Nothing evokes the spirit of home quite like food, and this is especially true if your hometown happens to be one of the world’s most celebrated culinary destinations like Florence. Florentine chef Manuelo Pintore established Giglio Trattoria Fiorentina, Bangkok’s first and so far the only dedicated Tuscan-style Italian restaurant on Sathon soi 12, only a few months back to remind us that their native land has more to admire other than Renaissance art and Michelangelo’s masterpieces.
The intimate trattoria greets diners with warm, homey vibe in relaxing, classic-looking atmosphere. The sage green and white palette of the interior décor drapes over dark wood furniture and tile floor that for a moment makes you forget you’re in Bangkok. The bar is right at the entrance, beckoning you to have an Italian-style aperitif before starting the meal. Browsing through the menu, you’ll see that Giglio has a substantial drink list to entice, from Italian beers, Italian cocktails (of course, a Negroni!) and wines from Tuscany. Pick your poison and get ready to be blown away by the beauty of Tuscan flavors.
The intimate trattoria greets diners with warm, homey vibe in relaxing, classic-looking atmosphere. The sage green and white palette of the interior décor drapes over dark wood furniture and tile floor that for a moment makes you forget you’re in Bangkok. The bar is right at the entrance, beckoning you to have an Italian-style aperitif before starting the meal. Browsing through the menu, you’ll see that Giglio has a substantial drink list to entice, from Italian beers, Italian cocktails (of course, a Negroni!) and wines from Tuscany. Pick your poison and get ready to be blown away by the beauty of Tuscan flavors.
And sorry, foodstagram people. Tuscan food is all about the taste, and not so much about the look. Put down your phone, have a bite, and you’ll forget about snapping pictures. A must try is the light, slightly briny and addictive fettunta lardo e cavolo nero where sauteed black kale is put on Tuscan bread and covered with rosy-hued opaque cure pork lard from a town called Colonnata. Pasta is all handmade at the restaurant. The chef recommends pappardelle al cinghiale, the supple but not starchy pappardelle pasta with rich and aromatic wild boar ragu sauce. A simple roasted organic supreme chicken stuffed with sausage and pancetta served with sauteed spinach is also a proof that simple is best.
While you’re here, get a bowl of piping hot ribollita, a Tuscan classic for wintry season which mainly comprises beans and black kale in thick, aromatic broth. The food at Giglio might seem intimidatingly rich and heavy, especially for Thailand’s climate, but fear not. An aromatic Italian classic cocktail with a dash of bitterness can help cleanse and balance your palate. In fact, that’s why they are invented, according to Florence’s homeboy Davide Sambo, Campari Group Brand Ambassador Thailand.
“It’s the Italian way of enjoying life: drinking and eating. If you do it the Italian way, you always have an aperitif cocktail, which is usually low ABV, before the food, and you perhaps have some wine later with the meal. [Aperitif cocktails] are usually a bit bitter and citrusy to open your appetite. After dessert or coffee, you go for a digestif which is still a little bit bitter but sweeter and more aromatic to help with the digestion. Usually, we eat a lot, so it helps!”
Giglio Trattoria Fiorentina is among the dozens of Italian restaurants in Bangkok to team up Davide and Campari Group to bring fulfilling, authentic Italian culinary culture to the city’s gourmands. “Here we have the classics – Negroni, Americano, Negroni Sbagliato, Italian spritz – plus some signature cocktails inspired by these staples that I created especially for Giglio,” says Davide.
Next time you dine at a trattoria, head to the bar and ask if they can fix you an Italian classic or one of Davide’s signature drinks to go with the meal. Buon appetito!
“It’s the Italian way of enjoying life: drinking and eating. If you do it the Italian way, you always have an aperitif cocktail, which is usually low ABV, before the food, and you perhaps have some wine later with the meal. [Aperitif cocktails] are usually a bit bitter and citrusy to open your appetite. After dessert or coffee, you go for a digestif which is still a little bit bitter but sweeter and more aromatic to help with the digestion. Usually, we eat a lot, so it helps!”
Giglio Trattoria Fiorentina is among the dozens of Italian restaurants in Bangkok to team up Davide and Campari Group to bring fulfilling, authentic Italian culinary culture to the city’s gourmands. “Here we have the classics – Negroni, Americano, Negroni Sbagliato, Italian spritz – plus some signature cocktails inspired by these staples that I created especially for Giglio,” says Davide.
Next time you dine at a trattoria, head to the bar and ask if they can fix you an Italian classic or one of Davide’s signature drinks to go with the meal. Buon appetito!