The Paoli Restaurant opened in 1827 on Via De’ Tavolini. For nearly two centuries, this frescoed venue has remained open without interruption. The restaurant’s defining feature is its remarkably long history. In 1909, the building was completely renovated in a Neo-Gothic style, a unique look that the restaurant preserves to this day.
The interior decorations date back to 1916. In that year, the artist Carlo Coppedé painted the lunettes inspired by the stories of the Decameron. The walls also feature Cantagalli ceramics, showcasing the coats of arms of every municipality in Tuscany.
Paoli is the oldest restaurant in Florence and one of the oldest in all of Italy. Over time, its fame has become international. During the war, the restaurant was well-known even by soldiers at the front, who remembered its cuisine with nostalgia. The guestbook of the establishment contains over a thousand pages; among the many famous signatures are those of legendary artists and writers such as Puccini, Leoncavallo, Pirandello, Marinetti, and Charlie Chaplin.
