During our amazing Florence for Foodies tour, we passed by Obica Mozzarella Bar, which just happened to be next to the truffle store, Procacci. Our guide Adrienne said it was the best restaurant in Florence for Mozzarella di Bufala. Since that happens to be our all-time favorite summertime meal in the Misadventures household we swore right then and there to eat a meal there before we left. Sometime after 2014, they changed their name from Obika to Obica. Luckily if you search for Obika Florence you will end up with the right search results and website for Ociba Florence! I have no idea why they did the change, but if you look closely at the menu in the 5th photo down you will see that it was Obika!
Obica Mozzarella Bar Florence (there are other locations around the world including LA and NYC) is absolutely gorgeous! Part of the restaurant is in an amazing courtyard with a stone floor that was very cooling on a hot day. I never went into the main part of the restaurant (since the terrace is in the front) but from what I saw, it is equally beautiful. It is a minimalist design with lots of natural light, glass, iron and light wood. I guess it is quite similar to how my own house is so I felt at home!
As pleasing to the eye as it was, I could not wait to devour the Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP. This type of mozzarella is a protected regional product from Southern Italy. In the U.S. (at least in the San Francisco Bay Area) we don’t get a huge variety when it comes to mozzarella di bufala (or buffalo as we call it), but there are different varietals and at Obika you can try them all. There is the Paestum with a very delicate taste, Volturno with a much stronger taste, Affumicata which is naturally smoked and what most people see in restaurants here, deliciously creamy Burrata.
Our choice (and it was hard to choose!) was Burrata Pomodorini served with Datterini tomatoes and basil pesto.
If you have never had this cheese, you need to put it on your “things to eat before you die” list. Buffalo milk has higher fat content (about twice the fat of cow milk) which makes it a lot creamier. It is heartier, saltier, and more full-flavored than regular mozzarella cheeses and if you have the opportunity to try some, do it! It is pretty rare stuff in the U.S.
I am not sure if they were catering to foreigners (Adrienne said that the restaurant is extremely popular with the locals, the reason why we went for lunch instead of dinner, as it is notoriously busy and hard to get into at night) but the bread was delicious! As I mentioned in my Florence for Foodies tour post, most bread in Italy is not salted and as I am a bit of a salt fiend, I don’t love it. However, with the bread at Obica, I wanted to eat the whole basket!
I definitely would have loved to have tried all four of the mozzarella, but we decided to order other items on the menu as well. Generally speaking, I am not a huge fan of pizza, but the ones I do like are in Italy. I decided that this was going to be my best shot at a really good pizza since the cheese was so amazing so I ordered Prosciutto Bazzone with premium dry-cured ham from Tuscany and Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP. Simple and delicious. The saltiness of the ham with the creaminess of the cheese was a perfect combination.
One of the reasons that I loved this restaurant is that it is a Slow Food partner. That means they have made a commitment to support and protect local foods and the artisans that produce them. Little details like the pizzas being prepared with PETRA flour from Molino Quaglia, stone ground with the local soft wheat. As well as a focus on high quality like the fact that their dough is left to rise slowly for at least 48 hours. All these things produce exceptional cuisine.
Being part of the Slow Food community, Obica also uses seafood that is sustainably fished, so the Scialatielli di Gragnano ‘Pasta Gentile’ with tuna belly filets, tomatoes, capers, pine nuts and rocket that Mr. Misadventures ordered could be eaten with a clear conscious!
The other thing that I found to be fantastico! Amazing! And surprising. At Obika they do not use ANY garlic or onions! I do appreciate these two items, but eaten raw they give me a migraine and sometimes if it is just overused it will make me sick as well, so this was like a risk-free zone, one that I have never seen before!
What a treat and one of the best meals we had on our trip. Incredibly friendly staff, aesthetically pleasing decor and darn delicious food, when you are on vacation, can you really ask for more?
