Florence’s cuisine, like the city itself, is often thought to be synonymous with bold, unabashed luxury – “big,” full-bodied red wines and red meat like steak and wild boar have always impressed visitors with their connotations of indulgence, especially against the glamorous backdrop of grand Renaissance architecture and fashionable names like Gucci and Ferragamo.
But there is much more to Florentine cuisine than what is typically advertised to the tourist. Beyond the rich, meat-centered primi and secondi that get the most publicity, you’ll find food that reflects the local love of seasonal vegetables, local cheeses, and delightful fritti that are often the highlight of the meal.
Many of the locals’ most beloved dishes are special treats that come and go throughout the year, based on either produce seasonality or holidays or both. It’s a refreshing reminder that as much as Florence is a bustling city with an air of grandeur, it remains dedicated to following the same patterns of culinary traditions that it has done since the age of Brunelleschi, with recipes that depend on what the surrounding land bestows.
Bistecca alla Fiorentina: Trattoria Da Camillo
Florentine steak is perhaps the most prized cut of meat that you could possibly order in the Renaissance city. This is partly to do with the quality of the steak, which comes from Tuscany’s famous Chianina cows in the countryside of the Val Chiana near Florence. But the reverence around the bistecca is also a reflection of the skilled preparation: grilled over a wood-burning fire, it requires some talented technique to get exactly right. The best Florentine steak should be perfectly charred on the outside but still rare when cut, and finished simply with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
It’s wise to experience such a classic dish in an equally classic setting, which you can absolutely trust is using high-quality ingredients: Trattoria Da Camillo, the decades-old institution of a restaurant in the heart of the Santo Spirito neighborhood, very much fits the bill. (It would be a mistake to leave without trying some of their vegetable fritti, too, which are always exceptional.)
Pappardelle al Ragù di Cinghiale: Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco
When it comes to pasta, one of the most traditional ones that you’ll find in Florence is pappardelle with ragù di cinghiale, or wild boar ragù-boars roam all over the Tuscan countryside, but in Florence, in particular, the sauce made from their meat is especially beloved.
For your first time trying this typical pasta, there’s no more fitting place than Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco, named precisely for the (white) boar that the ragù is made from. Situated in a thirteenth-century tower with the original walls and beams still holding up the dining room, the Medieval-like setting is especially appropriate for such an iconic dish.
Coccoli: I Brindellone
Fried bread, thankfully a somewhat universal concept, goes by different names depending on which Italian region you’re in-and, in fact, even from city to city. Florence’s name for little puffy spheres of fried dough is coccoli, which are served as an antipasto at many trattorie (or as a complimentary snack at wine bars during aperitivo, if you’re lucky).
They typically are served on a board with prosciutto and stracchino cheese for topping, dipping, or even making into tiny little spherical sandwiches. One of the most generous and perfectly fried iterations of this antipasto is at I Brindellone, an old-school trattoria-osteria in San Frediano. Order a glass of Prosecco, too-bubbles always go well with fritti!
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Fave (or Baccelli) e Pecorino: Alla Vecchia Bettola
When fava beans start cropping up in the spring, they are a huge source of pride for restaurants that like to serve them fresh. The typical Florentine way to do this is with local pecorino toscano cheese, which is cubed into pieces to match the size of the favas.
Dressed in olive oil and sometimes a touch of lemon juice, fave e pecorino is a joyous symbol of primavera. Eat this at La Vecchia Bettola, a fun local trattoria away from the usual tourist path, where on a nice springy day you can eat outside at the picnic-style tables.
Gnudi di Ricotta e Spinaci: Mercato Sant’Ambrogio
Gnudi are not to be confused with gnocchi-made from ricotta instead of potatoes, gnudi are formed into larger spheres that become deliciously pillowy and hearty at the same time. In the Florentine style, gnudi are also made with spinach in the dough and are easily one of the best underrated local pastas. (Plus, they’re light enough that they can be followed by a secondo or meat course, if that’s your thing.) The Florentine way to serve them is either al pomodoro (with tomato sauce) or al burro e salvia (with butter and sage).
