Bustling with art, culture and history, Florence is the perfect city to take food tourism to new heights. I came prepared, i.e. a printout, with numerous recommendations from foodie friends, bloggers and locals on where to best venture out to feed my hungry soul.

After absorbing the sights of Michelangelo's David at the Accademia Gallery, walking on the cobbled footpath onto the Piazza della Signoria and finding myself in the middle of multiple jewelry shops on Ponte Vecchio, I rested my weary legs in time for the lunch opening of the Michelin rated Ora D'Aria. This also meant that I was the first customer of the day and was immediately seated without a reservation in front of their open kitchen.

Tip for traveling gastronomes: I've learned over the years that eating at Michelin-star restaurants is cheaper and easier to get into during their lunch vs. dinner service. Reserve an hour or so on your itinerary for a long lunch then dine at casual hotspots at night.   
  
Serving contemporary tapas, Ora's meticulous preparation shines through on their Rivoluzione, surprise tasting menu, starting off with a poached tomato topped with burrata and caviar. At the end of the meal, I received an interesting dessert platter.   

Light and creamy but bursting with flavors.

Trio of bread. The spelt bread in the middle was my favorite.

My server had to bring this fried scallop back to the kitchen since I told them earlier on that I don't eat red meat. The second dish didn't look as appetizing without the prosciutto on top though.

Ora's vegetarian, tomato-based risotto. Delicate and savory.

Seared fish with a kick of salty capers.

Guess what's for dessert?

Frothed milk with chunks of caramel and cheese. Reminded me of a kiddie snack I used to love.

With only a glass sliding door that separated the dining area and kitchen, I was also entertained on what the prep cooks were doing. The immaculately clean and organized kitchen was the highlight of my experience. The emblazoned Ora D'Aria name on the steel table can't be missed.  

Spanking clean kitchen.

As I walked out of the restaurant energized from the flavorful tapas at Ora D'Aria, raindrops touched my face while my mind wandered what's in store for dinner.

To be continued...