If you’d like to visit Obika Mozzarella Bar Florence now known as Obica Mozzarella Bar Florence, it is located at Via de’ Tornabuoni 16.
How about you? Have you tried buffalo mozzarella? Do you like it? How have you eaten it? Comment and share, I’d love to chat!
Our Florence for Foodies tour also included a stop at the sinful truffle store Procacci. We experience many typical Tuscan dinners while exploring under the Tuscan countryside and always saved room for dessert, especially gelato!
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September 25, 2014
Oh you’re SO making me reminisce about my time in Florence and the fantastic food I experienced there. It looks like you had some amazing meals.
September 25, 2014
@Fi, what was your favorite food memory?
September 25, 2014
Florence for Foodies? That sounds like the most amazing thing EVER! It’s going on my bucket list. This looks like such a fun place to go.
September 25, 2014
@Jenna, is there any other way to do Italy than the foodie way??! Art, history, museums…sure, but the food! Wowza!
September 25, 2014
This sounds like an absolutely amazing trip! I love cheese and cannot imagine how heavenly Florence was!
September 25, 2014
@Lisa, ah Italy so much amazing cheeses, I could live on cheese and wine alone!
September 25, 2014
I love making and eating mozzarella! Everything in your photos looks absolutely delicious!
September 25, 2014
@Amby, I’ve never made it, I rely on other people like yourself to do it, but I sure do love to eat it!
September 25, 2014
Pretty! And that bread looks delicious!
September 26, 2014
@Lindsay it was and the only decent bread my whole stay!
September 25, 2014
This is not so fun looking at while starving and at work. The restaurant looks beautiful! So fancy! I have never tried anything like that but I would love to, it looks mouth watering!
September 26, 2014
@Starla, I know, the same thing happens to me when I read other food blogs, and I am on a diet!
September 25, 2014
Buratta and Buffalo mozzarella are so yummy! What an amazing meal!
September 26, 2014
@Angela, it was! Where is the best spot you’e eaten it at?
September 25, 2014
Oh goodness, I’m having movie nostalgia type feelings just looking at these pictures. It looks incredible, my heart is going crazy over it, haha.
September 26, 2014
@Lix, do you like Italian food?
September 25, 2014
All these foods looks so yummy
September 25, 2014
This post is making me incredibly hungry right now. Everything LOOKS so good. I just had a caprese salad too! I am definitely putting this on my ‘places to go’ list. I’m glad LA and NYC has this restaurant too – it will hold me over until I finally get to visit Florence. 😉
September 26, 2014
@Jenn, yes I definitely want to check out the other spots to see if they are as good as the Florence one, I hope you get to eat it in Florence too!
September 25, 2014
oooo – this looks delicious! Florence has amazing food!
September 26, 2014
@Annie, what is your favorite food in Florence?
September 25, 2014
Your trip to Florence sounds like it was very enjoyable and all the different foods ummm yummy! 🙂
I think that my favourite is the mozzarella made from buffalo milk with the tomatoes and basil pesto, and of course this would go well with fresh baked bread. This restaurant sounds absolutely fabulous and if I ever get to Florence, LA or NYC that is the restaurant I will go to! (By the way I live in Canada!)
September 26, 2014
@Karen, depending on which part of Canada you live in, getting to NYC or LAX seems doable, but I hope you get to Florence!
September 25, 2014
the food looks delicious
September 25, 2014
I seriously missed out on the foods of Europe when my boyfriend and I backpacked, because we had to do everything so cheap to stretch our money. I’m definitely saving up big time and going back… just to eat! Haha
September 26, 2014
@Chelsea, that sounds like my kind of trip!
September 25, 2014
There looks like so much delicious food! If only I was in Florence right now!?
September 26, 2014
@Brenda, I hope you get there one day!
