Florence: Mozzarella Making Workshop with Wine Tasting

Fresh cheese makes a fine souvenir. This two-hour Florence workshop turns warm curds into mozzarella, burrata, and stracciatella, then pairs your work with Tuscan wine and seasonal food. I especially like the hands-on cheese making and the relaxed, music-filled setting. A master cheesemaker guides you through each step, so this feels more useful than a simple tasting.

The welcome Prosecco gets things moving, and the final spread can be generous enough to replace a meal. I also like that you receive a recipe booklet, since the experience does not end when you leave Florence. The main drawback is simple: this is not for vegans or anyone with lactose intolerance, and children must be at least eight.

What makes this Florence cheese class special

• Three cheeses in one class: Make mozzarella, burrata, and stracciatella rather than focusing on a single recipe.
• Hands-on shapes: Form bocconcini, twist nodini, and braid treccine with your own hands.
• Wine with a purpose: Taste Tuscan organic and conventional wines alongside fresh cheese.
• A proper welcome: Start with Prosecco, then finish with seasonal dishes and your handmade food.
• Useful souvenir: Take home a recipe booklet for another attempt in your own kitchen.
• Small-group attention: The format allows the chef to show techniques and help you correct them.

Meeting the cheesemaker at Simbiosi Farm

You meet the chef in front of Simbiosi Farm in Florence. The meeting point matters because it gives the class a clear beginning, without a long tour or a confusing series of stops. You arrive, find the group, and get ready to work.

The setting is cozy and music-filled, with a warm atmosphere that several past participants compared to being welcomed into an Italian family kitchen. That tone suits the activity. Cheese making is messy, tactile work, and a stiff classroom would make it less fun.

Your instructors may vary. Jess, Jessie, Alyssa, Pepe, Franchesca, and Chef Vincenzo have all led or helped with sessions described by participants. The consistent theme is personal attention, warmth, and a clear love of traditional cheese making. Instruction is offered in English and Italian.

The class is described as a small-group experience. That is important here. You are not simply watching a demonstration from the back of a crowded room. You get a chance to handle the curds yourself, ask questions, and receive help with the shapes.

Welcome Prosecco and the first taste of Italy

The session starts with a cold glass of Prosecco. It is a small touch, but a smart one. You can settle in, meet the others, and ease into the social side of the class before the technical work begins.

The food is not treated as an afterthought. The workshop includes a seasonal dish, along with creative pairings for the cheese you make. One example is stracciatella with bottarga and lemon zest, which gives the creamy cheese a salty, bright counterpoint.

The menu can include other deli foods and fresh dishes. Past sessions have included caprese, meatballs, truffle oil creations, and food made with fresh products from the farm. Exact dishes will vary with the season, so you should expect the spirit of the meal rather than one fixed menu.

Plan to arrive hungry. The cheese you make is part of the meal, and the food and wine can add up quickly. One useful surprise is that you may have enough cheese left over to take back to your accommodation, though this is not promised as part of the package.

Turning curds into mozzarella

The central lesson is how fresh curds become stretchy, smooth mozzarella. The master cheesemaker demonstrates the process, then leads you through it step by step. You are not expected to arrive with any cheese-making skill.

The practical appeal is in the texture. You will see how the curds change as they are worked, then shape them into several forms:

• Bocconcini: Small mozzarella pieces that are easy to form and eat.
• Nodini: Twisted knots with a more playful shape.
• Treccine: Braided cheese that shows off the elasticity of the curd.

This is the sort of activity where the first attempt may look a little less tidy than the chef’s. That is part of the fun. The class is built around a delicious kind of disorder, not perfect culinary performance.

The instructor’s role makes a real difference. You receive a demonstration, but then you get individual time with the cheese. Past sessions led by Jess and Alyssa were praised for clear instructions and patient help. Chef Vincenzo was singled out for his passion for the craft and his ability to make the process feel meaningful rather than mechanical.

Fresh mozzarella also gives you a useful point of comparison. It is softer, warmer, and more delicate than the firm supermarket versions many people know. You can taste the difference right away, especially when it is served soon after being made.

Burrata and stracciatella bring the luxury

After mozzarella, the class moves to burrata and stracciatella. Burrata has a firmer outer shell with a soft filling, while stracciatella is made from pulled cheese strands mixed with cream. These are the richer parts of the session, and they explain why you should not schedule a large dinner immediately afterward.

Stracciatella is especially fun because it feels both simple and indulgent. You work with the pulled cheese, then taste it in combinations that may include bottarga and lemon zest. The salty fish and citrus help cut through the cream, so the pairing has more thought behind it than simply adding another rich ingredient.

The class also helps you understand how closely these cheeses are related. The same basic cheese-making tradition can produce different textures, shapes, and uses. That makes the lesson useful at home, since you learn more than a single recipe.

Do not expect a full professional cheese-making course in two hours. The workshop gives you a practical introduction, not a technical study of milk chemistry, aging, or commercial production. For most visitors, that is the right balance. You get enough instruction to understand the method and repeat some of it later, without spending half a day on theory.

