FLORENCE HAS BEEN my home for almost 20 years. I was originally drawn to the city’s art and history but quickly fell in love with the food. In my career as a food writer and cookbook author, I’ve found that Florence’s proud, headstrong people have preserved the city’s favorite dishes and food traditions just as they have their famous buildings and art. Recipes don’t change, and trattoria menus are the same as what families cook at home. History weaves itself through every aspect of Florentine life, especially the food, which is as unfussy, humble, and rustic as it has been for centuries.
You can tell what time of the year it is by simply looking at a menu, bakery window, or market stall. April means broad beans, served in their pods with pecorino cheese; May brings the first cherries and the last artichokes. Summer is for tomatoes, tumbled into panzanella salad; September means wine harvest, the time for grape-studded schiacciata (a thin Tuscan focaccia), and autumn brings newly pressed olive oil and roasted chestnuts, perhaps dipped with vino novello, “new” wine.
Florence has the good fortune of being in the middle of fertile Tuscany, where excellent olive oil, delicious wine, and abundant fresh produce are always available. These are the fixtures of the Florentine table, along with bread — an unsalted, large loaf is never missing from any meal. Consider this guide a gateway to the region’s abundance.
Coffee, Breakfast, and Lunch
Ditta Artigianale
Traditional espresso drinks with a modern twist
Francesco Sanapo’s coffee shop was one of the first to offer flat whites and milk alternatives to Florentines, and it was so popular, Sanapo immediately opened three additional locations, which have since expanded to six. The Sant’Ambrogio location’s...
Francesco Sanapo’s coffee shop was one of the first to offer flat whites and milk alternatives to Florentines, and it was so popular, Sanapo immediately opened three additional locations, which have since expanded to six. The Sant’Ambrogio location’s adjacent church cloister is a welcome oasis on a hot, chaotic day, while the trendy via dello Sprone location, with its large comfy chairs and back terrace, is an excellent place to relax or catch up on emails with a coffee near the Pitti Palace. In the warmer months, I can’t resist Ditta Artigianale’s caffè shakerato, an espresso shaken with ice until frothy.
S. Forno
Storied Tuscan breads and pastries
Customers come to this century-old bakery to buy bread and pastries to take home, such as schiacciata, chocolate tarts, pane toscano (the famous saltless bread), and pandiramerino (a sticky Tuscan bun with rosemary). The bakery’s main room offers a few cozy...
Customers come to this century-old bakery to buy bread and pastries to take home, such as schiacciata, chocolate tarts, pane toscano (the famous saltless bread), and pandiramerino (a sticky Tuscan bun with rosemary). The bakery’s main room offers a few cozy tables and stools to perch on, and the menu-of-the-day offers a a simple lunch of asparagus, ricotta, and lemon quiche, or panini made-to-order.
Cantinetta dei Verrazzano
Seasonal schiacciata and baked goods
Cantinetta dei Verrazzano is in the very center of Florence, right between Piazza della Signoria and Piazza del Duomo. The cafe, which is part of the historic Verrazzano winery, offers delicious wood-fired bread, schiacciata with seasonal...
Cantinetta dei Verrazzano is in the very center of Florence, right between Piazza della Signoria and Piazza del Duomo. The cafe, which is part of the historic Verrazzano winery, offers delicious wood-fired bread, schiacciata with seasonal vegetables, cecina (chickpea pancakes), cakes by the slice, fresh pastries, and classic Tuscan biscuits. Bring your treats home or enjoy them at the small coffee counter with a good espresso.
’Ino
Panini and wine with local pedigree
For a quick lunch, look no further than a panino, Florentines’ favorite meal on the go. Practically every street corner in the city has a good panino shop, but my pick is ’Ino, located on a side street next to the Uffizi Gallery. ’Ino owner Alessandro Frassica takes...
For a quick lunch, look no further than a panino, Florentines’ favorite meal on the go. Practically every street corner in the city has a good panino shop, but my pick is ’Ino, located on a side street next to the Uffizi Gallery. ’Ino owner Alessandro Frassica takes care to choose only the highest quality ingredients for his panini, which you can enjoy with a glass of wine at the intimate shop.
Aperitivo and Treats
Sbrino
Inventive natural gelato
There’s an endless supply of excellent gelaterie in Florence, a city that claims to have invented the first iced desserts. But if you’re in the Oltrarno neighborhood (perhaps visiting S. Forno), don’t miss Sbrino for a delicious natural gelato with tantalizing and...
