- Top Rated in Florence
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Brac Libreria di Arte Contemporanea
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Vegetarian
Vegan-friendly
Lacto
Italian
Organic
Juice bar
This spot is a library, cafe and restaurant with vegan menu as well. Uses organic vegetable. Reservation suggested for Friday and Saturday nights. NOTE: Reported to be unreliable with bookings. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-15:00, Mon-Sun 19:00-00:00.
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- Outdoor seating
- Reservations required
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Last update on 20 Oct 2021 by Guest
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285 Reviews
First Review by Vesanto
EleonoreOppenheim
Points +16
Go here!!! - Edit
I read a review of this place here on happy cow and decided to check it out. My non-vegan, meat and cheese-worshipping wife and I went there without a reservation and were told it was all booked up, so we made a reservation for dinner the next night, and it was well worth the wait. The avocado carpaccio was a bit of thinly sliced avocado heaven, and the pasta I ordered with a vegan curry pesto was unbelievable. Sundried tomatoes, basil, walnut, curry, garlic, olive oil, and some kind of wonderful. This place passed the non-veg test of approval as well! Also, the list of biodynamic, organic, and just plain local wines is really great. The waitstaff are super nice, and you can see into the kitchen while you are sitting at the bar. Great bang to buck ratio, and Best meal we've had in Italy in a while!!
Read morePros: Delicious, Fresh, Great ambience
Guest
Plantp0wer
Points +105
Great food but unfriendly staff and poor service - Edit
We were very much looking forward to eating at Brac and the host of our B&B Home in Florence managed to book a table for us. When we arrived the waiter simply ignored us and once we managed to find our table we had to wait quite some time for our drinks, food, bill etc...It was very busy, and that's not a problem of course, but the staff made us feel we were rather a burden than that we were welcome. However, the food was great, we chose the mix of dishes for 12 euro which was good value for money. An another plus is the special ambiance as you're surrounded by interesting literature and art. Make sure you have an empty stomach when you go here!
Read moreUpdated from previous review on Monday August 10, 2015
Guest
Joshilib
Points +346
great discovery - Edit
In short: great atmosphere, friendly and beautiful staff, non touristy (because it doubles as an Italian-language bookshop), nice drinks and food. Cheap. Strongly recommend.
Read moreGuest
lorenzonannini
Points +112
Great restaurant in Florence - Edit
I have eaten at Brac a couple of times and it's always been great! A couple of days ago I had Pane Frattau, Spaghetti all a Chitarra, and avocado carpaccio and everything was delicious! Recommended!
Read moreGuest
itzjac
Points +255
Best food I've eaten in Italy! - Edit
Since arriving in Italy I feel like I look like a loaf of bread! I have been filling up on mostly bread due to eating fairly bland tasting food at most of the places we have eaten. To be fair we have only travelled through Rome and Sicily so far, but I am a total foodie and really missing some delicious, as well as nourishing food since arriving in Italy!
Read moreWe checked into our hostel today and looked up veggie restaurants in Florence.. while I was a little disappointed by Rome, I thought Florence might raise the bar.. We found this place was less than 5 minute walk from our hostel so decided to head there for a late lunch.
We arrived at 2.30 - half hour before the kitchen closed - and the place was still relatively busy from the lunch crowd. The waiter asked if we had a reservation - I replied that we didn't and he said no worries he would just need to clean off a table. We waited a couple of minutes then were taken to our table. The restaurant has bookshelves filled all the way around and has a lovely ambience with artwork all around too - I really love it!
Looking through the menu, there didn't seem a huge amount of vegan options, but I wasn't too worried as all the meals I saw coming out looked amazing. I decided to try the asparagus & green bean flatbread as the chickpea, fennel, celery & dill salad. Both wonderful choices! They were super delicious and also nourishing - you could taste the good quality of the ingredients - and this is what I love a bout good veggie food! My boyfriend ordered a tomato pasta dish and really enjoyed his too and he really loved the chickpea fennel salad too!
Prices are pretty cheap - well we thought so after being in Rome.. 6 Euro for a big salad and 7 Euro for each of our meals.
We heard the place gets booked out so booked a table for the following night. As we are from Australia we eat dinner a lot earlier than most Italians so we booked for 7pm - which turned out to be a great idea as when we arrived we were the only people in the restaurant and there were candles and beautiful laid tables it felt so private and lovely. The staff were wonderful and the food was wonderful again. The only dish I was a little disappointed with was the fettucini with spring greens & lemon - I found it a little bland. Everything else - flatbreads, salads, wine - delicious!
