Restaurant Commentary: Cafe Firenze Is Not All Hype! Yippee!

Cafe Firenze is the Moorpark, CA, restaurant owned by Fabio Viviani, who some may know as the cute Italian chef who gained reality show fame via Bravo’s Top Chef. Ever since the show, a couple of my friends have been bugging encouraging me to go. In fact, there’s definitely been a Cafe Firenze buzz for a while around here. I frankly feared that the only reason anyone was going was because of the TV connection. But I finally gave in and tried Cafe Firenze the other night. Guess what? It deserves props. Unlike the spate of restaurants that have opened up in the past few years (particularly in Agoura and Westlake Village), this place is not all sleek couches, outdoor fire pits and marketing. The food is really good and worth the price (yes, kind of expensive…about $60 each, including drinks and tip but no dessert). Overall, the waitstaff was well-trained and friendly (actually, one was REALY friendly…does anyone but me remember the Saturday Night Live skit with the excessively touchy Italian waiter?). I’d definitely go back.

If you take your city friends to Cafe Firenze, they may think it strange that the restaurant is tucked into a strip mall next to a Baskin-Robbins and Big Lots! Remind them that Frank Lloyd Wright designed his homes to fit into the environment, not fight it.

Cafe Firenze

805-532-0048