28 Best Restaurants in Florence, Tuscany's Capital and Culinary Heart

Skip to main contentThere’s never been a better time to dine out in Firenze.Matthew ShawThe Florence restaurant scene is a movable feast. In the city center, the tourist numbers show little sign of a let up, and new restaurants—many of dubious quality and with menus in several languages—continue to open to cater for the demand. It’s not always easy to winkle out the good ones, so it pays to do a bit of research ahead of time rather than leaving it to chance; follow our advice on the best places to sample Florentine and Tuscan classics such as ribollita (a classic stew), arista (roasted pork), and the mighty bistecca alla Fiorentina (T-bone beef steak). Prices continue to rise, and it’s hard to find any three-course meal in a neighborhood trattoria for less than $45, without wine. Note that even simple places are often booked up ahead of time too, especially for dinner, so always make a reservation.For some of the more interesting food on offer, it’s worth exploring the outlying neighborhoods such as Le Cure and Gavinana, favored by young chefs and start-up businesses for the lower rents and predominantly local clientèle. There's also an ever-increasing choice of fine-dining options, restaurants helmed by Michelin-starred chefs offering multi-course degustazione menues and staggering wine lists; these come with all the bells and whistles and price tags to match, and are perfect for a celebration dinner. You may have to jump in a taxi or hop on the tram or bus for either, but we promise it will be well worth the effort; several of our favorite off-radar options are listed here. These are the best restaurants in Florence.Read our complete Florence travel guide here, which includes:The Best Things to Do in FlorenceThe Best Hotels in FlorenceThe Best Day Trips From FlorenceHow we choose the best restaurants in FlorenceEvery restaurant on this list has been selected independently by Condé Nast Traveler editors and reviewed by a local contributor who has visited that restaurant. Our editors consider both high-end and affordable eateries, and weigh stand-out dishes, location, and service—as well as inclusivity and sustainability credentials. We update this list as new restaurants open and existing ones evolve.Osteria BelguardoNeighborhood: Santo SpiritoPrice range: $$Dish to order: Tagliatelle alla buttera; the roast suckling pigThis is a comfortable and colorful modern space on the south bank of the Arno with a big terrace looking across the river to grand Palazzo Corsini and the other elegant buildings lining the opposite bank. Inside, the space is divided between a cocktail bar and restaurant area; cocktail o’clock is a particularly busy time. Behind the bar, expert mixologist Alessia di Bartolomea shakes up the likes of La Marchesa (gin, gentian liquer, iris vermouth) or a classic Negroni served with a choice of savory snacks. The ethos behind the staunchly traditional menus is that these are the sort of everyday dishes—based on seasonal and local ingredients—that you really want to eat and properly prepared. Hence hand-cut beef tartare, crispy lampredotto croquettes, fried stuffed zucchini flowers, “cowboy style” tagliatelle with beef ragù, spaghetti with clams, roast suckling pig, and grilled spring chicken. If you just want a salad, there’s a Caprese with mozzarella di bufala and another with wild leaves, goat’s cheese, and walnuts. Given the location, prices are very reasonable.Address: Piazza Degli Scarlatti, 1r, 50125 Firenze FI, ItalyRead Full ReviewAmbar KitchenNeighborhood: GavinanaPrice range: $$Dish to order: The eight-course omakase tasting menuThis Japanese sushi and fusion micro-restaurant has fast gained a loyal local following since opening in 2025. While there is a series of ever-present signature dishes, much of the menu changes regularly according to the season and market availability, and produce is sourced locally wherever possible. Breads, noodles, sauces, and so on are made 100% in-house; the only thing they buy is a killer wasabi. I ordered the eight-course omakase menu and was