**This blog was updated in 2025 after a six-week trip to Florence.
Just thinking about eating the Tuscan food found in Florence, Italy gets my mouth watering. Florence is—without a doubt—my favorite food city in the world!
Although quite regional, good Italian dishes are generally comprised of only a few exquisite ingredients, pasta and meat are served as separate courses, and balance is the name of the game—pizzas aren’t dripping with cheese, pasta is not drenched in sauce, and dishes capitalize on fresh, seasonal ingredients. There are many wonderful restaurants in Florence that practice that food ethic.
Florence cares deeply about its food heritage with a local statute even requiring that Florentine restaurants source at least 70% of their ingredients from Tuscany. In Florence, you will find ancient dishes connected to the rich land of Tuscany. Bistecca alla Fiorentina (from Chianina cows who grazed on the nutrient-rich grasses of the region that produces Chianti wine) perfumes the city as grills heat up around dinner-time. It is served medium-rare, dressed simply with salt and olive oil, and melts in your mouth like beefy butter. Bread-based hearty soups like pappa al pomodoro or ribollita are Florentine favorites. Boars (cinghiale) roam the Tuscan countryside and are porky perfection in pasta dishes featuring cinghiale ragu. Make sure you fare la scarpetta—scoop up the leftover sauce with Tuscan bread. The salt-free slices are a perfect vehicle for wiping your plate clean. Peposo (beef slow-cooked in a spicy black pepper sauce) is on many Florentine menus with origins that harken back to Brunelleschi and the building of the dome of the Duomo.
You can get a great sandwich (panino) at stands across the city. Lampredotto (the fourth stomach—because the others aren’t as good) is a local favorite and part of the cucina povera influence we see across Italy. The sandwiches (panini) are served on crusty, chewy rolls with a parsley sauce and chili oil. Have the vendor dunk the top of the roll in the broth for you. I find lampredotto okay but prefer my panino with boiled beef roast (panino con bollito). This sandwich is served on the same hearty roll as lampredotto with the same sauces. But unlike its offal cousin, it occupies my dreams and is one of the first things I eat when I get to Florence and one of the last (I’ve even had it for breakfast when travel plans necessitated).
No meal would be complete without stopping off for the dessert that the city is probably best known for—gelato. With less air than its American counterpart, it’s remarkably creamy and rich yet lower in fat than ice cream…so you can feel good eating it.
Although I’m always finding new favorites, here are a few of the places that I think are the best restaurants in Florence. Many of these places are old favorites that consistently serve up the best food in Florence, whereas some of them just made the list for the first time this year.
Cafes: Caffe Gilli (via Roma), Caffe Rivoire (Piazza della Signoria), and Caffe Scudieri (Piazza San Giovanni) are all elegance and history personified. The gilded (and sometimes frescoed) interiors boast marble floors and beautiful cases. Stand at the counter to enjoy your morning espresso and pastry and you will find that the duo only costs a few euro. It’s remarkable considering these three richly-designed places occupy some of the best real estate in town on three of the city’s most prominent squares. Gilli has great cappucino. They also have great desserts (try the schiacciate di Firenze—sponge cake). The thick and rich hot chocolate at Rivoire can’t be missed (see the picture). The pastries at Scudieri are perfection.
Florence Restaurants (ranked in alphabetical order):
- Antico Ristoro Perditempo (Borgo San Jacopo)—this restaurant has seats at the back offering a splendid view of the Arno and Ponte Vecchio. A great place to enjoy a glass of rose you will also want to order a tagliere to nibble on. Make sure you try nduja (a spicy salami spread that I like to think of as pork butter). Heaven!
- Budellino (via dei Neri)—This little wine bar is great for a pre-dinner glass of wine and some charcuterie. Although there are only a few seats up front, don’t let that deter you, because there is more seating in the back.
- Cantina de Pucci (via de Pucci)—This restaurant has a wine window out front that is often drawing the crowds but serves up some thoughtful cuisine in the cellar. Although a little pricier than some of the other places we frequent, we enjoy the bubbly staff and attention to detail. Jon had a lovely chicken salad and I had the nice pici with ragu the last time we were there.
