Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably know that The Florence has opened at One West Victory.
Chef and restaurateur Hugh Acheson is widely known for his appearances on Bravo’s “Top Chef” and owns establishments in Athens and Atlanta. Kyle Jacovino is executive chef of the new Savannah spot.
Acheson’s highly anticipated “Italian-focused” restaurant seems as if it will live up to the hype.
On my first trip to The Florence, I grabbed a quick cannoli at the coffee shop on the main level, not far from the new parking garage. The space is more suited for folks on the go than for lingerers, although the adjacent courtyard should be a lovely spot to sit when the weather cooperates.
A few days later, I had dinner at the downstairs bar and then had dinner at the upstairs bar on the night of its soft opening. Employees were still being trained and various details being sorted out, but I was impressed with the attentiveness and warmth of the staff on all three trips.
Over my two meals, I ordered The Florence Bread ($4), a terrine ($9), a single meatball ($4), the Grass Roots Farm Egg ($10), Black Bucatini ($18) and a root beer float ($7) from the dessert menu.
A friend also offered a taste of her pizza. I could eat one of those pizzas myself, but two light eaters could likely split one. All the pizzas are priced at $15 and below.
I will try other items on future trips, but can unreservedly recommend everything I’ve ordered so far, especially the bucatini, which is served with a spicy mix of sausage and shellfish, and the farm egg, which rests on crispy polenta.
So I haven’t even tried any of the “proteins,” which include a limited but diverse selection of meats and fishes. Those more traditional entrees are priced at $27 and up.
The fare at the upstairs bar is more casual than the downstairs offerings. The
most expensive item on the sample menu online at http://www.theflorencesavannah.com is $16.
Many local patrons will be attracted by the diversity of price points and the ease with which they can orchestrate their own dining experiences.
The craft cocktail menu is also impressive and reasonably priced, as these things go. The Florence Cup is a summery bourbon drink with ginger beer, Pimm’s and other flavors. The Old Hickory, a vermouth cocktail, made a good pairing with the bucatini.
On top of all that, The Florence occupies an old ice factory, which means the interior has high ceilings with exposed brick and wood. Both levels are bathed with light from large windows, most of which face north.
For many years, the southwest corner of Bull Street and Victory Drive had vacant, blighted and under utilized properties.
On the one hand, it’s remarkable that the site remained undeveloped for so long.
On the other hand, there were some obvious impediments to revitalization. Those obstacles included the lack of parking on Victory Drive, the city’s complex history of neighborhood divisions, fear of crime in the blocks west of Bull Street, the poor pedestrian connectivity to nearby residents and the awkward angle created by the railroad tracks slicing through the intersection.
The developer, Jamestown, had to fight some battles for permission to build the large apartment building designed for college students, plus the restaurant and the parking garage, but the end product has energized a key block of Victory Drive.
The density feels appropriate, but we’ll know more when the apartments are occupied and residents are using much of the parking garage, which is accessible via Barnard Street.
It’s remarkable to look out one of the big windows in the restaurant and realize that you’re standing just above the spot where all those political signs would assault drivers as they came to the end of Whitaker Street.
It’s even more remarkable to stand on the outside deck of the upstairs bar and see the expanse of the city from that angle.
There are various under utilized properties right across the street from The Florence and little has been done to beautify that stretch of West Victory Drive, but it’s easy to imagine a vibrant future for the area.
Acheson recently posted an Instagram photo of his new tattoo, with the words “Eat Well” and vintage iconography. The tattoo was done at Black Orchid at the corner of Victory and Barnard, just across the street from the restaurant.
It sure looks like The Florence is going to stick around for a long time.
City Talk appears every Tuesday and Sunday. Bill Dawers can be reached via billdawers@comcast.net. Send mail to 10 East 32nd St., Savannah, Ga. 31401.