In Florence, a stone’s throw from the Uffizi and Piazza della Signoria, there is a place where poetry is at home. An art library with over 1000 volumes, a delicious vegan restaurant hidden in the scenic internal courtyard and a café bar perfect for a regenerating break for the body and mind.

In Via dei Vagellai, where in ancient times the Florentine fabric dyers concentrated, with a “hidden” entrance surrounded by flowering branches, the Brac is one of those special addresses where you can be surrounded by art and beauty.

A beautiful project created by Sacha, a chef specializing in vegetarian and vegan cuisine in love with comics and illustration, and his partner Melisa, a bibliophile with impeccable taste, a couple in life and beyond. Poetic readings, cultural radio broadcasts, illustration and art criticism events have come to life here since 2009, enriching the cultural panorama of the city, giving life to opportunities for exchange and reflection.

We aim to invest in something that adds quality to life, creating opportunities to experience and talk about art and beauty.

(Sacha Sandri Olmo, chef and owner)

Renovated between 2015 and 2016 by the Florentine studio Deferrari+Modesti, the location combines a contemporary and refined design with original and romantic touches, such as the scenographic fabric installation that paints the ideal vault of the internal courtyard.

Over 5000 strips of fabric in nine different colors and between 75 and 175 centimeters long flutter lightly above the wrought iron tables, creating an emotional and cocoon space, where you can have a coffee or linger in a chat.

Libreria BRAC, furnished with great sensitivity and taste by Melisa, is truly welcoming and extends over an internal part with various sitting areas, designed for leafing through a book or enjoying a tasty break during walks in the city centre.

Inside there is also a large reading room with a large central table and a delightful bar area with counter and tables for sipping a drink or an aperitif.

The external courtyard, where the radio episodes hosted by the eclectic Giacomo Laser, a histrionic artist here in the role of speaker, are also broadcast, is the prelude to the restaurant room where you can enjoy delicious vegan dishes accompanied by a good glass of natural wine.

There are many interesting labels, expertly selected by the sommelier Giulia, which wink from the walls of the room, alternating with books on the subject of art, cuisine and wine. The mise en place is simple and refined, thanks also to the handcrafted placemats from Dimorae.nyfi which give a touch of color to the whole.

On the menu we find salads with seasonal products, first courses, also to take away, such as potato and ginger tortelloni or lasagna with fresh pasta, savory pies and special proposals that wink at exotic flavors and travel memories, such as Seitan Masala, kofta (Indian legume meatballs) or dosha (legume and rice crepes) with roasted feta.

Also delicious are the homemade cakes such as fresh fruit tarts, mini cheesecakes and mini crumbles, ideal for finishing a lunch or dinner on a sweet note.

The Secret

In the kitchen of his restaurant Sacha has never wanted a freezer to follow an idea of food ethics that prefers the freshest product of the day, following the seasons and re-proposing the authentic and unsophisticated flavors that were once tasted.

Useful Info

Libreria Brac
Via dei Vagellai 18r
50112 Firenze 
Tel. +39 055 094 4877

Salads: 10 euro
First courses: 10 — 12 euro
Special courses: 10 — 12 euro
Desserts: 4 euro