September 25, 2014
Oooooh, that sounds fantastic – and the burrata looks sublime! I’ll have to put that on my to-visit list. I’ve been to Florence twice, and I’ve just loved eating my way around the city. 😀 So many lovely memories of local Florence-cured proscuitto, truffle pasta at Zeb, and so, so many great, intimate meals…. Glad you had a lovely experience, and hopefully both of us can visit the area again!
xo,
lauriel
EyeForElegance.com
September 26, 2014
@Lauriel, I did not get a chance to eat at Zeb, but I heard it is delicious. Florence is definitely for foodies!
September 25, 2014
Wow! Such great pictures and descriptions! I went to Florence in 1980 and loved everything, I want to return…. I have tasted Buffalo mozzarella a couple of times, and I agree it is very distinct. I am fortunate to live in Berkeley, CA where Slow Food is very popular but this meal looked fantastic!
September 26, 2014
@Lotus, have you had it in Berkeley? Where? I live in Berkeley too! I think Berkeley Bowl may have had it before…
September 25, 2014
I love living through your blog posts, haha! 🙂
September 26, 2014
@Erica, thank you so much, that is so sweet!
September 25, 2014
oh my gooooosshhhh they look soooo yummyyyyyy
September 26, 2014
Everything looks so delicious! Your pictures make me very hungry!
September 26, 2014
looks delicious
September 26, 2014
This place looks gorgeous! And the food…OMG, I want 🙂
September 26, 2014
@Judy, it is delicious! I hope you get 🙂
September 26, 2014
The food and pics look amazing! Thanks for sharing this fabulous trip and post with us! I love your site!
September 26, 2014
@Melissa, thank so much for the compliment!
September 26, 2014
This looks beautiful! I can’t eat cheese so it might not be the place for me but I’m sure it’s delicious.
September 26, 2014
@Jessica, that would be a little tough, but they had dishes without cheese, so you could definitely enjoy something.
September 26, 2014
It sounds delicious and the pictures are superb!
September 26, 2014
Hi Andi. Do you know about Ramini Mozzarella in Tomales? After a lot of trial and error to get the recipe just right, he is now making and selling buffalo mozzarella and its delicious! He offers a tour of the farm and dairy, along with a tasting afterwards. I did it last October and it was such an enjoyable and delicious day. 🙂
September 26, 2014
@Becki, I had read some older news stories about when he was first starting out, I didn’t know he made it, I am definitely going to have to visit his facility!
September 26, 2014
I loved Italy – we practically lived on vine ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and foccacia dipped in olive oil.
September 26, 2014
@Adriane, where did you visit? I want to go with you on your next trip!
September 26, 2014
Looks fantastic! I am so hungry now! I am a total sucker for cheese!
September 26, 2014
@Kendall, isn’t it delicious!?
September 26, 2014
This post made my mouth water! This is officially being added to my bucket list! Thanks so much for sharing!
September 26, 2014
@Kayla, I hope you get to cross that off you list!
September 26, 2014
These foods look DELISH! I love seeing new dishes and places.
September 26, 2014
@Deidre, I am glad you enjoyed it!
September 26, 2014
You have to try REAL italian food 😉
September 26, 2014
All that food looks really good! Sounds like a fun time.
September 26, 2014
Andi, wow, we are neighbors! What a coincidence! Check out the pizza part of Picco in Larkspur, really fantastic pizza, and they have fresh buffalo mozzerella right on the menu: http://www.pizzeriapicco.com/piccopizza.pdf
The risotto, which comes from the regular restaurant, is fantastic and my favorite dish. You can order off the Picco menu and hang/sit in the more casual pizzeria.
September 29, 2014
@Lotus, thank you! Thank you! I am definitely going to check them out! My hubby loves risotto so he will love that too!
September 26, 2014
I don’t think I’ve ever had this cheese but now I want to. I’ll put the NYC location on my list.
September 29, 2014
@Dana, great plan!
September 26, 2014
That foodie tour of Florence looks like a dream! I miss Florence… wish I did a foodie tour, too! I loved the food there though, and that mozzarella looks out of this world! Loving your blog design as well 🙂
September 29, 2014
@Tanaya, what was your favorite part of Florence?