- Impressione Chongqing (via Sant’Antonino)—This place is intense and crowded, but serves up some of the best Chinese food I’ve had in Florence (and in the world). The menu is expansive and prices are moderate; I would suggest getting a bunch of dishes and sharing, but definitely get the dumplings and some fried rice. We also enjoy the beef and leeks.
- Le Antiche Carozze (Borgo Santi Apostoli)—this restaurant has a prime position on Piazza Santa Trinita and across from the flagship Ferragamo store. Due to its location, it’s a little pricier than competitors but it had good food and I would go back for the hamburger I had there. The hamburger, served with carmelized red onions was one of the best I’ve had in Italy. I keep going back for that burger every time I’m in town. Jon had a pizza which he enjoyed. Our fellow diners said they enjoyed various pasta and fish dishes.
- L’Arte di Dori (via dei Serragli)—while you’re in the Oltrarno, this restaurant is a “can’t miss.” They make your pasta fresh to order. Whatever is in the house sauce is magical and should absolutely be savored.
- L’Brindellone (Piazza Piattellina)—this restaurant on the Oltrarno side of the river serves local cuisine seemingly to mainly locals. Try sausage with beans (fagioli all’uccelletto). Cannellini beans are cooked with tomato sauce, sage, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper…and are delicious. The roast beef in tomato sauce is excellent, too.
- La Fiaschetteria (via dei Neri): My husband found this restaurant years ago. We were looking for a place that wasn’t had good prices and served pasta (for me) and pizza (for him). Normally, one can’t find a place that makes both pizza and pasta well, but La Fiaschetteria is the exception. We’ve been going back ever since. It’s a small little gem that we keep revisiting. Both of us usually start the meal with fettunta (toasted bread rubbed with garlic and served with oil). Lately, I’ve been enjoying the chicken with lemon and grilled vegetables, too. The service is always warm and welcoming and we feel like family there.
- Mercato Centrale (Piazza del Mercato Centrale)—the upstairs of this famous market has a decent food court. I enjoy the pizza place there which makes Neapolitan style pizza, as well as the pasta place next door. During the day, the market is open downstairs and there are several good vendors there, including famed Nerbone (known for their sandwiches). I have my own favorites for a panino (see below), but Nerbone is good and there are several places to grab the day’s pasta or secondo special.
- Osteria Buongustai (via dei Cerchi): This female-run restaurant serves some of the best pasta in Florence. The truffle pasta will make you happy you are alive. The roast beef salad is a nice lite dish. They also have a nice selection of bruschetta. My favorite is lardo di Colonnata (thinly sliced ribbons of lard on toasted bread). Who knew fat could be this good?!?
- Osteria dei Centopoveri (via Palazzuolo)—we were pleasantly surprised at this restaurant. The menu was a little long, which is generally not a good thing, but I had a very nice steak here. The pizza looked good, but we didn’t try it. We did sample, however, their pizza crust with olive oil and it was delicious.
- Osteria Pepo (via Rosina)—this restaurant is in the touristy Mercato Centrale neighborhood but has traditional Tuscan food at decent prices. Jon loves the lasagne and I could sing praises about their meatballs (polpette) all day long. I also enjoy their cinghiale dishes and grilled vegetables.
- Osteria Zio Gigi (via Folco Portinari)—on our very first trip to Florence in 2016, the hotel recommended this place. We enjoyed our meal, but by the next year when we were in Florence, I had forgotten the name of it and we couldn’t find it. I’ve been searching ever since. You can imagine my delight then, when I stumbled across it while wandering on a small side street in the back on the Duomo. I promptly made reservations for the next evening. Once we were seated, we knew we had found it again. There is a fixed menu for lunch with many tasty options at a very fair price. For dinner, we enjoyed steaks, chicken, pasta, and all sorts of things (we kept coming back). The service is warm and friendly and Zio Gigi will burst out in song at a moment’s notice. Prices are very fair.