Tuscan wine with the cheese you just made

Wine is woven into the meal rather than added as a separate tasting at the end. You sample a selection of Tuscan wines with your cheese, including organic and conventional bottles. The guided format gives you a reason to compare them instead of simply drinking whatever is poured.

This is useful for beginners. You can pay attention to how the wine changes with creamy mozzarella, rich burrata, or salty toppings. The food gives you an easy reference point, so you do not need to know much about wine before arriving.

The tasting also adds value to the $74 price. A simple cheese-making lesson might cost less, but here you are paying for instruction, Prosecco, wine, food, a small-group format, and the chance to eat what you make. Past participants repeatedly praised the amount of food and wine, with some calling the experience worth far more than the asking price.

Still, wine is part of the activity, not the whole point. If you want a formal Tuscan wine seminar with detailed vineyard information, this may feel light. If you want a social food experience where the wine helps bring the group together, it fits well.

The meal: fresh, seasonal, and often generous

The tasting portion is where the workshop becomes a full food experience. You eat the mozzarella, burrata, and stracciatella you made, then add seasonal dishes prepared by the team.

The appeal is clear: your meal has a story. You watched the curds change, shaped the cheese yourself, and then tasted it at its freshest. That connection makes even a simple caprese feel more memorable.

The food may extend well beyond cheese. Past sessions included homemade meatballs, truffle oil dishes, fresh caprese, deli foods, and farm products. Since the menu changes, I would not book this expecting one exact plate. Book it expecting a generous Italian-style spread built around what is fresh.

This is also why the experience works for people who are not especially interested in cooking. You can enjoy the meal and atmosphere even if your braids are lopsided. The class has a relaxed tone, and the instructors keep it from feeling like an exam.

What the $74 price really buys you

At $74 per person, this is not the cheapest food activity in Florence. But it offers more than a demonstration or a short tasting. You receive hands-on instruction, three types of cheese, a welcome Prosecco, selected Tuscan wines, seasonal food, and a recipe booklet.

The small group adds real value. With cheese making, the difference between watching and doing is large. You want enough access to the work surface that you can form your own cheese rather than merely observe a chef.

The meal also affects the calculation. If you attend at a time when the food is generous, the class can function as lunch or an early dinner. That helps make the price reasonable for visitors who value food, conversation, and a practical activity more than a traditional museum tour.

The best value comes if you use the booklet later. Try the recipes at home, even if your first batch does not look like the chef’s. The class gives you a food memory and a skill to carry forward, not just a photograph.

Who should book this experience

I would choose this workshop for couples, friends, solo visitors who enjoy meeting people, and families with children aged eight or older. It suits anyone who likes food with a bit of participation and does not mind getting their hands involved.

It also works well as a break from Florence’s churches, galleries, and stone streets. You spend two hours focused on texture, taste, and conversation. That change of pace can be refreshing during a busy city stay.

Families should know that children need to be at least eight. One family found the host especially good with two young children, but the activity still requires attention and cooperation. Younger children cannot join under the stated rules.

This is not suitable for vegans or people with lactose intolerance. Cheese is not a side detail here. It is the main event, and the wine and food are built around it.

Practical tips before you arrive

Arrive ready to eat, but do not plan a heavy meal immediately afterward. You may taste a lot of cheese, seasonal food, and wine during the two-hour session.

Wear something comfortable for a hands-on food activity. The provided information does not state a dress code, but cheese making can be messy, so practical clothing makes sense.

Keep your schedule flexible. Starting times vary, and the class lasts two hours. The workshop does not include transport, so you should allow enough time to reach the meeting point at the front of Simbiosi Farm.

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the activity for a full refund, and the reserve-now, pay-later option can help if your Florence plans are still shifting. Pets and smoking are not allowed.

Should you book the mozzarella workshop?

Book it if you want a social, food-centered experience with real participation. The strongest reasons are the chance to make three cheeses, the friendly instruction, the generous food and wine, and the recipe booklet you can use later.

I would skip it only if you avoid dairy, do not drink wine, want a formal technical cooking course, or prefer a quiet activity with little group interaction. For everyone else, $74 buys two full hours of eating, learning, laughing, and making something with your own hands. That is a fair price in Florence, especially when the workshop can also serve as a memorable meal.

FAQ

How long does the mozzarella-making workshop last?

The workshop lasts two hours.

How much does the experience cost?

The price is $74 per person.

What cheeses will I make?

You will learn to make mozzarella, burrata, and stracciatella. You may also shape mozzarella into bocconcini, nodini, and treccine.

Is wine included?

Yes. The experience includes a welcome glass of Prosecco and a tasting of selected Tuscan wines, including organic and conventional wines.

Is the workshop suitable for children?

Children must be at least eight years old. The activity is not suitable for children under eight.

Can people with dietary restrictions attend?

The workshop is vegetarian and gluten-free friendly, but it is not suitable for vegans or people with lactose intolerance.