particularly blown away by the white tuna ("alalunga") carpaccio with asparagus, celery, algae, and “Nikkei dressing,” a steamed bao bun stuffed with seared eggplant, red cabbage, and mint in a teriyaki sauce, the super-fresh sushi prepared at the counter by chef Magnelli (who honed his skill at Nobu London) and the fantastic signature Thai black curry with milky-pale shreds of perfectly-cooked skate wing. A rice and citrus semifreddo served with a crunchy biscuit and tarragon sponge was a fittingly delicious close to a remarkable meal.Address: Via Gran Bretagna, 26, 50126 Firenze FI, ItalyRead Full ReviewCosimo Rooftop Restaurant and BarNeighborhood: Santa Maria NovellaPrice range: $$$Dish to order: Milanese di vitelloFrom its sixth floor perch above the river, the bar-restaurant has knockout views to beat any in Florence: the 360-degree wraparound panorama takes in the whole city, the hills beyond, and the Arno River as it flows west towards Pisa and the coast. As for the food, choosing to serve the sort of traditional, unfussy dishes from both Tuscany and other Italian regions (albeit with the odd twist) that people really want to eat rather than fine-dining gourmet fare was a stroke of genius in my opinion. These include yellow fin tuna tartare with guacamole and ponzu, oysters, grilled octopus and potato salad, tagliatelle with the house ragù, oven-baked sea bass with a tomato, caper, black olive and basil sauce and a golden crisp milanese (breaded veal cutlet) which is easily big enough for two and comes topped with zingy fresh tomato and lime salsa. Prices are as high as you would expect, but it’s all brilliantly executed and the setting is tops.Address: Piazza Ognissanti, 3, 50123 Firenze FI, ItalyRead Full ReviewEnoteca Pitti Gola e CantinaNeighborhood: OltrarnoPrice range: $$Dish to order: Prosciutto crudo with truffled gorgonzolaThis is a serious wine bar with a vast, carefully curated list that's mostly centered around red wines from Tuscany and Piemonte; there are many bottles dating from the 1960s and ‘70s—and even the ‘50s—which you won't find in any other Florentine bar. The food is designed to complement the wines, so expect the likes of smooth chicken liver terrine with sweet vin santo reduction, anchovy fillets with smoked butter, prosciutto crudo with truffled gorgonzola, and platters of top-notch cheeses and cured meats along with seasonal pasta and rice dishes (spaghetti with wild boar sauce, nettle-and-taleggio risotto, tortelli stuffed with squash and ricotta). This is just the place to bring your serious wine-buff friends if you're looking to impress them. There are only six tables inside—although in summer, the terrace doubles that capacity—and most are for just two, so it’s best for an intimate evening.Address: Piazza de' Pitti, 16, 50125 Firenze FI, ItalyRead Full ReviewLocale FirenzeNeighborhood: Centro StoricoPrice range: $$$Dish to order: The four-course tasting menuFlorence born chef Simone Caponnetto surely has his eye on a Michelin star with his exceptionally good, technically accomplished contemporary food. Dinner here comes with all the bells, whistles, and fancy service that you would expect from a fine dining restaurant, yet his menus are firmly rooted in local traditions and based on predominantly seasonal Tuscan produce, albeit with the odd global influence. Stanouts from a recent dinner include a play on seasonal zucchini prepared three ways, open lobster ravioli with salty lardo and saffron, turbot with summer truffle and tangy caper leaves, and a perfectly pink pigeon with truffle and radicchio. Tasting menus start at 120 euros (around $137) for four courses or you can go à la carte starting from 90 euros (around $102) for two courses. Ask the sommelier to help you navigate the huge wine list, or go for one of the flights (starting at 70 euros or around $80).Address: Via delle Seggiole, 12r, 50122 Firenze FI, ItalyRead Full ReviewSaporiumNeighborhood: San NiccolòPrice range: $$$Dish to order: The farm-to-table tasting menuAmid mirrors, crystal chandeliers, and lush greenery in a 1950s-style dining room, a gourmet meal at Saporium feels