Golden View Open Bar - A Room with a View...
and Bar, Restaurant, Art and Jazz!

Golden View Open Bar -- these simple four words say it all! Opened five years ago by a group of young entrepreneurs, this innovative restaurant seeks to change the way Florentines eat out. Golden View describes the spectacular vista that greets you. The restaurant is situated on the Oltr'arno side of the Arno River and nestled alongside the Ponte Vecchio. Its location provides a spectacular view of the Ponte Vecchio and the Vassari Corridor as the bright sunlight transforms into dusky night. Open Bar explains the dining concept. Golden View Open Bar combines three dining experiences: a bar, a pizzeria, and a restaurant into one harmonious location. This is no easy feat and yet these young restaurateurs manage this successfully through their great food, inviting decor and an energetic young staff.

The Open Bar has as its centerpiece a long cool marble topped counter with crystalline clear display cases. The barman, Enzo Vecchi, is well versed in all the popular cocktails that form the basis for the early evening Italian aperitivo. In addition, there is a superlative selection of wine from all regions of Italy. After a few light snacks and a glass of Prosecco at the bar, reserve a table in the Golden View Open Bar's pizzeria if you are looking for a casual atmosphere to share a pizza with a group of close friends. The cool colors of the pietra serena grey colored wood paneling and white stucco walls transition you into the seating area of the pizzeria. Once you step into this room, you immediately appreciate the large windows and high arched ceiling. The space is light without feeling cold and in front of you is one of the best views of Renaissance Florence.

The photos to the left and the one above capture the essence of Golden View Open Bar in Florence, as well as the artwork that is currently on display at the restaurant by Mladen Karan and Dejan Bogdanovic. 

These white walls also serve as the perfect exhibition space for paintings by the two artists currently on display at Golden View Open Bar. Mladen Karan, originally from the Serbian Republic, has lived in Florence since 1992. His paintings focus on the strong blocks of colors that make up the Tuscan and Florentine landscape. Dejan Bogdanovic, born in the ex-Yugoslavia, works in oils and experiments with textures and colors in his figurative compositions. These works of art, also for sale on request, serve as the link between the pizzeria and the darker wood paneled restaurant.

This is the third component of the Golden View Open Bar. The restaurant is also the room where a live jazz ensemble, under the artistic direction of Anthony Figura, plays in the evenings. Their swinging riffs give this room a clubbier intimate atmosphere. Here, too, the view from the expansive windows is breathtaking and serves as the perfect setting to enjoy the food prepared by Chef Edo. His kitchen forms the hub that links the three dining environments of the Golden View Open Bar. Whether it is a crispy crust pizza or sliced duck in a tasty orange sauce, his focus is on seasonal fresh foods found locally. At the end of your meal, try the dessert calzone. Chef Edo's take on this southern Italian favorite is to use the traditional pizza dough to enclose a scoop of ice cream. He cooks this bread pocket in the oven and then covers it in a velvety dark chocolate sauce. It does not disappoint!

From sleek cocktail bar, to casual pizzeria, to jazz club restaurant, Golden View Open Bar does it all and does it very well. Reservations are a must! Visit their website here.

The Golden View Open Bar is located at Via De' Bardi, 58 Rosso, Ponte Vecchio Firenze, Tel: +39 055 214502, Email: Golden View Open Bar. Hours: 12:00 pm - 2:00 am. Live music every night from mid June to August.