I first went to Ristorante Ora d’Aria in 2012 right after the restaurant received its first Michelin star. I was excited because I had been living in Florence for about six months and still hadn’t had a fine dining meal here.
The restaurant is tucked away in a small alley right near Piazza Signoria, one of the main piazzas in Florence. I went there with three other foodie friends and we decided to half of us would get the fish tasting menu and the other half would get the meat tasting menu in order to try as many dishes as possible.
As this was my first fine dining experience in Florence, I was pleasantly surprised and quite satisfied with the entire meal (7.5-8/10). All the food was plated elegantly and the flavors were spot on. My favorite dishes of the night were the fried spring tortelli and the ossobuco risotto. The fried spring tortelli was stuffed with fresh green peas served with a sweet red bell pepper sauce and tangy goat cheese. The crunchy tortelli accompanied by the creamy cheese was texturally excellent. The ossobuco risotto was cooked to al dente perfection yet still creamy and luscious. The dish was served with a bone marrow cream which was a cool modern take on the traditional Milanese dish.
Since I enjoyed my first experience here, I decided to go back in 2013 with my boyfriend and my father. On this occasion, we also ordered both the fish and meat tasting menus.

Game-filled Tortellini with Tomato Confit, Taggiasche Olives, and Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese Foam (8.5/10).
My second experience here was yet another success (7.5-8/10). Both my boyfriend and my father enjoyed their first experience eating here. Everything was once again beautifully presented and tasted delightful but this time I felt the dishes were slightly more innovative and creative. Highlights for this meal were the tortellini and the tiramisu. The game-filled tortellini, perfectly al dente, were excellently crafted. It was served with sweet tomato confit and salty Parmigiano Reggiano cheese foam which were the right accompaniments with the meaty tortellini. Their version of tiramisu was airy and light but still as satisfying as the original version would be. I highly recommend Ora d’Aria for a fine dining experience but at a reasonable price.