What others have written in praise of Roberto is fully justified. I arrived early, but instead of seeing this as an inconvenience, Roberto took me across the street for a coffee and we had a long, pleasant, thoughtful conversation. Despite the scorching heat that day, he gave me a thorough tour of the premises. We had many subsequent conversations about the history of Florence, the history of the Pandolfini family, the dignity of humankind, the joy of cooking, and many other great topics. When I needed extra linens (the request was very last-minute), Roberto left no stone unturned to make sure it would happen. His son Jacopo left a thorough and witty guide to the best restaurants, bars, and ice cream. The Pandolfini are wonderful, kind, generous, and noble (in the best senses of that term), and the staff who work for him are extraordinarily gracious and accommodating.