ToscaNino – Simone Arnetoli & Laura Tosotti

Savoring Tuscany

With ToscaNino Simone and Laura wanted to internationalize the typical products Tuscans involving over 150 producers of’excellence. Catering in the center but also craftsmanship e furniture.

A first-generation entrepreneur and passionate restaurateur, Simone Arnetoli is the face and soul behind ToscaNino. He and his wife, Laura, have enriched the project with taste and creativity.“I started 25 years ago with the Galateo catering business. Then a small, great intuition...,” Simone reconstructs. “I was walking around New York and noticed a place with the sign "Pizzeria Toscana." It sounded strange to me. Isn't Neapolitan pizza the quintessential pizza? Instead, I realized it was the Toscana brand that made the difference..” And so a plan was launched to bring ToscaNino to life: two traditional local names that, when combined, are a guarantee of quality. The actual business began three years ago, a project centered on catering to bring the excellence of Tuscan cuisine beyond the region. But ToscaNino isn't just about delicious food; Tuscan excellence is expressed through many other artisans and producers.

“Montespertoli ceramics, Scarperia knives, Carrara marble, Florentine straw, Casentino wool, copper, Buti baskets, Empoli glass, Santa Croce leather, linens, fabrics, candles, Impruneta terracotta, Colle Val d'Elsa crystal. Over 150 producers of excellence who have never compromised the purity of their brand..”

Customers arriving at ToscaNino today find themselves faced with restaurants/cafes where, in addition to consuming, they can choose the products they are interested in from the shelves and take them home.

Alongside this formula, there is also ToscaNino Academy, a fully-fledged academy where staff, often of non-Tuscan origin, are trained to pass on news, skills, and a truly Tuscan passion.“We also organize cooking classes, masterclasses and themed events.” While designing Tosca, Nino Simone met Massimo Giaccherini during a business meeting. There was an immediate positive connection.“Since I was very keen for everything to be "made in Tuscany," the furnishings couldn't be an exception. We deepened our understanding with Aba, a well-established company that has been in the market for many years and is now in its third generation. We liked this right away: longevity is already synonymous with quality..” Visiting the Arezzo-based company, Simone was pleasantly surprised by the company's extensive “integrated” production capacity: the entire product is made in-house, from carpentry to painting, from steel to glass.

“This guarantees a truly tailored product. Working with the Giaccherini family is a pleasure, and a friendship was born immediately. During the final phase of the work, Rebecca, Massimo's daughter, was very supportive, paying close attention to us and providing constant and timely support..”

At ToscaNino, the experience we offer our customers aims to delight all five senses: colors, scents, flavors, materials, and traditional Tuscan music.

“We never thought of ToscaNino as a restaurant or a venue; rather, I wanted it to feel like a home, a place where we could welcome and host friends.”

“What we didn't want was to create an aseptic place,” says Laura Tosetti, wife and partner, who, drawing after drawing, communicated the atmosphere she wanted her clients to breathe.“I never thought of ToscaNino as a restaurant or a venue, rather I wanted it to resemble a home, a dwelling where I could welcome and host friends..” Guidelines found in the various stores include the bar counter made from old barrels, where the typical wine-colored grapes release their color over time. Then there's the gourmet kitchen, featuring the old-fashioned pantry, designed by Gullo. In each restaurant, there are different types of wood and tables, along with small touches of craftsmanship and imagination. Bold colors with warm earthy hues: cypress green or new oil, sienna, and cornstarch yellow. Tuscan chairs “dressed for the evening,” reimagined traditional furniture, and lighting fixtures designed and crafted from antique objects.“There is also a difference in the choice of woods since the furniture must also be textured.,” Laura points out.

At first, Simone and Laura thought they would direct their work almost entirely abroad, but then things went differently.“Two years ago, we opened in Milan's Porta Venezia neighborhood, where we wanted to test the formula. Last year, we opened another location on the top floor of La Rinascente in Florence. And last July, we opened a bistro and restaurant in The Mall shopping center, on the outskirts of Florence..” ToscaNino's future will, however, be outside of Italy, always alongside Aba. Meanwhile, their Tuscan partners, who already live and work abroad, are eagerly awaiting the launch of this new phase of the project. Bordeaux, Amsterdam, London, and Berlin are the cities where ToscaNino already has a foothold and is preparing to land.