Agricola Toscana: an history of tradition, passion and innovation in the heart of Florence
Behind the success of Agricola Toscana and its twin bistro in Borgo Ognissanti lies the story of Simone Angerame, an entrepreneur and restaurateur who has made his passion for Tuscan cuisine and authenticity his mission.
Born in a small town in southern Italy, then moved to Incisa Valdarno, Simone grew up in close contact with nature, developing healthy and genuine values that he brought with him into every aspect of his work: from the selection of raw materials to the philosophy of hospitality.
The reopening to the public under covid: Simone with an illustrious guest, Gianfranco Vissani.
From Lucanian origins to the heart of Tuscany
“Florence is my home”, says Angerame with emotion. It is here that he found fertile ground to realize his professional dreams: in 2020, the year in which he took over Agricola Toscana in via del Corso, he took on a challenge made even more difficult by the arrival of the pandemic: a few days after the opening, Italy entered lockdown due to Covid-19. A difficult moment, but one that Simone faced with courage and determination, transforming it into a path of personal and professional growth, full of satisfaction.
2020: after the first reopenings, Simone organized a take-away service.
The bistrot: tradition meets creativity
If Agricola Toscana in via del Corso faithfully follows tradition, with iconic dishes such as the Florentine steak, strictly rare, the Bistrot in Borgo Ognissanti represents a creative evolution. Here Simone has given full freedom to chef Stefano Frassineti, with whom he shares profound values such as sincerity, passion, professionalism and love for the territory. The result is a menu that reinterprets Tuscan cuisine with a modern look, but always respecting its roots.
Simone and Samire, husband and wife, together run the Bistrot
Original dishes and territory Identity
The bistrot menu is a celebration of ancient flavors revisited with elegance: from pigeon risotto, loved by those who know the cuisine of the past, to chicken “alla cacciatora”, passing through the revisited lampredotto and the tagliata with Colonnata lard. Each dish tells a story, each ingredient is the result of a careful and conscious selection. Simone in fact abandoned industrial suppliers to favor local businesses and “zero kilometer” productions – or almost: “maybe the kilometers are 20”, he smiles.
Feeling “at home” is not just a phrase, it is a reality of the restaurant in Via del Corso
Wines between Tuscany and southern Italy
The wine list also reflects Simone’s double bond: on one side Basilicata, his homeland, with some selected excellences; on the other Tuscany, the absolute protagonist of the bistro’s cellar, chosen to express quality and refinement.
Hospitality as a founding value
For Simone, the greatest goal is only one: to make customers feel “at home”. “It seems trivial, but it is not. Seeing a happy guest is the greatest satisfaction“. Both the restaurant and the bistrot are not just places to eat well, but well-kept environments, tastefully furnished, where every detail – from service to plating – is designed to create a memorable experience.
Sports champions such as Sebastien Frey, former Fiorentina goalkeeper, and Luca Diddi, guests in via del Corso.
A Philosophy made of humanity
The opening of the bistrot was not without its challenges: “The biggest difficulty is making people understand that we are a completely different reality from what was there before. We are doing this by transmitting our philosophy made of hospitality, simplicity, kindness and lots and lots of passion”.
And when it comes to the future, Simone keeps his feet firmly on the ground: “I like to be humble and think only of the present. Every day that I wake up healthy is an opportunity to do better. Only in this way can true satisfaction be built, both personal and professional”.
Tuscan friendliness and joviality, with the staff’s t-shirts