like a night at the theater. In the open kitchen, chef Ariel Hagen, a homegrown wunderkind, finishes his dishes with a set of perfect gestures one could watch forever—but only until the food is set on the table to amaze with its scents, textures, and flavors, whether from land or sea—even the strictly vegetarian fare leaps off the plate, leaving audiences-slash-diners with the idea that haute cuisine without animal protein is spectacular and well-deserving of an encore. Every ingredient is from Tuscany, organic and seasonal, and often comes straight from the farms and gardens of one of the most luxurious resorts in the region and all of Italy: Borgo Santo Pietro. —Sara MagroAddress: Lungarno Benvenuto Cellini, 63/R, 50125 Firenze FI, ItalyRead Full ReviewRegina BisteccaNeighborhood: Centro StoricoPrice range: $$$Dish to order: Bistecca alla FiorentinaThe word is out. Regina Bistecca showcases Florence’s best-known signature dish, the bistecca alla Fiorentina, a vast T-bone priced by weight. Here you can choose the breed of your steak, from a generic European Selection to the highly prized (and highly priced) Tuscan Chianina. The previous occupant of this lovely space, located a short ways north of the Duomo, was a revered 140-year-old antiquarian bookshop, and the new owners have sensibly chosen to maintain the spirit of the place. Today Regina Bistecca’s main dining space has lofty vaulted ceilings, dark gray walls hung with paintings and prints in gilded frames, and a gallery running around the top. The cooking, serving, and eating of a bistecca is serious business, and here it gets reverential treatment, from being brought to the table raw for the client’s approval, to the flourishing presentation of a bone-handled knife with which to cut it. Under no circumstances ask for it to be well done; bistecca here is served very rare.Address: Via Ricasoli, 14r, 50122 Firenze FI, ItalyRead Full ReviewSevi RistoranteNeighborhood: San JacopinoPrice range: $$Dish to order: Miso-lacquered sea bass with yakatoriThe way off-radar neighborhood of San Jacopino (west of Santa Maria train station) is on the up and up these days with an increasingly number of buzzy bars and restaurants and a young, cool vibe. Sevi opened in 2022, a bright, contemporary space with an open kitchen at one end of the room, warm lighting, and jazzy background sounds. All the familiar dishes are there, but chef Francys Salazar and his chef wife Jhoseleen Condori put a pan-Asian spin on the classics, so along with a variety of fantastically tasty ceviches and arroz with chicken, meat, or seafood, come bao buns with chicharron (pork belly) and Japanese mayo, octopus fried in panko crumbs, miso-lacquered sea bass with yakatori, and other complex palate teasers. It’s all a fantastically refreshing change from ribollita, white beans, and bistecca.Address: Via Maragliano, 24, 50144 Firenze FI, ItalyRead Full ReviewSantabarbara Desco & CucinaNeighborhood: Libertà-SavonarolaPrice range: $$Dish to order: The weekly tasting menuSanta Barbara is in an off-radar location close to busy Piazza della Libertà just north of Florence city center. With only 20 covers, the brightly-lit space has contemporary furnishings in blond wood, an L-shaped wood counter ("desco") wrapping round the bar-come-serving pass and a small, very busy tiled kitchen. Then there are two primi (pasta or rice) and two main course choices, one fish and one meat. Depending on how many courses you go for, the cost is $50 or $68 per head (plus drinks); there is no menu, but the chefs take on board allergies, intolerances, like and dislikes and adapt accordingly. It’s a brilliant way of reducing food waste. A recent dinner included outrageously good onion tarte tatin, a coarse guinea fowl paté, ravioli stuffed with fresh marzolino cheese, baby broad beans, and fried artichoke hearts, and cod lacquered with Japanese hot sauce. And lots of more-ish homemade, salty focaccia.Address: Via Pier Capponi, 72 a, 50132 Firenze FI, ItalyRead Full ReviewOndeNeighborhood: San GiovanniPrice range: $$$Dish to order: Whole salt-baked fishThis is a restaurant of two parts, the