- Rosticceria Cinese Tian Tian Hong (via dei Servi)—this is our new favorite Chinese restaurant in Florence. The dumplings (ravioli) are delicious, as is the fried rice, beef with onions, and beef with mushrooms. Prices are very fair, especially given the great location between the Duomo and Piazza Santissima Annunziata.
- Trattoria Sabatino (via Pisana): This family-run restaurant right outside the San Frediano gate serves home-cooked food that is so low-priced it makes me wonder how they do it. The low prices don’t mean low flavor though. This place services up tasty food and atmosphere in abundance. Arrive early as they don’t take reservations.
- Trattoria Sergio Gozzi (Piazza San Lorenzo): This restaurant is open for lunch-only, sadly depriving the city of its immense talents at all other times. I adore the pappa al pomodoro (tomato and bread soup) here. Although the menu changes daily, I have never had a pasta dish that I didn’t enjoy. The chicken salad gives a lite diversion from carbohydrate-heavy fare. If they have peposo on the menu–a peppery stewed beef–you should probably order it. This would also be a great place to sample the city’s famous bistecca alla Fiorentina. If you can only come here once, I would come hungry and sample a lot of dishes with your dining companions.
- Trattoria Mario (via Rosina)—you will likely want to make reservations for this crowded place. If you’re looking for a different place to try Bistecca alla Fiorentina, this restaurant serves up a good one. Reasonably priced, too.
- Trattoria Marione (via della Spada)—Jon and I often order different courses and have them served at the same time because I often want a primo and he often wants a secondo. Unless I’m able to get a mezzo (half) porzione, rarely am I able to eat both a primo and a secondo. For primo, this trattoria serves a delightful truffle pasta. For secondo and contorno, I recommend bistecca and spinaci.
Gelato: The places that I think serve the best gelato in Florence are (in order with my favorite first): Gelateria dei Neri, Vivoli, Gelateria la Carraia, La Strega Nocciola, and Cono Gelato. All of these places serve up creamy, rich gelato in small batches. They know what they are doing and their flavors explode. You really can’t go wrong with any of them, but the fondente (dark chocolate) at Gelateria dei Neri makes the price of the flight worth it for me. When the weather gets warmer, I love an orange granita from dei Neri or strawberry gelato (seeds included) from La Strega.
Panini:
- I don’t know the name of my favorite sandwich stand, but it is easy to find. It is a red stand (there is generally a woman working) located on a corner within the San Lorenzo market outside of the Mercato Centrale at via dell’Ariento and via Sant’Antonio. Inside of the market is Nerbone–a restaurant famed for their sandwiches–which is good, but not as good as this red sandwich stand outside. The prices are great, the service is quick, and the food is amazing. Get the beef sandwich (panino con bollito) with both the green and the red sauce (verde and piccante). Fabulous!
- If you’re looking for wine and a sandwich, try I Fratellini. This restaurant is literally a hole in the wall but serves cheap wine and tasty low-priced sandwiches filled with good charcuterie. They also have inexpensive crostini, if you just want a little bite with your wine. Hang your wine glass up on the rack on the outside wall when you leave.
- Da Vinattieri (via Santa Margherita) serves up another type of sandwich the city is famous for—schiacciata. Schiacciata is a flat square focaccia-like bread that this sandwich spot toasts to perfection. There are all sorts of interesting fillings to choose from like truffle cream, prosciutto, mortadella, tuna, and much more.
- Retrobottega (Piazza Cimatori) creates some truly unique sandwich concoctions. Jon and I enjoyed the “Sloppy Rob” on our last trip to Florence—pulled beef that had been slow cooked in red wine and onions served with barbeque sauce and honey mustard on a perfectly toasted yet soft bun.
