One of the most stunning venues in the heart of Florence, the restaurant and lounge bar Winter Garden of The St. Regis Florence boasts voluptuary Belle Époque atmospheres where soft lights and refined details frame a food & wine experience dedicated to excellence in all its forms.

Like a jewel hidden in its treasure chest, among precious works of art and period details, the “Winter Garden” is the flagship, on a haute couture dress, of one of the most iconic luxury hotels of the city, originally designed by Brunelleschi in 1432.

Wonderfully orchestrated by the Executive Chef Gentian Shehi, this space dedicated to hospitality is a stage of taste where you can be lulled, from morning to evening, by Tuscan gourmet cuisine that tickles all the senses under an extraordinary 19th century sky of colored glass.

The best cuisine comes from an authentic act of love for what you create and for the people who will taste it and carry this experience in their hearts.

(Gentian Shehi, Executive Chef)

The space is, without a doubt, extraordinary. The courtyard of a Renaissance-era palace that comes back to life not as a place of passage but as a city lounge of choice to be enjoyed at any time of the day, when its romantic soul changes and amplifies with the soft passing of the hours.

Under its iconic Murano chandelier, between velvet sofas and intimate tables that illuminate with soft light in the evening, the Winter Garden is marked by the rituals of conviviality. Surrounded by the noble charm of a history that belongs to one of the most culturally and artistically refined cities in the world, the show begins at lunch with an ad hoc menu, also perfect for a quick break. In the afternoon, it is possible to indulge in a sumptuous tea time in pure British style, while from 7pm, to the romantic notes of the piano, the magic of dinner begins.

Chef Shehi, born in 1981 in Durazzo and grew up in Puglia where he began taking his first steps in the kitchen at a very young age, boasts important experiences in luxury hotels, including the Four Seasons group and Intercontinental Hotels. At his side, a close-knit team that supports him in creating recipes that enhance the best raw materials by relying on highly selected suppliers.

The menu changes according to the seasons without ever losing the fundamental link with the Mediterranean aromas and flavors that characterize it. Among the Chef’s musts are the Scallops with bouillabaisse, caviar and cauliflower, the Paccheri di Gragnano pasta with lobster and lime or the cooked and raw Amberjack with lettuce and Hollandaise sauce. Also worth trying are the delicious desserts such as the surprising and very fragrant, spoon dessert based on passion fruit, tapioca pearls and a heart of fragrant meringue.

In the dining room, the sommeliers create perfect pairings by choosing for guests the best labels from the large cellar of The St. Regis Florence which houses, in addition to 40 types of champagne, fine Tuscan wines and a section dedicated to the best biodynamic proposals, including international ones.

To enjoy an experience in pure “St. Regis” style, treat yourself to a special aperitif in the lounge bar before dinner. Perhaps with an iconic, and extraordinarily good, Bloody Mary, the Hotel’s signature cocktail prepared using an artisanal grappa based on the same grapes as Brunello di Montalcino, or a glass of champagne served according to the spectacular sabrage ritual performed, ça va sans dire, absolutely artfully!

The Secret

Originally, and for a few subsequent centuries, the beautiful glass courtyard that now houses the Winter Garden was intended to accommodate the carriages and horses that found shelter here during stops at the owners’ palace.

Useful Info

Winter Garden Florence
Piazza Ognissanti 1
50123 Firenze
Tel. +39 055 27163770

Entrées: 35 — 50 euro
First courses: 38 — 44 euro
Main courses: 48 — 54 euro
Tasting menu: 120 — 140 euro (wine excluded)