first a glass conservatory looking onto the Four Season’s magnificent gardens through floor-to-ceiling windows (there’s a glorious terrace for warm weather), while the second room is done out in breezy blue and white and has an open kitchen. Chef Paolo Lavezzini has earned a Michelin star for his creative cuisine at the Four Seasons’ fine dining restaurant Il Palagio. Hailing from Versilia on the Tuscan coast, Onde is his homage to the culinary traditions he grew up with using the hopping fresh fish and seafood fished in the Tyrrhenian sea. So you can expect classics with a touch of nostalgia in dishes such as spaghetti con le arselle (tiny clams), tortellini stuffed with sea bass, sizzling “fritto misto,” and whole fish baked in a salt crust. Or go for the “crudo,” a selection of raw fish, oysters, and crustaceans served on ice and eaten simply with a squeeze of lemon. Finish with a “sgroppino,” a kind of citrus-flavored iced slush.Address: V. Gino Capponi, 46, 50121 Firenze FI, ItalyRead Full ReviewL’Angolo Del MareNeighborhood: Campo di Marte / CovercianoPrice range: $$$Dish to order: The fresh catch of the dayAccording to many local cognoscenti, L’Angolo del Mare, a small restaurant way off-the-radar in the northeastern outskirts of Florence, serves up some of the best fish and seafood in town. Owners Mirco and Carmelo used to have a restaurant on the Tuscan coast, and they still use the local suppliers to ensure daily deliveries of hopping fresh seafood. The short menu changes regularly, but offers the likes of seared tuna with soy, a killer tagliolini all’astice (lobster), spaghetti with clams and salty bottarga (mullet roe), and an impressive whole sea bass baked in a salt crust. (The salt seals the fish and keeps it perfectly moist during cooking.) There’s always a handful of specials, according to the daily catch. Desserts include a divine Champagne-strawberry tiramisu. Order a glass of dry Franciacorta fizz while you peruse the menu, then choose from the short but well thought-out list of affordably priced, mainly white wines from all over Italy and beyond.Address: Viale Edmondo de Amicis, 1, 50137 Firenze FI, ItalyRead Full ReviewVini E Vecchi SaporiNeighborhood: Centro StoricoPrice range: $$Dish to order: Pappardelle pasta with duck sauceTiny, crowded, and noisy, this traditional Florentine haunt is all wood paneling, rustic beams, and memorabilia-stacked walls. The “No pizza, no cappuccino, no ice, no takeaway” notices say it all. This is a place to feast on competently-prepared Florentine classics such as liver-topped crostini, pappardelle pasta with duck sauce, and peposo, a hearty, pepper-centric beef stew. But there are variations; the signature paccheri pasta with zucchini flowers and saffron is delicious, and there is the odd fish option like baccalà alla Livornese (salt cod in tomato sauce). At lunch time, expect a mix of foot-weary tourists (it’s a pigeon’s spit from the Uffizi Gallery) and smartly-dressed functionaries from the Palazzo Vecchio town hall offices. There’s a dearth of good places to eat in this tourist hot-spot, so the top-notch earthy home cooking is much appreciated.Address: Via dei Magazzini, 3/r, 50122 Firenze FI, ItalyRead Full ReviewOsteria dell’EnotecaNeighborhood: OltrarnoPrice range: $$Dish to order: T-bone steakA contemporary space within the context of an ancient Oltrarno townhouse, Osteria dell’Enoteca excels at seasonal Tuscan fare with a modern twist. This place is under the same ownership as Pitti Gola e Cantina, an excellent nearby wine bar. You can expect dishes like chicken liver terrine with a vin santo reduction, potato soup and spicy octopus, gazpacho topped with burrata cheese in summer, and pappardelle with venison sauce and braised wild boar in winter. Steak is a big deal here; order a T-bone from various breeds, including the highly prized (and expensive) Fassona from Piedmont and Chianina from Tuscany. The cut is grilled over an open fire, and served rare; so if you like your meat well done, choose something else.Address: Via Romana, 70/R, 50125 Firenze FI, ItalyRead Full ReviewIl Santo BevitoreNeighborhood: Santo