Highly recommend for a delicious and nourishing veggie meal in Florence! Just make sure you book if you go at regular meal times as I think they get very busy! :)
Pros: Food! :), Decor & Ambience, Location
Cons: Vegan items not labelled, Fettucini w lemon and greens
Guest
andrea
Points +638
Great time - Edit
We went one night, and they were too busy, but we made a reservation for the next night. The staff there is so sweet! Our server spoke English fairly well. I got this 12eu sort of combination plate. You choose one salad, one pasta, and one of these special flatbreads. I wanted the gnocchi special and she said that was fine for my pasta choice. The fennel salad was awesome. The eggplant flatbread was sublime. The gnocchi were a problem. I had no idea they were gluten-free and I'm a GF-hater. They really were like glue. When I told them this, the sweet young lady up front (a manager or owner?) came back and offered to bring me some tortelloni even though my husband had eaten the gnocchi (hates to waste food!). THEN, the chef shows up; i was embarrassed. He apologized and said he's not allowed by the state to say GF on the menu because the kitchen is not separated etc. So nice of him. My husband had the special seitan and potatoes (10eu), it was a very generous portion and he really liked it. True, it's not vegan, but there were plenty of options including two desserts. And the prices are very reasonable. (There is s small coperto for bread/service)
Read morePros: Staff, Yummy food, Cozy atmosphere
Guest
natasha vegan
Points +100
Vegan lunch near Uffizi - Edit
We were lucky to get a table on a Tuesday lunch. We had a lovely salad & great apple crumble. Was clean & cheap. Nice atmosphere. Staff were very friendly. Would go again. Liked the library /book shop atmosphere. The potions were generous. Close to Uffizi.
Read morePros: vegan, friendly, good location
Cons: busy
Guest
dkinjer
Points +309
We went when the menu choices were limited - Edit
It was not the right time for the more interesting dishes, and the vegan options are limited, so we had an avocado dish - sliced thin with an interesting sauce. Quite tasty, and the bread was also tasty. We shared a dessert, which was good.
Read moreThe shop was certainly interesting and different - like sitting in a small library. (But the nearness of the WC kind of ruined the atmosphere, as the WC opens right into the room where we ate.)
So this review is based on a limited exposure to what they have to offer, but I'd say give it a chance.
Pros: Interesting atmosphere
Cons: limited vegan options
Guest
jamtoenail
Points +43
Odd and uninviting - Edit
I must have hit this place on a bad night.
Read moreStaff was unfriendly, and service was slow. My wife's menu and mine were different, and neither reflected the reality of what was available. The people at the table next to ours were asked to finish their dessert and coffee at the bar, because they had stayed too long in the restaurant.
Food was actually pretty good, though.
Pros: Good food
Cons: Limited wine list, Slow service, Unhelpful staff
Guest
HappyGina
Points +85
charming little place - Edit
i only went for tea and dessert, so here's my humble little review on that:
Read morei enjoyed the atmosphere. there are essentially 3 areas to this place. the main bar area that you first walk into, which has a classy feel to it. then, the next area you enter is the "outdoor" area, that has some various, chill kind of seating. then the back area, that is more like a restaurant with tables. the whole place is surrounded by books, and even in the restroom there was a "Linus" magazine (from "Snoopy"! :D)
anyway- the server seemed stressed, so i didn't how to take him. was he mean? having a bad day? or just stressed? not sure. he was just not your typical smiling, friendly person (which I personally love), but he wasn't "mean". i don't know, the whole place, to me, seemed a BIT intimidating or something.. not bad I suppose, just didn't feel completely at ease.
the teas i had were great though! (2 types of green teas) and the dessert (some kind of vegan tort) was AWESOME!
it looked like the meals coming out of the kitchen were DELICIOUS, but some were definitely vegetarian (with cheese), so I'm not sure what vegan choices they have. i asked, and the guy showed me the menu, but that didn't help me at all because it's not a separate menu, nor was it in English.
so! i am interested in knowing what vegan choices they have, but may not go back.. so... take this weird review as you will :)
Pros: great green jasmine tea and vegan desser, interesting atmosphere
Cons: server not so helpful
Guest
MichelAllon
Points +13
Great restaurant - Edit
This small restaurant delivers great creative and artistic food in a wonderful atmosphere and very friendly efficient service. Very worth the visit.
Read morePros: Good value for your money, Great atmosphere, Incredible food
Guest
m@earthville
Points +9620
Great food, pleasant ambience - Edit
I can imagine that some people might overlook this place, but that would be a pity. Yes, it might like a bookstore that added a café as an afterthought, but the cooks really know what they're doing. The food was some of the best i had in Florence. Servers were kind, warm, and helpful, and a bit of English is spoken.
Read moreI got a combination plate that included a main dish, a salad, and a side. All three were very well prepared and delicious, and it was quite filling. They helped me understand which dishes were vegan. I only wish there were a few more vegan options for the main dishes (there were only 3 on my visit).
