Caffè Toscanini

Toscanini has occupied the Lindengracht since 1990, when it outgrew its original Goudsbloemstraat space. Chef Leonardo Pacenti, a South African with Italian heritage, leads the kitchen with an approach rooted in improvisation and seasonal availability. The open kitchen, flooded with natural light, lets guests watch the team shape pasta, pull bread from the oven and plate dishes that shift daily.

The cooking draws on regional Italian traditions, from Sicilian seafood preparations to Tuscan meat dishes, presented with a personal inflection rather than strict replication. Vegetables from organic farms sit at the centre of most courses, and the menu reads as a response to whatever the market and the season have offered that morning.

An entirely Italian wine list emphasises small, lesser known producers. The companion Toscanini Deli around the corner extends the kitchen's reach with sauces, fresh ravioli and speciality products for home use.