A 250-metre dinner table transforms Florence’s Via Tornabuoni for one night

A long white table ran through the centre of Via Tornabuoni and Via Strozzi on Tuesday evening, turning two of Florence’s main luxury shopping streets into an open-air dining room for more than 400 guests.

For Tornabuoni e Strozzi in bianco, a table stretching about 250 metres was laid through the two streets, lined with white linen, silver cutlery and glassware. Candles and temporary lighting illuminated the route, while a live string ensemble played during the evening.

The setting was unusual for an area normally defined by shop windows, pedestrians and traffic. Via Tornabuoni, which runs between Piazza Antinori and the River Arno, is home to many of the major international fashion houses. Via Strozzi extends east from it towards Piazza della Repubblica, passing Palazzo Strozzi.

On Tuesday night, the visual focus shifted from the boutiques to the centre of the streets themselves. The long table occupied the roadway, while illuminated shopfronts formed the backdrop on either side. Participating boutiques remained open until midnight.

The dinner was an invitation-only event, with more than 400 guests including Italian and international fashion clients, business representatives and local and regional officials.

The initiative was organised by Confcommercio together with the fashion boutiques of Via Tornabuoni and Via Strozzi, with the patronage of the Municipality of Florence. Florence mayor Sara Funaro and Tuscany regional president Eugenio Giani were among those attending.

According to the organisers, the idea was to use the two streets as a social space for an evening rather than simply as a commercial district. Funaro also drew attention to the temporary change in the way this part of the historic centre was being used, with people who normally work in the area gathering there after business hours.

Food was served by Galateo Ricevimenti, with a menu drawing on Tuscan and Italian dishes, including pappa al pomodoro, saffron risotto and beef with Vin Santo.

The evening ended with dessert by Italian pastry chef Iginio Massari. A sugar sculpture dedicated to Florence, made for the occasion, was also presented during the dinner.

By midnight, the temporary dining room was coming to an end. For several hours, however, the familiar perspective along Via Tornabuoni and Via Strozzi had been altered: instead of an open roadway framed by luxury boutiques, a continuous white table, candles, diners and musicians occupied the centre of the streets.

(Photos taken from Confcommercio Firenze Arezzo website)

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