- Notably, I’m leaving out Al Antico Vinaio, which is a very popular sandwich shop (now several shops) on via dei Neri. They are known for large sandwiches. Generally, they have lines out the door (there are several locations around the city though) and people clog the streets Instagramming their sandwiches or vlogging about them. Perhaps it is their social media fame that deters me from going…or maybe it is the endless lines, but I can’t report back on that sandwich. For years, I have passed right by (on pretty much a daily basis) and not felt compelled to stop. If you want a report, there are numerous vloggers on YouTube who can report back; they also have sandwich places in Rome, New York, and other major cities.
- To try truffles (the city is known for its truffle dishes) at a fairly reasonable price, I recommend the dainty, finger-sized truffle cream panini at Procacci. Located on the most expensive shopping street in town, via de’ Tuornabuoni, the interior is sumptuous as are the sandwiches. The panini won’t fill you up, but make a lovely complement to their vast wine selection. Have a couple before dinner as an aperitivo. There are only a few tables though, so space is limited.
A great way to try out the food in Firenze is through a food tour or cooking class. Here are a few that I recommend:
Semi Private Food Tour in Florence with LivTours: https://livtours.com/tours/semi-private-food-tour-in-florence?af_code=E1DDN61
Gelato Making Class (semi private) with LivTours: https://livtours.com/tours/gelato-making-class-in-florence-semi-private?af_code=E1DDN61
Private Florence Food Tour with LivTours: https://livtours.com/tours/private-florence-food-tour?af_code=E1DDN61
**Remember that you can save 10% on two or more tours at LivTours with the code: AMYRH10
Tour Guy Food Tours (cooking classes, food tours, market tours, and more): https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=74246&awinaffid=1985445&ued=https%3A%2F%2Fthetourguy.com%2Ftours%2Fflorence
Viator has a ton of cool and affordable food tours, cooking classes, wine tastings, day trips, and more: https://www.viator.com/Florence-tours/Food-Tours/d519-g6-c80?pid=P00161535&mcid=42383&medium=link&medium_version=selector
Tuscany Wine Tour from Florence to Siena and Chianti with The Tour Guy: https://shrsl.com/4l13x
Pasta Cooking Class and Gourmet Wine Pairing in Florence: https://shrsl.com/4l13z
I hope that you are able to try out some of these eateries the next time you are in Florence. I’m always on the look-out for new Florence restaurants to try so please leave your favorites in the comment section. Buon appetito!
Peposo 
Bistecca alla Fiorentina 
Bistecca alla Fiorentina at Toscanella Osteria in Florence 
Truffle pate 
Lampredotto at Budellino in Florence 
Fondente gelato 
Pizza Napoli 
Pasta al cinghiale from La Fiaschetteria in Florence 
Lampredotto sandwich from Nerbone 
Caffe Gilli 
Hot chocolate at Cafe Rivoire 
Bruschetta with lardo di Colonnata from Osteria Buongustai 
Pappa al Pomodoro
Going to Florence? You will love our tour partners at LivTours, Tour Guy, and Viator. Check them out:
LivTours (semi-private/private tours): https://livtours.com/destinations/florence-tours?af_code=E1DDN61
Tour Guy (small group/private tours): https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=1362329&u=4109975&m=89095&urllink=&afftrack=
Viator (small to medium size groups/private): https://www.viator.com/Florence/d519-ttd?pid=P00161535&mcid=42383&medium=link&medium_version=selector
With industry leaders in tours, travel insurance, hotels, vacation rentals, flights, cruises, and trip planning (LivTours, World Nomads, Expedia, Viator, VRBO, & more), explore the world with our curated list of affiliate links on our Travel Planning page: https://roaminghistorian.com/travel-planning/
Check out our tour trip partners all over the world:
Europe: https://roaminghistorian.com/european-tours/
Italy alone: https://roaminghistorian.com/save-money-italy-tours/
North, South, and Central America: https://roaminghistorian.com/usa-tours/
Africa, Asia, and Australia: https://roaminghistorian.com/visit-africa-asia-australia/
We sell fabulous photographic prints from our travels on our Etsy shop!
Disclosure: Roaming Historian may derive revenue from affiliate links and other sources, which helps offset the costs of bringing you the information we do. The blogs and reviews posted on this website are of our own opinion though.