Florence is probably my favorite food city we visited during our time in Italy – I don’t think we disliked anywhere we tried, which is a feat in itself! There are so many amazing options, ranging from delicious focaccia sandwiches from a hole-in-the-wall to 13 restaurants with 16 Michelin stars between them. So there’s a little bit for everyone! I can’t recommend an extended trip enough, as a weekend just isn’t enough time to explore all that the Florence food scene has to offer. Below you’ll find our favorite places to eat and drink in Florence, as well as a few spots we can’t wait to try during future trips!
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Planning a trip to Florence? See how I spent my 5 night bucket list trip.
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Checking out multiple Italian cities? Head to my Italy travel page for more ideas.
Popular Dishes in Florence
Cuisine you’ll find in Florence tends to feature seasonal ingredients from around the Tuscany area. If you’re expecting something light, you’ve come to the wrong place! Florence is known for its hearty, rustic peasant dishes and delicious gelato. Some popular Florentine dishes to try during your trip include:
- Bistecca alla Fiorentina aka Florentine Steak (large t-bone steak typically served rare or medium rare and shared by 2+ people)
- Lampredotto (beef tripe)
- Crostini Neri (appetizer of toasted bread topped with a chicken liver paté)
- Pappa al Pomodoro (tuscan tomato soup made with stale bread)
- Pappardelle al Cinghiale (pappardelle pasta in a red sauce with wild boar)
Restaurants and Cafes
Osteria dell’Enoteca – Via Romana, 70/r, 50125 Firenze.
We had dinner here on our first night in Florence. They have a large wine cellar, which they let you browse if you’re planning to order a bottle with your meal. If you don’t know nearly enough about wine pairing, like me, they’ll make recommendations based on your meal/preferences. We weren’t hungry enough to get the Florentine steak, but the table next to us got one and it looked amazing. Its so large that they won’t even let you order it for just one person!
Nugolo – Via della Mattonaia, 27 R, 50121 Firenze.
Dinner at this cozy contemporary Tuscan restaurant was easily my husband’s favorite meal of our entire two weeks in Italy. We sat at a table right next to the open kitchen, giving us a great view of all the action. I had risotto over rabbit ragu, while he had duck breast and an apple tart tatin for dessert. A few months after getting back from our trip, we saw the restaurant featured on Stanley Tucci’s show Searching for Italy! 10/10, would go again in a heartbeat.
Konnubio – Via dei Conti, 8r, 50123 Firenze.
This was my personal favorite meal in Florence was our dinner at this modern Mediterranean restaurant. We chose the a la carte menu, but they also offer 5 or 6 course tasting menus and wine pairings. I think my favorite bite was actually the complimentary plate brought out at the start, which was a surprise considering I don’t usually like olives! I’m sure the fact that it was breaded and fried helped. My only complaint was the service was a little slower than I expected, even by what we’d come to expect in Italy. We had 3 courses, and were there for nearly 3 hours.
Bars
Chiosco Degli Sportivi – Via degli Anselmi, 50123 Firenze.
Meaning “sports kiosk” in Italian, this little bar is hidden away just outside the Piazza della Repubblica. It’s a nice casual spot to relax with small bites and aperol spritzes. All of the seating is outside, so I wouldn’t recommend going on a cold or rainy day!
Manifattura – Piazza di S. Pancrazio, 1, 50123 Firenze.
This cocktail bar with a vintage vibe serves drinks using only Italian spirits. We stopped in for quick pre-dinner drinks, but it seems like it’d be a cool place to hang out with friends. Our cocktails came with cards describing the famous Italian person that the drink was dedicated to!
Antica Bottega Wine Tasting – Via Santa Margherita, 13R, 50122 Firenze.
Want to try some great wines, while also learning their history? (And maybe get scolded for accidently holding your white wine glass by the bell instead of the stem? That warms up the wine!) Then make a reservation for a tasting at Antica Bottega. The wines are delicious and the staff is super knowledgeable.
FLORENCE FOOD TOURS
Check out these exciting options:
Gelato
La Sorbettiera – Piazza Torquato Tasso, 11r, 50124 Firenze.
While it’s a bit of a walk from the city center, in my opinion the extra workout is totally worth it for this mouth-watering gelato. It might have been my favorite gelato spot we tried during our entire Italy trip!
Vivoli – Via Isola delle Stinche, 7r, 50122 Firenze.
If you’re not up for the hike, you can’t go wrong with some gelato or an afogato from Vivoli. They’ve gone viral online for a reason! Located near Santa Croce, Vivoli is the oldest gelateria in Florence – dating back to 1929.
Breakfast & Lunch
Melaleuca bakery + bistrot – Lungarno delle Grazie, 18, 50122 Firenze.
We were about a week into our trip and I was craving an American style breakfast and iced coffee, so we headed to Melaleuca. They came highly recommended by Kacie Rose Travel, and did not disappoint!
It was a pretty busy morning, but we managed to get there just in time to snag the last available table. Success! Highly recommend the strawberry topped pancakes and eggs benedict.
I Fratellini – Via dei Cimatori, 38/r, 50122 Firenze.
While people rave about All’Antico Vinaio, there was no way I was waiting in those crazy lines. Especially when we could walk for 5 minutes and grab sandwiches at I Fratellini instead! Initially I didn’t understand all the hype for a sandwich that was just bread, meat, and cheese, but the quality of the ingredients really does make such a difference.
Vineria del Re – Piazza della Repubblica, 15/r, 50123 Firenze.
This is definitely a little more of a touristy spot, as it’s located in the middle of the Piazza della Repubblica. But it was a great place for a small snack board and glass of wine while trying to figure out our next steps!
Cucciolo Bar Pasticceria – Via del Corso 25 R, 50122, Firenze.
This bar and pastry shop was the first place I’d tried a caffè shakerato, which is an iced espresso drink that is popular in Italy during the summer months. I hadn’t expected it to be served in a champagne flute!
On the List for Our Next Visit
We didn’t get a chance to eat at all the spots I wanted to try in Florence, so these are a few that are still on my list for our next visit!
Pino’s Sandwiches – Via Giuseppe Verdi, 36R, 50122 Firenze.
This place gets rave reviews online for their sandwiches as well as how genuinely nice the owner Pino and his family are. I’m so bummed we didn’t make time to stop here!
Osteria Cinghiale Bianco – Borgo S. Jacopo, 43, 50125 Firenze.
This restaurant, located inside an ancient fourteenth-century tower, serves traditional Tuscan cuisine including Florentine steaks and pappardelle with wild boar.
Locale Firenze – Via delle Seggiole, 12r, 50122 Firenze.
I mainly want to check out this restaurant for the vibes and cocktails, but I’ve heard the food is pretty great as well!
La Boite –Via Palazzuolo, 17r, 50123 Firenze.
A bistro/wine bar that serves charcuterie boards, sandwiches, pastries and coffee.
Trattoria Zà Zà – Piazza del Mercato Centrale, 26r, 50123 Firenze.
This Tuscan spot is probably a little touristy, but I’ve heard great things so I want to give it a shot!
Il Bacaro Fiorentino – Via Palazzuolo, 80R, 50123 Firenze.
Venetian and Tuscan dishes served in a gorgeous space in the heart of Florence.
Where is your favorite spot to eat or grab a drink in Florence? Let me know in the comments!
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