“Feeding others is an act of prayer.” Perhaps this is the phrase that best sums up the essence of Brac, the bookshop with a kitchen that for sixteen years has been a staple for those in Florence seeking a refuge of beauty, paper, and plant-based food.
The story of Sacha and Melisa
Behind the story of Brac are two people, Sacha and Melisa, and two passions intertwined: “A passion for good food and good books - they tell Reporter Gourmet - which we have been able to bring together without ever compromising their purity.” Brac (or La Brac as they call it in Florence) was founded in May 2009 almost by chance, thanks to a fortunate twist of fate. He, a lifelong vegetarian, ran the Pop Café in Piazza Santo Spirito and was looking for a kitchen for his aperitifs; she, a graduate in library science and a committed bibliophile, worked with Mibact and was in contact with the owner of a property in Via dei Vagellai. “We immediately fell in love with that space, even though it was in a low-traffic area. We decided to take it and turn it into a bookshop with a kitchen, where we could feed others with everything that had made us grow until then.”
The beginnings were informal, more like a cultural club than a restaurant: conviviality, study, books, and conversation, with food as a side dish. But not everyone in the neighborhood appreciated that vital energy, and Brac was therefore forced to redesign itself. “The food began to feature on a well-defined à la carte menu and was served in a more classic style, while the books lived in the silence of the shelves and the solemnity of the afternoon presentations.” Over the years, this metamorphosis has brought the business, located a stone's throw from Piazza Santa Croce, to a more mature audience and an increasingly structured cuisine, including aperitifs with natural wines and vegan dinners by candlelight.
95% of guests choose the single dish
Today, Brac is above all the realm of the single dish, an absolute must at the restaurant. “We offer the possibility of tasting a dish consisting of a salad or carpaccio, a first course, and a special of your choice. The constraint arises from the nutritional balance we want to guarantee: this way, diners can taste more recipes in calibrated portions.” From avocado carpaccio with potato and ginger tortelloni and frattau to Mediterranean salad with chitarra pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, and eggplant leaves: a mosaic that reflects the seasons, fresh produce, and imagination. It is no coincidence that 95% of guests choose this option, which is currently offered at a cost of €20 per person.
The secret of Brac lies in the freshness and care taken with every element that goes into it: “The dishes are prepared on the spot with fresh, locally sourced ingredients wherever possible, and with a great deal of love. The books, on the other hand, come from the catalogs of small and medium-sized publishing houses that are brave enough to take risks.” No freezers, little waste, fair prices. This search for balance is also reflected in the atmosphere and service: a carefully curated book collection, sincere simplicity, and natural authenticity.
A young girl born under the sign of Taurus
In 2020, a major expansion of the space allowed for even greater appreciation of this dual spirit, which is certainly unique in Florence: a restaurant and bookshop that exist in harmony, welcoming customers among bookshelves and dishes, between silence and conviviality. “La Brac is only 16 years old, she is a young girl. We are sure that with time she will become even more beautiful and sincere. She was born under the sign of Taurus and has two bright stars as her ascendants, which have desired and protected her until now,” explain her affectionate parents.
If Brac were a song, Sacha and Melisa conclude, it would undoubtedly be Simon & Garfunkel's “Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme”: a delicate hymn to nature, aromas, and time passing gracefully. And perhaps this is precisely what has made Brac the most beloved vegetarian restaurant among Florentines over the years: a place where books and cuisine, soul and body, find their most natural harmony; a place where you go to feel good, alone or in good company.
CONTACTS
Brac
Via dei Vagellai, 18/R, 50122 Firenze FI
Phone: 055 094 4877
