Tratto Debuts at W Florence: A Project by Trattoria Contemporanea Blending Flavor and Global Design

Florence welcomes a new wave of gastronomic energy with the opening of Tratto, the casual dining restaurant created by the chef collective of the one-Michelin-starred Trattoria contemporanea—Davide Marzullo, Elena Orizio, Christian Malatacca, and Andrea Noto. Located inside the newly opened W Florence, the brand's second Italian property following Rome, this collaboration represents a natural, almost inevitable meeting of minds. The pop, irreverent vision of the young chefs from Como seamlessly merges with the hotel's cosmopolitan spirit, embedding itself into the Florentine scene with a design bridging avant-garde aesthetics and seventies flair, crafted by AvroKO and Genius Loci Architettura. It is a venue that brings the freshness of contemporary, convivial dining to the city.

Housed within the former Grand Hotel Majestic—an iconic building originally designed by Lando Bartoli in 1968—W Florence opened its doors in July, earning LEED Gold and WELL Silver sustainability certifications. Here, rationalist heritage fuses with contemporary design featuring vibrant colors, rich fabrics, and nods to Italian fashion. The rooftop garden offers a privileged view over the Duomo and the Florentine hills, while the W Lounge, conceived as an indoor piazza, serves as the social hub—a space where cocktails, music, and informal gatherings express the chain's dynamic and cosmopolitan soul.

While in Lomazzo, amid the industrial-chic backdrop of Fabbrica, we were delightfully surprised by the playful, lighthearted nature of dishes like the veal brain nugget and the inventive pairings between natural wines and fermented beverages, in Florence one senses a slightly less irreverent yet instantly approachable and memorable direction. Tratto does not aim to dazzle through sheer complexity, but rather through the energy and vibrancy born from the genuine talent of Davide Marzullo.

At twenty-nine, the Saronno native is one of the rising stars of Italian cuisine. At just twenty-seven, he earned his first Michelin star with Trattoria contemporanea in Lomazzo, near Como, becoming the youngest chef awarded by the guide in 2023. His career took off after winning the inaugural edition of Antonino Chef Academy, which opened doors to world-class kitchens such as The Connaught in London and Villa Crespi on Lake Orta. Playful and instinctive yet technically precise and deliberate, Marzullo has already gathered prestigious accolades: from the S.Pellegrino Award for Social Responsibility for Italy and South-East Europe in 2021 to the final of Luigi Cremona's Emergente Chef in 2022. Rooted in instinct and passion, his cooking reflects a courage to dare paired with irony and lightness—ingredients that make him one of the freshest and most promising voices of the new culinary generation.

“We opened in Lomazzo in 2021,” he recalls, “five friends around twenty-five years old, with—I must admit—a fair degree of recklessness. Today, we are proud to bring our vision to Florence.” He then addresses the hot topic of the moment: “I don’t believe fine dining is dead at all; it simply needs to find its modern expression, leaving behind obsolete principles to embrace a fresher, newer version adapted to the times. Our offerings are informal and playful, and every day we see that people connect with this mood and appreciate it.”

This culinary philosophy—blending fun, fusion, and immediacy—is evident from the aperitivo hour, when irresistible spinach and ricotta crespelle arrive, meant to be devoured greedily.

Welcoming guests to the table is one of Trattoria’s most emblematic bites, sure to become a signature at Tratto as well: a caper powder crème caramel topped with chive oil. A dessert dressed in savory notes—or perhaps a savory dish borrowing the textures of a dessert. Its velvety smoothness, cradled by the contrast between a sweet undertone and the salty snap of the caper, stands as a small manifesto of the house style, capable of surprising with lightness and irony.

This spirit is mirrored in the menu’s graphics—a nod to Emilio Isgrò’s concept of erasure. As an act that transforms the negative gesture of denial into a positive gesture of affirmation, it reveals new meanings while preserving the underlying content from the illusions of mass information. And thus, Trattoria becomes Tratto.

The dishes arrive at the table served all at once in striking copper pans and casseroles, sealing a ritual of sharing that turns the meal into a collective act.

Swordfish rolls with tomatoes and raisins, charcoal-grilled and brightened with a yogurt sauce, arugula, and candied lemon zest, introduce a line of sharp flavors and a captivating texture. Meanwhile, the pork bombette—succulent sirloin stuffed with Podolic caciocavallo cheese, soy mayonnaise, and chives—appeal to the primal pleasure of embers and rich dairy sapidity.

The squid skewer, glazed with a sweet pepper, ’nduja, and parsley breadcrumb crumble, plays on the harmony between sweetness, spiciness, and crunchiness. In contrast, the spiced Tuscan beef, accompanied by a pepper sauce, pan juices, juniper, caramelized onions, and parsley oil, grounds the menu in solid classicism enhanced by a subtle spiced vibration.

Among the first courses, the riso alla pizzaiola tells a simple, ironic story of an Italian classic everyone knows but few have thought to elevate: Carnaroli rice steeped in tomato sauce, oregano, and stracciatella, striking a balance between comfort food and refinement. Even more signature is the mixed pasta dish: cooked 30% in water and finished 70% in a mixture of potato cream, mussel water, coarsely chopped mussels, pepper, and parsley, topped with a layer of pan povero (dried, crushed bread toasted with oil, garlic, chili, and Podolic caciocavallo). A Mediterranean combination expressing conviviality and oceanic depth, rounded out smoothly by the cheese.

The finale embraces the reassuring sweetness of a classic tiramisu—velvety and precise in its contrasts—alongside the delicate, floral lightness of a soft, fragrant maritozzo, bringing the meal back to an intimate, comforting dimension.