Year 1903

The history of the Restaurant IL PROFETA reaches back to the year of 1903, when it started as an inn for cabmen.
Even back then, at the beginning of the last century, the inn was capable of satisfying the taste of its – less delicate than now – clients.
The small square in front of the inn allowed the coach with its horse to park.

The innkeeper used to offer a good glass of wine, a first course, starting with the ‘MINESTRONE’, the PASTA E CECI, the RIBOLLITA (1), the PAPPA AL POMODORO (2), the PASTA E FAGIOLI and, for those who could afford it, a second course of FLORENTINE TRIPE (3) or the "TROLLEY OF BOILED (4)".

The clients couldn’t afford even these poor dishes, and had to take a "lamprey sandwich". At that time, it was not common in the inns, to offer many kinds of bread, so two slices of florentine bread without salt and natural leavening were used. With the lamprey in between, it was up to three fingers thick.

1. RIBOLLITA: a dense soup of vegetables and crisp bread

2. PAPPA AL POMODORO: bread and tomato soup

3. FLORENTINE TRIPE: the tripe was made of the innards of ruminants, particularly of beef. Precisely the "croce" and "cuffia" stomach

4. TROLLEY OF BOILED: boiled meat of various animals, the receipt of which contained beef, particularly tongue and cheek, scotecchiatura of chopped meat, head and trotter of veal, pork sausage and chicken

(the underlined dishes are still available in the menu of the restaurant)

The advent of tourism

At the end of 1950, through the advent of tourism the inn was transformed into a restaurant with the name "Giovannino", which was already well appreciated back in these years.

The restaurant Il Profeta

Founded at the 6 December 1979, in the present style it has a pleasant and elegant ambience. It also is very unique, a fact which influenced also the choice of the name "Il Profeta". Easy to remember but yet not trivial and with a true story at its origin.

The history of the name "Il Profeta"

Three mâitre and a chef, who were instructed in the 60s’ and 70s’ best restaurants of Florence and in some foreign countries, as it was common for those who aimed at having success in this business, were separately in search of a chance to accomplish their dreams, which finally showed to be of a common goal: to establish a restaurant of class with an exceptional character and a great desire to receive its customers in a comfortable ambience.

A dream out of reach for the single one, became true through their united force. By case they all addressed the same person, who acted as an intermediary. At the first meeting, three of the four members realised they had attended together the hotel school and to have envisioned even then the dream of their own restaurant.Once the prophecy was fulfilled, what name, other than "the Prophet", could they have chosen?