Fermento 1889 in Florence, review: a successful Neapolitan pizza challenge (with terrible service)

The environment

After acquiring the adjacent commercial space, Fermento 1889 underwent a major renovation this summer, doubling its space. On one side is Fermentino, the historic restaurant now a pizza bar, and on the other a cinema-style dining room where the master pizza chef works right before the eyes of diners. This ambitious project is no mean feat, given the current staff shortage and a now-iconic name in Florentine pizza (Gianluca Vella) that shouldn't be underestimated. Why do I say this? Because I've tried Fermento three or four times, first in the old space and now in the new one, and the overall experience has unfortunately never lived up to the quality of the pizza. Let's be clear: anyone can have a bad night, but for one reason or another, all my experiences here have risked overshadowing the most important thing: the pizza, of course.

The menu

Minimalist, perhaps a little too much so, given that there's no real appetizer list or pizza alternatives (they recently added an aperitivo made with Fermentina, a third of the dough for a pizza alla pala, plus a cocktail for just €10), but consistent and proud of its identity. Fermento 1889 focuses exclusively on pizza, just as it did when, when it first opened, its corridor-like restaurant could accommodate very few diners and always had a line outside. There are about thirty pizzas—twenty-seven to be precise—and they range in Roman style from the more traditional to the gourmet. The beers, meanwhile, hail from Salento, showcasing the work of the eponymous craft brewery Birra Salento, along with a wine selection that tends towards the commercial. Overall, the drinks are mediocre.

The pizza

80% hydration, minimal yeast, a long leavening time, and a special blend of organic flours. These are the foundations of Gianluca Vella's pizza, a different kind of pizza—in the positive sense of the word—precisely because it offers Florentines unusual flavors and textures amidst the vast sea of ​​Neapolitan pizza. Not everyone is a fan of this, it must be said.

Delicate and chewy, crispy and soft at the same time, with almost no crust, it crunches and then melts in your mouth: Fermento 1889's pizza is equally delicious on round pizzas, pizzas by the slice, and pizzas with a crust filled with ricotta. The dough deserves a lot of praise, but be careful with the ingredients. My "Amatriciana" (pizza topped with San Marzano DOP tomatoes, cooked with bacon, deglazed with white wine, and then served with pecorino romano, chili pepper, and extra virgin olive oil) was way too greasy and very salty: you can tell from the photo. The "StracciaNapoli," with San Marzano DOP tomatoes, fiordilatte mozzarella, stracciatella, Cantabrian anchovies, Pantelleria capers, Pantelleria oregano, basil, and extra virgin olive oil, was delicious, very delicious.

In this regard, I appreciated Gianluca's choice to pay homage to a great classic, the "Napoli" pizza, offering three different variations: "Napoli with Mozzarella," "Napoli with Buffalo Mozzarella," and "StracciaNapoli." Along the same lines, I also recommend the "Stella," a star-shaped dough that contains four pizzas in one: "Al contadino non far sapere" (fiordilatte mozzarella, pears, spicy gorgonzola, pepper, basil, and extra virgin olive oil), "Napoli," "Salsiccia e Broccoli Rabe," and "Campana" (San Marzano DOP tomatoes, fiordilatte mozzarella, Campanian buffalo mozzarella, basil, and extra virgin olive oil). It's no coincidence that these are the four flagships of a varied and extensive menu designed to truly satisfy every taste. Even the sweet ones, thanks to the delicious “Piemontese” pizza with Nutella, ricotta, and chopped pistachios that makes my mouth water again just thinking about it.

The service

I've saved the destructive part of this review for the end, precisely because I don't want to take away credit for the special dough and, more generally, Gianluca Vella's innovative work, and also because I'm convinced that with a little more attention, the overall experience at this pizzeria could be significantly improved. Let's start with the space: the tables inside "Fermentino" are too crowded together, with diners left to their own devices and often condemned to only having a sip of water after more than half an hour of their arrival. I hope and believe that at the "new" Fermento, the focus will be completely different. So why not develop two distinct formulas and, more importantly, different prices? After all, from pizzerias to trattorias to fine dining, the waiter's first commandment is always the same: as soon as the guest sits down, ask them what they'd like to drink. And immediately afterward, at least in theory, they'll be brought what they've ordered. I'd had a much worse experience the previous time, with at times rude service that unfortunately (in that case, completely successful) had overshadowed the deliciousness of the pizzas, or the time before that with a wrong order. In short, you don't need to bother Agata Christie to realize something's wrong.

Opinion

If Fermento 1889 wants to justify its prices—rightly so—in San Frediano, and especially if it intends to join the elite of Florentine pizza (it has all the credentials to do so, given that it's among the few to bring something new to the city), it undoubtedly needs a significant shift in service. How? With the attention it once had when Fermento 1889 was a small, welcoming, no-frills place, but which has sadly been lost over the years.

PRO

• Gianluca Vella's signature dough, traditional pizzas and sweet pizza, and craft beers.

AGAINST

• The Amatriciana pizza needs a rethink in terms of oil and salt, and the service needs to be significantly improved.