SimBIOsi in Florence, review: sometimes telling a story isn't enough

Organic, by name, by nature. In the San Lorenzo neighborhood, on one of Florence's historic heartlands, Via dei Ginori, SimBIOsi is the first of a project dedicated to organic food that began seven years ago.

The environment

The first impression is captivating, despite the limited space dedicated to the pizzeria and, specifically, the tables. Upon entering, we find ourselves faced with a sort of corridor that runs alongside the counter and the wood-fired oven. The style of the place is rustic, with exposed stone and a pleasant retro atmosphere that reflects the history of the building that houses SimBIOsi. A small and airy space, yes, but welcoming in its own way, with its contemporary furnishings, wooden tables, and a variety of chairs. The vintage chandelier is the icing on the cake, while the decorative plants are all fake: strange for a place that aims to connect with nature, but understandable given the almost nonexistent lighting, which would significantly shorten the lifespan of real plants.

The menu

Organic, biodynamic, and natural. These are the menu's essential guiding principles, aiming to offer a high-quality product while also respecting the environment. We'd like to start our dinner with a hearty appetizer, but finding only crostini, bruschetta, and charcuterie boards—the same ingredients we'll find on the pizzas—we prefer to move on to the next step. These cramped spaces lack a kitchen or a fryer, so it's no surprise that the menu features only quick and convenient options, with cold dishes and, at most, covaccini (a type of cheese) that, not surprisingly, accompany each board. Given the restaurant's format and concept, we suggest a simple vegetable dip would have been very welcome. The beverage menu, on the other hand, is coherent and refined, featuring a selection of organic and biodynamic wines and craft beers intrinsically linked to the local area, such as the small brewery of the Lami sisters in Empoli or the spelt beers from La Petrognola in Garfagnana. We particularly enjoyed the chestnut-smoked beers from this latter brewery.

The pizza

The dough, as the wait staff explains (by the way, the service is basic and not particularly brilliant, but still punctual), is made with unrefined, organic, semi-whole wheat flour, stone-milled. The ingredients come from organic farmers and livestock producers who share SimBIOsi's respect for the planet and ethical gastronomy, ranging from classic to more modern pizzas. "Verdure" (Margherita with the addition of seasonal vegetables sliced into small rounds) and "Pizza & Fichi" (mozzarella, fig compote, artisanal prosciutto, and blue cow's cheese): without much hesitation, these are our two choices for the evening. The result? The pizza's leavening for at least 24 hours, combined with its wood-fired oven baking, offers two options that evolve the traditional concept of Neapolitan style. The crust, in both cases, is less pronounced and more like a soft focaccia, so it doesn't feel rubbery even at the last slice and allows the dough to fully develop, thanks to its special flours. If anything, the decision to cut the vegetables into rounds, rather than long, thinner strips, prevents them from cooking completely and almost gives the impression of eating ratatouille. On the other hand, we're very impressed with both the hearty texture of the mozzarella and the overall sweet-savory contrast of the "Pizza & Figs." Put more simply, we'd order the latter more than the former.

The sweets

If the appetizer selection could be described as minimal, the dessert selection is even more extreme. The inevitable question, "What desserts do you have?" was answered with a charming but knowingly embarrassed smile: "Cheesecake." There are at least three different toppings to choose from (honey, chocolate, and berries), but despite the aforementioned and understandable excuse of the lack of a kitchen, perhaps it would be appropriate to offer an additional selection for those of us who don't like cheesecake or simply want to indulge in a different kind of dessert that evening. Perhaps with a sweet covaccino, perhaps with fruit, perhaps with ice cream.

Opinion

The SimBIOsi between the restaurant and its diners succeeds despite some handicaps regarding starters and desserts, but the competitive prices (it is difficult to exceed 10-11 euros per pizza even if we are right in the historic centre) and the storytelling both in the structure and in the pizza & beverage proposal certainly deserve a passing grade.