There’s an endless supply of excellent gelaterie in Florence, a city that claims to have invented the first iced desserts. But if you’re in the Oltrarno neighborhood (perhaps visiting S. Forno), don’t miss Sbrino for a delicious natural gelato with tantalizing and unique flavors, such as pumpkin, amaretto, and licorice. They have all the classics, too, and a good selection of vegan flavors.
La Ménagère
All-day bites and cocktails in a whimsical setting
La Ménagère is a picturesque, all-day meeting spot, complete with a florist, a homeware shop, and a dining area surrounded by roses. A recent renovation means it also has a vintage cocktail lounge and cigar room. It’s the kind of place where you can go for...
La Ménagère is a picturesque, all-day meeting spot, complete with a florist, a homeware shop, and a dining area surrounded by roses. A recent renovation means it also has a vintage cocktail lounge and cigar room. It’s the kind of place where you can go for brunch, lunch, dinner, or cocktails, but my suggestion is to stick to the drinks; the space is ideal for a long coffee break or after-work aperitivo.
Le Volpi e l’Uva
Natural Italian wines by the glass and small plates
This is a tiny wine bar, tucked away in a quiet area near the Ponte Vecchio bridge. In the 30-something years it’s been open, it’s become an institution in Florence. You’ll find a selection of wines by the glass sourced directly from small producers. And...
This is a tiny wine bar, tucked away in a quiet area near the Ponte Vecchio bridge. In the 30-something years it’s been open, it’s become an institution in Florence. You’ll find a selection of wines by the glass sourced directly from small producers. And while there is no kitchen, they offer a few wine pairings which are prepared behind the marble counter: little cheese plates, mixed salumi, finger buns with smoked goose breast and butter, or golden, cheesy crostini topped with speck and honey. If you want a table outside, reserve one; otherwise, grab a spot at the bar. To note: Le Volpi is a pre-dinner destination so it closes early, around 9 p.m.
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Dinner and Cocktails
Il Nugolo
Garden-fresh dishes in a lush environment
Il Nugolo’s founder, Nerina Martinelli, uses ingredients from her family’s home garden in the nearby town of Settignano to create produce-forward, seasonal cuisine. The restaurant’s interior is filled with plants meant to recall said garden. Expect beautifully...
Il Nugolo’s founder, Nerina Martinelli, uses ingredients from her family’s home garden in the nearby town of Settignano to create produce-forward, seasonal cuisine. The restaurant’s interior is filled with plants meant to recall said garden. Expect beautifully presented dishes and the freshest ingredients, such as mixed tomatoes (the farm has over 200 varieties) with burrata, carrots with Jerusalem artichokes, and oxtail-filled cappelletti (a hat-shaped pasta) with salsa verde and lemon zest. Wash it all down with a cloudy Prosecco. The apple tarte is a specialty, so make sure to leave room for dessert.
Regina Bistecca
Classic Florentine steaks with all the trimmings
Old and new come together in this wonderful space next to the Duomo, which used to be an antique bookshop. As you may guess from the name, their specialty is Florentine steak. A typical menu features more soup than pasta and a particularly good selection...
Old and new come together in this wonderful space next to the Duomo, which used to be an antique bookshop. As you may guess from the name, their specialty is Florentine steak. A typical menu features more soup than pasta and a particularly good selection of side dishes (don’t miss the creamed spinach) to accompany the star of the show. Start with a cocktail at the bar, and end with a delectable selection from the old-school dessert trolley.
Atrium Bar
Cocktails in a restored palazzo
The Atrium Bar of the Four Seasons in the beautifully restored historical Palazzo della Gherardesca also has a stunning garden. Both the cozy bar under the skylights and the garden offer memorable settings for before-dinner drinks or after-dinner cocktails. If...
The Atrium Bar of the Four Seasons in the beautifully restored historical Palazzo della Gherardesca also has a stunning garden. Both the cozy bar under the skylights and the garden offer memorable settings for before-dinner drinks or after-dinner cocktails. If you want something particularly Florentine, go for a Negroni, of course — it was invented in Florence a century ago.
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Our Contributors
Emiko Davies Writer
Emiko Davies has called Tuscany home for almost 20 years. Her first cookbook, “Florentine,” is a love letter to the city that taught her about Tuscan traditions and conviviality. She has written six cookbooks and runs a cooking school with her husband, Marco, in San Miniato, between Florence and Pisa.
