Skip to Content
Features

Trattoria Maga Magò, Where Rustic Meets Refined in Florence

Toni Mazzaglia|

Efrem Roberts outside Trattoria Maga Magò.

How an American chef's cooking odyssey led to a Tuscan renaissance.

Florence is bursting with traditional restaurants that offer predictable menus of regional dishes. Hence, locals don't rush to try a new place unless they’ve heard it’s doing something different, as is the case with Trattoria Maga Magò.

Opened by Lidia Fedele and Efrem Roberts in April 2023, the new trattoria sprinkles their daily menu with seasonal dishes, and elevates more traditional fare with added attention to flavor and presentation.

Such refined, rustic cuisine is the fruit of Chef Efrem Roberts’ long culinary journey.

Roberts started as a pastry chef in Los Angeles in restaurants including two-Michelin star Melisse, Michael’s in Santa Monica, and Caprice Fine French Pastries.

After short stays in London and Paris, he arrived in Italy, first working as a pastry chef for Peck in Milan.

Roberts then visited Florence and realized it was a better fit than Milan. “I was looking for old Europe, not new Europe. I was enchanted by this city. Florence is spectacular,” he says.

Roberts soon took a job as a night porter so he could remain in Florence, eventually being adopted by a group of wandering cooks.

Crostini Toscani at Maga Magò Photo: Toni Mazzaglia.

“We were waking up, working, eating together, living together," Roberts says. "It was very tight-knit. It was a cult of cuisine. We did that for four years, and then we all started doing different things."

After the others wandered elsewhere, Roberts found himself working with one of Florence’s greats.

“I went to work for Benedetta Vitali, one of the founders of Cibreo. I consider her the Grande Dame of Italian cuisine,” he says warmly. “I worked for her almost four years and really learned a lot. She gave me a really strong basis—not just fantasy, but tastes, flavor combinations, tradition.”

Eventually, Roberts and a partner took over Maga Magò in its original Tuscan location outside of Florence in Mugello, running it successfully for about 11 years.

Seeking a more intimate venue, Roberts and his now-partner, Fedele, chose a small spot in Florence’s Sant’Ambrogio district.

“Everybody, even Italians, thinks high-end food needs to be based off of the French ethic. But Italy has such an incredibly rich food history," Roberts says. "Go back to the Renaissance, seeing as we’re here in Florence. There's so much to choose from, so it should be based off of that, and not French food.”

His menu includes regional classics like crostini toscani, lampredotto, cervello fritto, tagliatelle with wild boar ragù, and bistecca fiorentina, but offers plenty of fresh ideas, like the fabulous mezza carbonara, while paying more attention to plating than your average trattoria.

Gelatina di Pomodoro (Robert's tribute to Benedetta Vitali). Photo: Toni Mazzaglia

Roberts' hearty dishes are as delicious to see as they are to eat, yet never become too dainty or pretentious.

“My kitchen is based off of tradition," he says. "I'd like to consider myself a custodian of those recipes because they're good. That's what food should be. It should be things that satisfy.”

Already a user?Log in

Thanks for reading!

Register to continue

See all subscription options

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Appetito

Italian Drinking Gift Guide: My Personal Favorites

The world of Italian spirits, wine, and beer keeps expanding, and our co-founder and managing editor has recommendations on top drinks to try.

December 13, 2024

16 Holiday Gifts for the Pasta Lover in Your Life

Here's a pasta-centric holiday gift guide that celebrates one of Italy's most cherished foods in ways beyond the kitchen.

December 12, 2024

Mostaccioli Calabresi, a Timeless Italian Treat

This Calabrian cookie, traditionally made in batches around the holidays, is simple, sweet and perfect for all generations.

December 11, 2024

The 2024 Gran Caffè L’Aquila Italian Market Holiday Gift Guide 

10 gifts for the Italophile in your life from Gran Caffè L'Aquila Italian Market in Philadelphia, and yes, they ship nationwide!

December 11, 2024
See all posts