Last updated Spring 2023
FLORENCE, IT
A culinary destination that expands far beyond the well-known, tourist hot spots. I fell in love with this city by eating my way through it during my semester abroad.
★ - All-time favorite / ✸ - Changing menu / Must-orders are bolded
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I came to this restaurant for the food but kept returning for the atmosphere and the company. The staff became my Italian family while I studied in Florence and solidified Vini e Vecchi as my favorite restaurant in the world - so much so that I wrote a feature piece about it.
Order notes: Insalata di carciofi (artichoke salad), carpaccio di manzo (beef carpaccio), spaghetti all’arrabiata, paccheri ai fiori de zucca (zuchinni flower paccheri), pappardelle al sugo d’anatra (pappardelle with duck), pere cotto (poached pear), cheesecake, tiramisu ai lamponi (raspberry tiramisu).
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One of the best meals in Florence but arguably the hardest to book. Sostanza is a testament to the idea that simple is best and if you dine at one of their six tables, I’m sure you’ll agree. Email trattoriasostanza@gmail.com to book.
Order notes: Pasta al sugo (pasta with meat sauce), tortellini in brodo (tortellini in broth), tortino di carciofi (artichoke frittata), pollo al burro (butter chicken), dolce con fragoline (meringue cake with wild strawberries).
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A loud and spirited Florentine favorite for classic Tuscan cuisine just a stone’s throw outside of the city center. You’ll find yourself sitting amongst strangers at the wooden communal tables - a linchpin of the true Italian dining experience.
Order notes: Penne alla Bettola (like a vodka sauce), Schiacciata alla Fiorentina (orange sponge cake, only during Mardi Gras/Easter).
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An unassuming, lunch-only trattoria in the Piazza di San Lorenzo. The food here is reminiscent of an Italian nonna’s cooking and draws a line outside rather quickly.
Order notes: Strascicate (Tuscan ragu), peposo (Tuscan beef stew), zuccotto (Florentine ice cream cake).
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La cucina povera (peasant food) in its most unadulterated form is served at this time capsule restaurant just outside the gate of San Frediano. A line outside the door is common and English speakers are few and far between.
Order notes: Spaghetti al sugo (spaghetti with tomato sauce), pollo arrosto (roast chicken), torta fedora (Tuscan whipped cream sponge cake).
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The oldest operating restaurant in Florence located in a cavernous old wine cellar. The convivial atmosphere and unblemished Tuscan cuisine reveal why it’s remained for almost 150 years.
Order notes: Pappardelle al cinghiale (pappardelle with wild boar ragu), maltagliati al pomodoro (maltagliati with tomato sauce), galletto alla griglia (grilled chicken), meringato (meringue).
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Tradition merges with creativity in this side alley restaurant, from the modern paintings hung against frescoed walls to the addition of avocado in classic Florentine dishes.
Order notes: Polpo con patate (octopus and potato), tagliatelle del magnifico (tagliatelle with cream and citrus), cheesecake.
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This was the first place I ate in Florence but I found myself returning every time I needed a tasty and reliable meal that didn’t require a reservation.
Order notes: Ribollita (Tuscan bread soup), fiocchini di pere (pear ravioli), ravioli al pesto (pesto ravioli), pici al sugo di coniglio (pici with rabbit sauce), panna cotta.
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While I’m skeptical of any restaurant with too much Tiktok attention, this osteria serves genuinely delicious food beyond the flambe cheese wheel pasta.
Order notes: Caprese, tagliatelle flambe al tartufo (tagliatelle with truffle flambéd in Grana Padano cheese wheel), pappardelle al cinghiale (pappardelle with wild boar ragu).
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A team of working ladies are constantly bustling behind the counter at this tiny corner bakery, churning out savory and sweet pastries and breads.
Order notes: Carrot cake, pan di ramerino (raisin bread), croissant
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Proximity to tourist hotspots isn’t always a red flag, such as this family-run gelateria a few blocks from the Duomo. Perchè No! or why not! is the motto, nodding to their innovative flavor combinations and the spirit of indulgence.
Order notes: Nocciola (hazelnut), lavanda (lavender).
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The driving force behind this Oltrarno gelato shop is their dairy, sourced from an organic family farm in Tuscany. If you’re looking for decadent and creamy gelato, add this to your list.
✸ Order notes: Fiore di latte (sweet cream), pistacchio.
