagare-adored properties in Capri, Rome and Paris, with a new opening coming to Milan in 2025. Himself a Florence native, Ori shares his favorite places in the city on the Arno—including where to eat the most authentic bistecca Fiorentina, the museum he loves to visit with his kids and a Medici villa that has yet to be discovered by the tourists.
ORI'S FLORENCE FAVORITES
For Breakfast & Coffee: "A very special place is called Pasticceria Giorgio. It's not in the city center but is definitely worth the short ride (15 minutes from Piazza della Repubblica, on the Oltrarno) if you want the most delicious croissants in Florence. They also have a few tables that are open for a special lunch, only with fresh fish!"
For Lunch with Friends: "Trattoria 13 Gobbi, because I don’t need a reservation, and they cook for me spaghetti Carrettiera, which is my favorite (it's similar to Arrabbiata)."
For Lunch with Friends from Out of Town: "Cantinetta Antinori is great for the food, the location, the wine selection and the attentive service."
For a Romantic Lunch: "I would invite my wife for lunch at the Four Seasons, so we can feel we have a little getaway in the city, within their amazing garden (pictured left)."
For Lunch with Family: "Le Lune is a special place that is also a garden and nursery, with a farm just outside of the city. They mainly serve products from their farm, the location is perfect for our kids to be free and independent, and the food is very good."
For Dinner with Friends: "Buca Lapi (pictured left) is a great option for a real Florentine steak to share with friends!"
For Dinner with Friends from Out of Town: "Trattoria Cammillo to experience the most local Florentine trattoria at its best."
For a Romantic Dinner: "Atelier de' Nerli: the food is delicious, the service is friendly and the décor is cozy."
For Dinner with Family: "Pizzeria Antica Porta is a casual place for great pizza, that everyone in the family can enjoy."
An enoteca is a wine shop and tasting room; today, it often serves snacks and small plates.
An osteria is a traditional wine bar serving simple, small plates.
Buca directly translates to "hole" and signifies a cozy, "hole-in-the-wall" type of restaurant, in a subterranean location.
Cantina means "cellar" and can denote a tavern-style restaurant. A cantinetta is the diminutive form of the word—meaning "a little cellar" (this can also convey a sense of endearment).
A trattoria is a restaurant serving traditional, rustic, local cuisine; it's usually family-owned. It is more formal than an osteria, but less formal than a ristorante.
A ristorante is a more formal, full-service restaurant.
A fattoria is a farmstead and/or winery.
A podere is a country estate, usually with a farm house or winery; it is similar to fattoria, but represents a more institutional concept.
I love to make an Italian coffee for myself with the Moka machine; it gives a unique flavor and perfume that make the real difference.
ORI'S FLORENCE FAVORITES
INDAGARE RECOMMENDS
Explore the world of J.K. Place, with properties in Capri, Rome and Paris—and a new hotel opening in Milan in 2025.
J.K. Place Capri
Perched on a cliffside between the harbor and Capri Town, J.K. Place has sweeping views and only 22 beautifully appointed rooms.
J.K. Place Roma
A stylish boutique property ideal for discreet travelers who value design, J.K. Place Roma also serves those who demand modern and sleek bathrooms (a surprising, specific challenge to top hotels in Rome).
J.K. Place Paris
As with the beloved the J.K. Place properties in Italy, a stay at the Paris outpost feels like a visit to your chicest friend’s Parisian apartment.
Contact your Indagare Trip Designer or Indagare, if you are not yet a member, to start planning a trip to Florence, Italy. Our team can provide expert travel advice and assist with custom itinerary planning, hotel, restaurant and guide recommendations and more.
Published onFebruary 6, 2024
We only feature hotels that we can vouch for first-hand. At many of them, Indagare members receive special amenities.
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