SpiritoPrice range: $$Dish to order: Wild boar ravioli with pecorino cheese and a smoked brothA large former coach house in Santo Spirito with vaulted ceiling and dark wood paneling, Il Santo Bevitore is often full and quite noisy. Quietly groundbreaking when it opened in the early aughts, it’s no less popular today. The food combines creative Tuscan fare with a slow-food emphasis on seasonality and provenance. There’s always a choice of interesting antipasti (borage flan with tempura wild leaves or marinated sea bass with clementines and lemon mayo), plus pastas such as wild boar ravioli with pecorino cheese and a smoked broth. Mains might include crispy octopus and mash or guinea fowl breast stuffed with wild fennel and Swiss chard. Dessert is worth leaving room for; crème brûlée spiked with star anise is a winner.Address: Via Santo Spirito, 64r, 50125 Firenze FI, ItalyRead Full ReviewCantinetta AntinoriNeighborhood: Centro StoricoPrice range: $$$Dish to order: TagliataHoused in the vaulted ex-cellars of 15th-century Palazzo Antinori, the Cantinetta breathes aristocratic Old Florence. The atmosphere is upscale and slightly hushed; tables are laid with crisp white cloths, and crystal glasses gleam. Menus are based on Tuscan classics with some seasonal variation. Kick off with a fettunta (bruschetta, in Tuscany) topped with cavolo nero (black cabbage) before moving on to pappa al pomodoro (a thick, bread-based tomato soup), pasta with artichokes, ossobuco, and tagliata (sliced steak) topped with pecorino cheese. It all comes with liberal lashings of the peppery in-house olive oil, and comes to your table courtesy of an old-school, deferential staff suited in cream jackets with bow ties. This place appeals to an older crowd of well-heeled tourists looking for a quiet meal with top-notch service. There are also Florentines among the diners, many of them friends of the aristocratic owners.Address: Piazza degli Antinori, 3, 50123 Firenze FI, ItalyRead Full ReviewSemelNeighborhood: Sant'AmbrogioPrice range: $Dish to order: Panini with seasonal fillingsAdjacent to the very local Sant’Ambrogio market, dapperly-dressed Marco Paparozzi’s squeeze of a sandwich shop (standing room only bar a couple of high stools) spills out onto the sidewalk when business is brisk—which is most of the time. It’s basically a counter laden with buns and a series of fillings which change daily; the choice is chalked up on a blackboard. Paparozzi’s soft white panini come with a series of seasonal fillings the likes of which you don’t normally find stuffed into a sandwich—think wild boar and polenta, figs and salame with a drop of balsamic for extra zing, sardines with orange and bitter chicory leaves, donkey stew (tastier than it sounds), and pecorino cheese with pears and truffle. You’ll almost certainly have to wait in line and there’s nowhere to sit, but this is some of the best street food in Florence.Address: Piazza Lorenzo Ghiberti, 44/r, 50122 Firenze FI, ItalyRead Full ReviewLa MénagèreNeighborhood: San LorenzoPrice range: $$Dish to order: Beef fillet “alla Rossini” (with foie gras and black truffle)There’s everything here: good coffee (iced in summer), smoothies and fresh juices, fine wines, craft beers, and classic and signature cocktails. The food, too, covers all bases. Breakfast and brunch dishes (served until noon) include avocado toast, eggs Benedict and pancakes. For lunch (served from noon until 6 p.m.) there is a selection of pasta dishes, fillet steak, club sandwiches, and burgers. To sop up the pre-dinner cocktails, expect tapas such as fried pepper squid, mini burgers, and lobster rolls. The eclectic dinner menu is a step up in terms of price and sophistication—think oysters, carpaccio of sea bream with lime, ginger and chili, spaghetti with lobster and mussel ragù, and beef fillet “alla Rossini” (with foie gras and black truffle). This is a place that attracts all sorts, from the lone smart-worker tucked away in a corner with a cinnamon bun and an espresso, to a table of chatty Ladies who Lunch, to loved-up couples out for a romantic evening à deux.Address: Via de' Ginori, 8/R, 50123 