Although fashion designers strive for individuality, originality and innovation, sometimes a great idea is simply a great idea — whether it’s novel or not — and merging haute fashion with haute cuisine has proven to be a win-win. Such is the case for the recently opened Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura in Florence, Italy.
The 50-seat chic eatery resides within the newly redesigned 14th-century Palazzo della Mercanzia, which overlooks the city’s famous Piazza della Signoria and, before the redesign, was home to the Gucci Museum.
The stylish restaurant is headed up by Michelin-three-star Italian chef Massimo Bottura, who serves up a tempting menu of high-quality dishes, including Parmigiano-Reggiano tortellini, Peruvian-inspired tostadas, pork belly buns and mushroom risotto.
Reimagined and revitalized by the luxury brand’s unconventional megastar creative director Alessandro Michele, the new multipurpose, immersive Gucci Garden complex is “a hypnotic territory that alters the state of consciousness and perception,” according to its website.
The historic Palazzo della Mercanzia in Florence, Italy. (Photo: Gucci)
For those seeking an upscale marketplace environment in which fine dining, fashion-forward shopping, and artistic expression, appreciation and celebration are intermixed to create a one-of-a-kind experience, Gucci Garden is an open invitation that awaits the curious.
The three-floor space not only houses Gucci’s new intimate, full-service restaurant serving Italian classics, it also features a boutique offering exclusive, limited-edition clothing and accessories; an other-worldly gift and souvenir shop; and the galleria.
The boutique (Photo: Gucci)
Curated by eclectic art critic and fashion educator Maria Luisa Frisa, the two-story galleria is divided into themed exhibition rooms that speak to the design house’s new vision, as well as showcases its archival gems that include bygone advertising campaigns, artists’ images and vintage objects.
So even though it’s following designer dining concept predecessors like Versace, Roberto Cavalli, Armani, Tiffany & Co., Tommy Bahama, Chanel and Bulgari, Gucci has managed to bring its very own brand of haute cuisine into the world. And visitors to this quaint little spot in Florence seem to be eating it up.
