On Florentine summer evenings, there is a precise moment when the city’s skyline gives way to the silence of the hills. It is in that moment suspended between Florence and the Tuscan countryside that the new season at Il Bosco comes to life—the open-air restaurant at Collegio alla Querce, Auberge Collection, now among the most intriguing destinations in Italian luxury hospitality.
Nestled among terraced gardens, cypress trees and centuries-old olive trees, Il Bosco kicks off the summer with two new features that perfectly tell the resort’s philosophy: the new Social Table, dedicated to contemporary conviviality, and a collaboration with Vivoli , a historic Florentine institution of artisanal gelato.
The Social Table: the return of authentic conviviality
Starting June 4, every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, the atmosphere of Il Bosco gathers around one big shared table. Thus was born the Social Table, a limited-seat experience that recovers one of the most authentic rituals of the Italian summer: the pleasure of being together around the table, without formality.
The kitchen is entrusted to chef Nicola Zamperetti , who builds each evening by following the seasonality and availability of ingredients from the local area. There is no set menu: the proposals are revealed only at the beginning of the dinner, transforming the gastronomic experience into a path of discovery accompanied by live music and a selection of paired wines.
“The Social Table was born out of a desire to give guests back one of the most authentic pleasures of the Italian summer: being at the table together, without formality, in an extraordinary place. A shared table, a cuisine that evolves over the course of the evening and the pleasure of good wine.”
Lorenzo Maraviglia, general manager of Collegio alla Querce
More than dinner, the Social Table interprets an increasingly popular trend in contemporary hospitality: transforming the restaurant into a relationship space, where the experience matters as much as the menu.
The Forest: the slow pleasure of the Tuscan summer
During the day, Il Bosco represents the more relaxed soul of the resort. Open from 12 noon to 7 p.m., it offers cuisine that celebrates Italian tradition through seasonal ingredients, fresh pastas, leavened pastries, and recipes that look to the land with a contemporary twist.
The setting contributes greatly to the experience: tables surrounded by greenery, views of the hills, and an informal dimension that invites you to slow down. It is the place to spend a light lunch by the pool or take a break between swimming and an afternoon in the sun.
Meeting Vivoli: a piece of Florentine history comes to the terrace
The second new addition of the summer comes from a meeting between one of the most interesting hotel openings in recent years and one of the city’s most iconic gastronomic establishments.
From June to September, in fact, an elegant ice cream cart signed Vivoli will be featured on the resort’s pool terrace. Founded in 1929 in the Santa Croce neighborhood, the gelateria is a true institution for Florence and continues to be a benchmark for Italian artisanal gelato.
Guests can choose from a selection of flavors prepared in the maison’s tradition and rediscover one of the most beloved rituals of Italian gastronomic culture: affogato, where gelato meets the warmth of espresso in a simple and perfect balance.
For younger children, there is also a dedicated activity that allows them to customize their own ice cream together with the chef, turning the moment of dessert into a playful and participatory experience.
A new idea of Florentine hospitality
With the summer season at Il Bosco, Collegio alla Querce further strengthens its gastronomic identity. In fact, the open-air restaurant joins La Gamella , the resort’s fine dining restaurant, and the Bar Bertelli , a refined cocktail bar created in the historic spaces of the old college.
More than just seasonal programming, that developed by the property under the auspices of the Friedkin Group tells of a precise idea of contemporary hospitality: deeply rooted in the territory but open to the world, sophisticated but never ostentatious.
A place where luxury is measured not in spectacularity but in the ability to transform a shared dinner, an artisanal gelato or a sunset over the Florentine hills into a memory destined to last.
MLE Hospitality Executive Memo
Address: Collegio alla Querce, Auberge Resorts Collection, Via delle Forbici 21B, Florence.
Architecture and design: former 19th-century college restored and transformed into luxury resort overlooking the Florentine hills, amid historic buildings, terraced gardens and centuries-old olive groves.
Interior Design Focus: environments that reinterpret Tuscan elegance in a contemporary way, with artwork, noble materials, custom-made furniture and large panoramic terraces.
Food and wine highlight: Il Bosco’s new Social Table format and summer collaboration with the historic Vivoli ice cream shop, a symbol of Florentine tradition.
Lifestyle & Wellness: panoramic swimming pool surrounded by greenery, outdoor spaces dedicated to conviviality, and seasonal programming geared toward authentic local experiences.
Details and reservations: Collegio alla Querce , Auberge Resorts Collection, Florence