Firenze FI, ItalyRead Full ReviewTrattoria CibrèoNeighborhood: Sant'AmbrogioPrice range: $$Dish to order: Lasagna made with the famous Cibrèo ragùLocated at the heart of the buzzing Sant’Ambrogio market area, Cibrèo Trattoria—the annex to famous fine-dining Cibrèo next door—occupies a small, brightly lit room; yellow walls are hung with framed posters and prints, and rather cramped bare wood tables are laid with paper placemats and simple settings. The food at Cibreino, as it’s known locally, comes from the same kitchen as its grown-up sister restaurant, but without the hefty price tag. Be prepared to share a table at peak times; this is a popular place. At Cibreino, the food is more rustic than at the mother ship, but the basic principles of traditional, seasonal, and local remain intact in dishes such as insalata di trippa (tripe salad); a smooth, rich in-house chicken liver paté; lasagna made with the famous Cibrèo ragù; braised beef cheek and chicken; and ricotta polpette (meatballs) in tomato sauce. Desserts are divine, particularly Picchi’s legendary flourless chocolate cake.Address: Via dei Macci, 122r, 50122 Firenze FI, ItalyRead Full ReviewBorgo San JacopoNeighborhood: OltrarnoPrice range: $$$Dish to order: Anything seasonalPart of the Ferragamo-owned Hotel Lungarno, Borgo San Jacopo sits right on the south bank of the Arno. Mengoni’s cooking is intelligent, accomplished, and elegant but never over-fussy; perfect for a gourmet treat. A recent spring menu included calamarata pasta with scorpion fish, broccoli, and tarragon, and lobster with potatoes and provolone cheese. For meat eaters, there was roast suckling pig with salsify, port shallots, and Dijon mustard; and for dessert, an orange-soaked babà with mascarpone and lavender cream. BSJ, as it’s known, has made a name for itself among smart Florentine gourmets who come for the inventive cooking and enjoy the sophisticated yet relaxed surroundings. There’s a fair number of well-heeled visitors and guests of the Hotel Lungarno in the mix, too. Top tip: Try and bag a table on the tiny terrace, which has lovely views of the Ponte Vecchio.Address: Borgo San Jacopo, 62/R, 50125 FlorenceRead Full ReviewZebNeighborhood: San NiccolòPrice range: $$Dish to order: Anything fresh on the daily menuZeb is a small, sleek, diner-style restaurant in the San Niccolo district serving delicious traditional food in contemporary surroundings. Two long counters with high stools face each other across a narrow space where mother-and-son team Giuseppina and Alberto prepare, serve, and pour wine. Dishes of the day fill the serving counter, and shelves stacked with wines line the walls. The menu changes daily according to what’s good at the market, but you can expect fresh pasta like fat cappellacci stuffed with ricotta and fresh truffles, or pappardelle with wild boar sauce. Mains might include pork rib with dried apricots and prunes, stuffed roast turkey, or eggplant parmigiana. Then there are the delicious desserts, including cheesecake and a to-die-for chocolate cake.Address: Via S. Miniato, 2r, 50125 Firenze FI, ItalyRead Full ReviewOsteria Tripperia Il MagazzinoNeighborhood: OltrarnoPrice range: $$Dish to order: Lampredotto (the fourth stomach of the cow)Florence is famous for its offal dishes, and this is one of the best places in town to sample them if you have the, er, guts. The menu features tripe, either fried or alla Fiorentina (stewed with tomatoes and topped with parmesan); lampredotto (the fourth stomach of the cow) rolled into sushi; or stuffed into ravioli and served with a sweet Tropea onion sauce and mixed boiled meats with pungent salsa verde. If offal isn’t your thing, go for the maltagliati pasta with vegetable carbonara, eggplant parmesan, or rabbit alla cacciatora. The serious wine list here is composed entirely of Tuscan labels. Prices are extraordinarily reasonable, making it easy to order something special—say, a Brunello or a Super Tuscan from Bolgheri. If you don’t feel like splashing out, though, the house red (a Tuscan Sangiovese) is a perfect, rustic match for the hearty food.Address: Piazza della Passera, 