Cappuccino with soy milk was great, too.
Pros: Great food, with several vegan options, friendly, cozy atmosphere, good coffee
Cons: Somewhat limited vegan options
Guest
wyrd
Points +3356
Great food and atmosphere - Edit
I've been at the Libreria Brac tonight with my girlfriend. We had booked in advance, and got a table for two in the room full of books, so we had the chances to browse a few books on art (basically exhibition catalogues) while we were waiting for the food to arrive after we placed the order. Nice.
Read moreWe opted for the "piatto unico" option, which is a pizza-side dish with one salad, one pasta (I got tortelli with arugola pesto), and one "pane carasau" (it is a flat bread typical of Sardinia) with cheese/ricotta. Everything was really tasty, and portions are generous.
We also had a couple of Menabrea beers, bread, and cakes (one yummy chocolate cake with no flour, and one delicious apple tart).
What can I say? It is a great place, the music was good (David Bowie, Coldplay, Crosby Stills Nash and Young...), the food was extremely nice, the staff was kind... we had a great evening.
And we paid 43 euro in total (including one coffee). Certainly fair.
We'll go back there!
Pros: Great food, Nice atmosphere, Friendly staff
Cons: None
Guest
borovnica
Points +34
Very cosy - Edit
Very nice place, I visited in the evening- it was cosy with the candles lit on. The staff was friendly, food really good- I had vegan lasagna. It wasn't too expensive. They had three dessert options- one was vegan.
Read moreThe location was good too- very central- near Ponte Vecchio.
All in all I liked it a lot.
Pros: Central, Ok prices, Atmosphere
Guest
tarchi
Points +28
The best choice in Florence - Edit
Brac is probably the best one of the many vegetarian restaurants I visited around the world. And it is in the city where I usually live! I discovered it only some months ago, thanks to a colleague; in fact I ignored that this bookshop situated in the heart of the popular and artistic Santa Croce district was not only a bookshop. Now, after tasting various dishes of its menu, I can say that, besides the unique athmosphere of the place, Brac offers an excellent and very original kitchen. The "mixed plate" is rich, very well-cooked and creative, but if you decide to choose a first course or a main course made on the basis of the Carasau Sardinian bread, I think that you will not deceived. Desserts and wine are of the same level. For a complete dinner, you will spend 25 (without wine)-35 euros.
Read morePros: Creative kitchen, Unique athmosphere (art bookshop), Correct price
Guest
Unaban
Points +44
A Treasure - Edit
We were in Florence for a month and I had intended to visit all the vegan-friendly places, but then we found this little beauty and couldn't get enough of it! The food was excellent prepared by a passionate and imaginative chef-fresh vegan pasta with many interesting stuffings and sauce was addictive.
Read moreIt is easy to pass by the entrance as it is not obvious that it is a restaurant, but persevere. Booking is advisable as this is a very popular place. A word of warning about Sunday lunchtime, when the lack of vegan choices was disappointing. We are going back to Florence and wil make a beeline for Libreria Brac!
Updated from previous review on Friday June 14, 2013
Pros: Terrific food, Quirky surroundings, A gem of a chef
Cons: Sunday lunchtime lack of vegan choices
Guest
DyannaCsaposs
Points +20
Loved it - Edit
This restaurant is so good. The chef and staff was all very friendly. The food had some indian influence which was a nice change after eating only italian food for a month. They offer a tasting menu of sorts for 12€. Tons of yummy food for a great price. The house red wine is a good choice. Can't wait to go back. A must if you are vegetairan or vegan. There are more options if you eat cheese, but don't worry my vegan friends, there's some great food for you too. Like the curry pasta. Buon Appetito!
Read moreGuest
etka
Points +73
good and popular - make reservation for evening - Edit
I agree with the previous reviews - good food and reasonable prices (for Florence). It is best to get the mixed platter. Make a reservation if you want to come in the evening because they fill up quickly (it is a small restaurant). The staff were nice - we didn't have a reservation but they suggested that we wait around and eventually got a table. They also translate the menu for you. Beware - the waiting area/room in-between the bar and the restaurant is a smokers paradise - or a non-smokers nightmare. It seems that here vegetarian does not go along with non-smoking.
Read morePros: good food, reasonable prices, firendly staff
Cons: waiting area allows smoking
Guest
priya108
Points +120
Mmmmm yummy - Edit
A hidden jewel. Quite literally as they do not have a sign or name anywhere visible outside. We just got lucky really with how easy we found it.
Read moreThe food lived up to its Italian name.It was truly delicious and great portions for the price.
Also, small note, they didn't have an English menu which is unusual in the heart of Florence, but the staff speak English.