September 27, 2014
yummy
September 27, 2014
Oh, I am so hungry now!
September 27, 2014
I have not had the chance to try this cheese but if I ever do, be sure I will, it sounds amazing and I love being able to add it to so many recipes as I do with my mozzarella, those dishes you have showing look wonderful and tasty 😉 thanks for share @tisonlyme143
September 29, 2014
@Dorothy, they are pretty amazing!
September 27, 2014
oh my gosh, i forgot how much i love real mozzarella. ive never been to italy, but my local shop in brooklyn had the best authentic foods. nothing like it here in portland.
September 29, 2014
@Molli, Portland Maine or Portland Oregon? Both are such foodie towns seems crazy they wouldn’t have it!
September 27, 2014
Oh my, this looks yummy! I will have to whip this up sometime soon!
September 29, 2014
@Brandi, do you know how to make burrata at home?
September 27, 2014
Everything looks oh so delicious!
September 27, 2014
Yummy! The foods looks delicious, i want to taste all those foods, thanks!
September 28, 2014
Beautiful place and beautiful food!
September 28, 2014
Sounds like a nice place to visit.
September 28, 2014
What a wonderful restaurant! I absolutely have to visit them if I’m ever in Florence! The pictures are just to die for!
September 29, 2014
@Joanna, I hope you do!
September 28, 2014
I’ve never had buffalo mozzarella! I will need to try this asap!
September 29, 2014
@Leslyn, definitely do!
September 28, 2014
Oh this is making me hungry. Looks amazing. And such a great find in Florence.
September 29, 2014
@Maryann, thanks and it was – I would have never found it without the guide!
September 28, 2014
That food all looks so amazing! I would love to go on a tour like that! I can’t wait to go to Italy someday.
September 29, 2014
@Kayla, I hope you get there one day!
September 29, 2014
I’m getting hungrier
September 29, 2014
Oh my gosh I am so jealous! For us, traveling is more like an eating tour of the Earth!
September 29, 2014
@Tammi, I could not agree more!
September 29, 2014
What a lovely adventure you had!! The food looks divine!!
September 29, 2014
@Elizabeth, it was an amazing foodie experience!
September 29, 2014
Everything look really delicious. I would love try every dish.
September 29, 2014
@Romanita, hope you get to!
September 29, 2014
yum! I am totally cravings some of that food now !
September 29, 2014
@Kristyn, hope you had something yummy!
September 29, 2014
These dishes look delicious – makes the adventurer in me want to do something spontaneous and off on a travel whim. Travel has been mostly within Canada – yet to venture to Europe….but inspired….vraiment et pour cela merci.
Eva Mitton-Urban
September 29, 2014
@Eva, merci! I hope you get to go on that adventure!
September 29, 2014
portland, oregon. its a foodie town, but the first i have lived in without a real italian cultural presence…
October 1, 2014
those look delicious. I love italian food. 🙂
October 1, 2014
The food looks & sounds delicious
October 2, 2014
im craving for all theses
October 2, 2014
I would love the chance to go here myself. I can dream!!
October 2, 2014
@Yolanda, I hope you get there!
October 2, 2014
Wow, everything looks completely divine, and I’m totally jealous. I doubt that we could ever find anything even remotely comparable around here.
October 3, 2014
Such an amazing place! I wish I was there with hubby ♥
October 3, 2014
I love Mozzerella this place sounds so wonderful!!
October 3, 2014
That pasta looks divine! Thanks for taking us on this visually amazing culinary tour and providing pictures!
October 5, 2014
This looks like some great food and a beautiful restaurant. I really enjoy your articles
October 5, 2014
lovely lovely to place….
October 5, 2014
I’ll have to put the NYC restaurant on my bucket list. Thanks for sharing!
October 6, 2014
looks soooo delicious!