2, 50125 Firenze FI, ItalyRead Full ReviewGucci Osteria da Massimo BotturaNeighborhood: Centro StoricoPrice range: $$$Dish to order: Yellow is Bellow (amberjack with saffron and pine nuts)In 2018, Massimo Bottura appointed brilliant chef Karim Lopez (the first Mexican to receive a Michelin star) to head up the kitchen. Along with her Japanese husband Takahiko ("Taka") Kondo, another Bottura prodigée, she produced unique, sophisticated, and cosmopolitan dishes which were a palate-teasing combo of reworked Emilian and world classics along with influences from both chefs’ backgrounds. Lopez left at the end of 2025, but Kondo has remained, continuing to produce fun, inventive, at times even whimsical dishes with names such as Yellow is Bellow (amberjack with saffron and pine nuts), Acqua e Terra (Water and Earth–risotto with herring and pine nuts), the signature Journey to Modena (tortellini in a parmesan cream) and Rossini, grazie (chianina beef with black truffle). It was Kondo’s passion for Italian food that led him to Modena, and seasonal regional ingredients continue to drive his menus.Address: P.za della Signoria, 10, 50122 Firenze FI, ItalyRead Full ReviewIl GuscioNeighborhood: San FredianoPrice range: $$Dish to order: The seasonal menuSet on a residential street in the southern reaches of the Oltrarno, Il Guscio is a new-generation trattoria where the kids have inherited and updated their parents’ traditional restaurant. At the front, you’ll find a small bar area with a hissing coffee machine and shelves stacked with wines; in the back are two cozy rooms with stone-topped tables. It’s a real neighborhood hangout that’s always buzzy and always packed. Menus are based on the tried-and-tested local cuisine (both meat and fish) with the odd variation. Depending on the season, the menu might include tuna tartare with avocado and ponzu; grilled eggplant with mint, confit tomatoes, and soft goat cheese; risotto with vin santo pears, gorgonzola and chives; or house-special spaghetti alla trabaccolara (a mixed seafood sauce). Mains could be ossobuco or grilled octopus with grilled seasonal vegetables; carnivores have options like the super-rich house special filet of beef cooked in vin santo wine and topped with liver pâté.Address: Via dell'Orto, 49, 50124 Firenze FI, ItalyRead Full ReviewMercato CentraleNeighborhood: San LorenzoPrice range: $Dish to order: Lampredotto (cow’s intestines)Florence’s late 19th-century steel-and-glass market building in San Lorenzo underwent a makeover in 2014 when the second floor was converted into a contemporary food hall. On the first floor of the soaring structure, traditional butchers, fishmongers, and fresh produce vendors still supply the Florentines with the wherewithal for their daily shopping. Our advice? Take a tour of the whole place and note which stalls tickle your tastebuds the most before deciding on your menu. Choose from fresh mozzarella made in-house, fried fish and seafood, hamburgers, fresh truffles (best on thin buttery taglierini pasta), traditional lampredotto (cow’s intestines), fabulous pizza, sushi, fresh pasta, barbecued meats, and a fantastic range of cheeses. You can fill up for as little as 10 euros ($11) or 15 euros ($17), and you can eat in or get your order to go.Address: Piazza del Mercato Centrale, 50123 Firenze FI, ItalyRead Full ReviewDa RuggeroNeighborhood: OltrarnoPrice range: $Dish to order: Florentine classics made with seasonal ingredientsThis Florentine simple mom-and-pop joint, a ways from the city center, is crammed into two small rooms with a tiny kitchen. Old-world paintings hang on wood-paneled walls and white linen cloths grace the tables; behind the bar, the owner doles out house wine into carafes and whips up espressos. It may look modest, but Da Ruggero serves some of the best traditional food in town. Ruggero serves up perfectly prepared Florentine classics with the odd seasonal variation. The menu offers the likes of liver-topped crostini and platters of Tuscan salami, hearty soups like the bread- and cabbage-based ribollita, pasta with porcini mushrooms (in season) and a knock-out spaghetti alla