They aren’t popular at many restaurants, so buy gnudi from the fabulous fresh pasta vendors at the Mercato Sant’Ambrogio, the most authentic historic market in the city where locals continue to shop, if you have accommodations that allow for cooking. (In fact, the Mercato is reason enough to find lodging like that – you’ll want to take advantage of all the fresh produce and specialty ingredients.)
Crostini con Fegatini di Pollo/Paté con Crostini: Cibrèo Caffè
Just around the corner from the Mercato San’t Ambrogio, Cibrèo Caffè serves a lovely version of the typical Florentine crostini con fegatini-paté of chicken liver served with toasted bread (not grilled, which would make it bruschetta!) that is well worth trying compared to others in the city. Here, the paté is wonderfully flavorful without being overpoweringly salty, with a smooth, mousse-like texture that you can spread on crostini as you please.
Trippa alla Fiorentina: Osteria Tripperia Il Magazzino
Offal (meats coming from animal organs) can be a difficult sell even to full-time carnivores. But Florentines love tripe, so if you want to really eat like a local, head to Osteria Tripperia Il Magazzino. Like most Florentine recipes, trippa alla fiorentina is cooked in a tomato sauce, often a slightly brothy one, and topped with Parmigiano. For a vegetarian interpretation, you can try “trippa finta” (“fake tripe”) made with bread, eggs, and tomato sauce at Dalla Lola, another stellar trattoria just a few streets away that is known for its bold reimaginations of traditional dishes, delightfully rebelling against Florentine fashion.
Frittelle di Riso: Caffè Gilli
If you find yourself in Florence during Carnevale season, or generally anytime from January to early March, count yourself lucky-you’ll have the chance to sample (or gobble down) fritelle di riso, which are some of the best Carnevale treats throughout the Italian boot and certainly some of Florence’s best desserts – the fact that they are only available for this particular time of year makes them all the more special.
Light as air, these puffy little rice-filled doughnut holes are at their best at Caffè Gilli, Florence’s most historic cafe that will transport you back in time. Order these treats to eat at the counter, Italian-style (the table service is a bit of a to-do) – you can choose the pastry-cream-filled or rum-raisin varieties, but don’t overlook the magic simplicity of the plain frittelle di riso.
Schiacciata all’Uva: S. Forno Panificio
September in Italy is all about la vendemmia – the grape harvest at vineyards. But not all of the fruit goes toward making wine – luckily for us, plenty of grapes make it into markets to be sold fresh, and Florentines take advantage of their abundance by making schiacciata all’uva, a focaccia-like local bread topped with the juicy, sweet grapes.
It’s the perfect thing to eat for breakfast, a snack, or even dessert – the slice at S. Forno Panificio is superlative, and even if schiacciata all’uva is only available in September, S. Forno’s other sweets are some of the best in the city too.
Affogato: La Sorbettiera
While you can get an affogato (a scoop of gelato “drowned” inside a cup of caffè espresso) almost anywhere in Italy, it’s particularly wise in Florence to be mindful of where you’re getting it from. Ever since social media turned Vivoli (one of Florence’s oldest gelaterie) into a hyped-up spot for picture-perfect affogato, it’s not worth attempting to get through the crowd lined up outside. Instead, head to La Sorbettiera, one of the city’s best gelaterie whose gelato is, quite honestly, better anyway – they serve excellent affogato year-round too, and you’ll never have to wait.
READ NEXT: Our guide to Famous Roman dishes to try in Rome.
Lydia O’Brien is cookbook editor, writer, and recipe tester based in Italy. She has lived in Rome, Florence, and Siena and spent a summer cooking at an agriturismo in Tuscany, after leaving the full-time publishing world in New York. Originally from Washington, D.C., she has a degree in English literature and spent a university semester in Rome studying food and art history.
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