Definitely worth a trip or two ;)
Pros: Great food, Great Portions, Nice ambiance
Cons: Can be hard to find, No English Menu, Menu fragile, & will charge for damage
Guest
Eike
Points +198
Nice Restaurant in the Heart of Florence - Edit
While the décor and library/gallery ambience is a little unconventional for an eating place, don't be deterred. Tucked away in a quiet street in Florence and perhaps a little difficult to find, this vegetarian restaurant also has several delicious vegan dishes. The atmosphere buzzed with lunch-time diners while we enjoyed our vegan Tortellini and fresh salad. Definitely worth a visit.
Read moreGuest
JesseWaugh
Points +415
Pretentious Misery - Edit
Italy is a happy place but not here. Like other reviewers have stated they forgot our reservation - why we needed a reservation in the first place is beyond me. The hostess and "waiter" were absurdly rude and miserable. The menu consists of about eight choices, none of which include any vegan protein (tofu, beans, etc.). We ended up getting two plates of rice with vegetables and a bottle of water and paying €23 for the privilege of eating in this wanna-be 'artsy' palace of pretense. I felt like I was trapped in Bjork's kitchen.
Read moreCons: Pretentious , Miserable
Guest
vegegiraffe
Points +27
Great place - Edit
Thanks to other reviewers on Happy Cow we found this restaurant. Still no exterior signage that it is one. Dropped in at lunch time and were able to book for the evening. delicious food (though where are the pulses?) Full of diners but very quiet and restrained atmosphere for an Italian venue. we had interesting combination plates. recommended, would definitely go back.
Read moreGuest
veg.dan
Points +124
brilliant. - Edit
This is one of the best veggie restaurants I've been to. The menu is varied, lots of options and the food is awesome. I had the sampler plate. I left very content and the owner is very welcoming. The atmosphere and fit out is cool but be sure to book. I was lucky to get in as a walk-in. Highly recommended.
Read morePros: food., atmosphere.
Guest
ncvhappycow
Points +8
Brilliant Food - Edit
After a few days in Rome where I was tired of overcharged pasta and pizza, I was glad to find this place via happycow. Excellent selection of beautifully prepared food. The platter to share is to die for. Coming back tonight.
Read morePros: cost, fresh, atmosphere
Cons: none
Guest
beavers
Points +102
If at first you don't succeed.. - Edit
This was the best of the three veggy places we ate at in our short holiday in Florence, yet we nearly didn't make it. We made a beeline here on the first night (a Sunday) but could find no sign of it in the dark little back street it was supposed to be in (which is not even shown on some maps). We had another attempt for lunch on the day we left, and even in the daylight nearly missed it. It has no obvious signage and looks like a small bookshop - only when you get in do you see that beyond the small bar, with tempting cakes, there are too more rooms. In the first of these we ran into a English student who said the place was her little secret and gave some advice on what to pick. The waitress, however, was very helpful anyway, translating the menu and guiding us through. We went for two 12-euro platters, on each of which you could select three of the main items on the menu. The choice, colour and flavours of what arrived was eye-popping - and they filled two huge plates. Helpfully the menu makes it clear which items were vegan (probably half the options). As well as doing great food Brac is a magical place in itself - a cross between a library and an art gallery with sofas to relax in over coffee. An exciting and memorable eating experience.
Read morePros: Imaginative choices, Helpful staff, Atmosphere
Cons: Hard to find
Guest
hirundinidae
Points +28
wonderful food and art bookstore - Edit
A real find - delicious food and very friendly staff. I'd highly recommend this to anyone wanting to try innovative italian food in a unique arts bookshop. I'd heard it gets busy in the evenings but I went for lunch and was able to walk in and sit at the counter. The service was excellent and the waitress chatted about the various alternative arts scenes in Florence.
Read moreGuest
TofuCelt
Points +229
Rubbish - Edit
We found the road to this restuarant quite easy, but not the restuarant. It wasn't until an old man outside the building asked us what we were looking for that he told us we were outside it. We went to this restuarant three times but we were not notified of having to make a reservation until the second time we went. Some of the staff, especially the owner, were not all that friendly, which was an immediate turn-off for us. The service was quite slow, but that is usually okay with us, because after a days sight-seeing, we just wanted to sit down with our glass of wine and wait to have our food served to us. When we finally got our food, the proportions were quite small and lacked imagination. As with everywhere in Italy, the food was extremely expensive. Our stomachs just about got filled as our pockets rapidly emptied. The best thing I can say about this restuarant was the wine we had. Once again, another vegetarian restaurant that lacks imagination and creates quite bland foods. Why are so many vegan/vegatarian restaurants so lacking in imagination? A lot of improvment needed here.
Read morePros: Quite central
Cons: Expensive, Lacks imagination, Service
Guest
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