carrettiera (with a chilli-spiked tomato sauce). For mains, I recommend the arista (roast pork) spiked with rosemary and garlic and a side of fagioli (white beans) drizzled with EVOO. It’s hearty and all delicious.Address: Via Senese, 89 Rosso, 50124 Firenze FI, ItalyRead Full ReviewTrattoria Sergio GozziNeighborhood: Centro StoricoPrice range: $Dish to order: Anything off the ultra-fresh daily menuA rare relic of old Florence in the heart of the city, Trattoria Sergio Gozzi is the sort of no-frills trattoria where time seems to have stood still for several decades. The menu is printed with the day’s date, proving that, yes, everything is indeed ultra-fresh and seasonal. The handful of pastas and soups may include pici (thick, hand-rolled spaghetti) alla carrettiera (spicy tomato sauce) or ribollita, a traditional bread-, bean-, and cabbage-based soup. For mains, there’s roast pork, peposa (a black pepper-spiked beef stew), fried polpette (meatballs), and—for the truly brave—trippa alla fiorentina (tripe in tomato sauce). Although there’s a wine list featuring mainly Tuscan labels, everyone orders the rustic local plonk here, sold by the quarter, half, or full liter. It’s a perfect match for the homey food. One note: It’s only open for lunch (Monday to Saturday).Address: Piazza di San Lorenzo, 8R, 50123 Firenze FI, ItalyRead Full ReviewTrattoria CammilloNeighborhood: OltrarnoPrice range: $$$Dish to order: Bistecca alla FiorentinaSomething of a Florentine institution, Trattoria Cammillo, located on the south bank of the Arno by the Ponte Vecchio, was founded in 1945 by the grandfather of Chiara Masiero, the present owner and part-time chef. Unusually long and varied, the menu consists of meat, fish, and vegetable dishes that change (to a certain extent) with the seasons and a handful of daily specials. Dishes such as gamberi al curry (curried shrimp) with rice and homemade mango chutney have been on the menu for decades alongside classics such as ribollita, lasagna (a nod to Chiara’s Emilian roots), and bistecca alla Fiorentina (T-bone). All desserts are made in-house; the tiramisu (made with persimmons in winter) is a great way to finish. Come here with anyone who wants to sample traditional Florentine cooking in an unpretentious atmosphere.Address: Borgo San Iacopo, 57/r, 50125 Firenze FI, ItalyRead Full ReviewCasa CiabattiniNeighborhood: Porta al PratoPrice range: $$Dish to order: Freshly-made pastaThis new-generation osteria is located west of Florence city center away from the worst of the tourist crowds. In the window is a marble slab where pasta is freshly-rolled each morning while inside, there’s a bar counter and two brightly lit rooms with checker-board floors, olive green walls, and turquoise green boiserie. While you wait for your food you can watch the action at the pass in front of the open kitchen. Freshly-made pasta is the star turn here. The choice changes regularly, but you can expect evergreen favorites such as fettuccine with the stonking house ragù and grandma’s ricotta and spinach gnudi alongside more unusual choices such as gnocchi with calamari, creamed celery, and confit tomatoes. For starters, there is beef tartar and baked stuffed zucchini flowers; mains include peposo all’Imprunetana (a rich, peppery beef stew) and bistecca. Round it all off with the dreamy house tiramisu.Address: Via Il Prato, 68/R, 50123 Firenze FI, ItalyRead Full ReviewA classical musician by training, Nicky has been living in Florence since the 1980s and has been writing about Florence, Tuscany, and all things Italian for the past 20 years. She still lives in the Tuscan capital, but travels extensively throughout Italy for both work and pleasure and is particularly ... Read MoreRecommended An elegant boutique hotel steps from the Ponte Vecchio, with an atmosphere that will have you feeling like a chic 1950s starlet on a secret vacation.Read full reviewThe Hotel Lungarno is set on prime real estate right on the south bank of the River Arno and steps from the Ponte Vecchio, yet it still makes you feel you've escaped the hectic life of the city.Read full reviewView All Florence