One of the beauties of Florence is definitely its cuisine. Made of richness of flavors, simple ingredients, but from a strong personality. Like the queen of the Florentine table, the Bistecca (don't miss our suggestions with the best ones to taste in the city).

But we can't talk about restaurants in Florence without contemplating our beloved trattorias: places where the popular soul of a city finds its paradise and is expertly mixed with the true flavors of a cuisine that speaks exactly the same language. Cult dishes such as ribollita, pappa al pomodoro just to name a few are born here.

An all-Florentine tradition is also that of the "buche," cozy and quaint restaurants carved out of the cellars of ancient palaces, where, among excellent wines, succulent steaks, truffles, mushrooms and other first fruits, the flavors of rich Tuscan gastronomy explode.

When culinary excellence calls, Florence responds, and we have decided to tell you about the restaurants in the center of Florence that you absolutely must try, including typical, elegant cuisine, pizzerias (also gluten free), as well as starred, seafood, vegetarian, oriental and international and gluten free cuisine!

TRATTORIE

Buca Lapi

Via del Trebbio, 1r

ph. +39 055 213768

Open kitchen, rustic atmosphere representative of the highest Tuscan expression, on the walls posters recalling the history of the restaurant, when the fiaccherai used to stop here to drink a glass of wine and eat a bowl of tripe served on a sheet of newspaper. There are many items on the menu, with the charcoal steak and homemade pasta and desserts among the must-tries.

Il Santo Bevitore

Via S. Spirito, 64r

ph. +39 055 211264

In the heart of the Oltrarno. Contemporary but intimate setting, candlelight dinner. Don't miss the terrine of chicken livers in Vin Santo ristretto and pan brioche or the beef tartare with crispy vegetables. Dishes for celiacs and vegetarian options are also on the menu. Extensive and research-based wine list. For an aperitif stop by Santino, a small wine shop right next to the restaurant.

Trattoria da Sostanza detto Il Troia

Via Del Porcellana, 25r

ph. + 39 055 212691

Where can you eat good steak in Florence? Before we even get into the Florentine steaks, it is worth mentioning that this one on Via del Porcellana is the most literary address in the city. In addition to the classic Florentine steak, cult dishes include artichoke pie and butter chicken breast. All cooked on a stove-less kitchen with wood embers.

Trattoria dei 13 Gobbi

Via del Porcellana, 9r

ph. +39 055 284015

Specialties of the house are the unparalleled rigatoni served in the glass tureen and the ever-present tagliata di manzo served on the log. All accompanied by a wine list that includes the best labels. A celiac or vegetarian menu can also be requested. There is something for everyone!

Cucina Torcicoda

Via Torta, 5r

ph. +39 055 2654329

Located near Piazza Santa Croce and just a few steps from Ponte Vecchio, Cucina Torcicoda offers a unique Tuscan dining experience in the heart of Florence in a contemporary setting in perfect balance between past and present. On one side is a pizzeria with a wood-fired oven and on the other a gourmet restaurant with an absolutely must-try Fiorentina steak and a wine cellar with over 300 labels. The menu is very varied and reflects the values of quality, authenticity and research.

Sabatini

Via Panzani, 9A

ph. +39 055 282802

The work of architect Stigler, who in 1955 thought of furnishing this restaurant using the furnishings of a deconsecrated church from the 1500s, Sabatini is protected by the Fine Arts, and contains many mementos left by artists and aristocrats who frequented it in the 1970s. A vast space, which counts among others the Winter Garden, the restaurant's largest and most capacious room. It offers quality classic Tuscan cuisine to rediscover the ancient Florentine recipes revisited in a modern key: elegant and refined dishes where taste, quality and simplicity combine to perfection. Don't miss the Florentine steak, grilled dishes and fresh pasta.

Ellegant Restaurants

Cafe dell'Oro

Lungarno degli Acciaiuoli, 2P

ph. +39 055 2726 8912

Restaurant and bistro in the Lungarno Collection, a stone's throw from Portrait Firenze, is the most beautiful view of Ponte Vecchio. A 'living room with kitchen', soft and cozy. Here the kitchen, presents a menu full of authentic flavors and tasty combinations, choosing fresh produce daily to elaborate its dishes of the day. A cult favorite for this winter? The Parmesan-filled ravioli with chicken ramen broth and Kombu seaweed. All this in an elegant location inspired by the sophisticated atmosphere of the 1950s, to fall in love with Florence through the wonderful view of the Ponte Vecchio, from such a privileged position.

Luca's Restaurant

Via Dei Cavalieri 2/C

ph. +39 055 0105200

In the heart of Hotel La Gemma is Luca's Restaurant, an elegant art-deco space with sophisticated interiors that reflect the colors of the Duomo. Here, award-winning chef Paulo Airaudo takes classic Florentine cuisine and transforms it into exceptional modern gastronomy. Enjoy a cocktail in the ultra-cool lounge bar and then an unforgettable dining experience in Luca's gourmet restaurant.

Cantinetta Antinori

Piazza degli Antinori, 3

ph. +39 055 292234

Since 1957 Cantinetta Antinori has been one of the most renowned wine and cuisine venues in Florence. It is located in Piazza Antinori (which intercepts Via de' Tornabuoni), on the ground floor of the prestigious palace of the same name. An elegant and discreet environment, where you can taste the whole range a wide selection of Antinori wines. The choices in the kitchen at Cantinetta Antinori stem from the care with which the raw materials are researched and selected, favoring seasonal and local products, mostly from the Tuscan territory: choose the cecina with squid and shrimp, the ossobuco di vitella alla fiorentina and the pappardelle with Tuscan meat sauce.

Cibrèo Ristorante - Helvetia & Bristol Florence - Starhotels Collezione

Via dei Vecchietti, 5 50123 Florence - Italy

ph. + 39 055 2665651

The iconic Cibrèo can also be found in the exclusive location of the historic Helvetia & Bristol Firenze - Starhotels Collezione. An unprecedented menu of highly selected Italian specialties. Among the dishes to try are the Crespelle di Ricotta with White Meat Ragout, a symbol of the generosity of Cibrèo's cuisine, the Filetto di Fassona Piemontese, a spokesman for the quality and excellence of Italian raw materials, and L'Abetone, a dessert that with its elegant asymmetry winks at the traditional Mont Blanc and becomes a symbol of the Florentine provocation typical of Cibrèo. Making the new Cibrèo opening even more sophisticated and unique is the unprecedented Cocktail Bar, with brand new signature cocktails, a classic selection of international cocktails and to a wide range of spirits and liqueurs.

Riva-K

Via Baccio Bandinelli, 98

ph. +39 055 7130272

Riva Kitchen, with chef Michele Berlendis, is the beating heart of Riva Lofts. Whether it's lunch, an aperitif or dinner, every moment becomes special to eat in good company, in winter in the warm atmosphere of the lounge with the fireplace lit, in summer in the cool of the terraces or in the shade of the cork tree. A restaurant on the banks of the Arno where cuisine is expressed through the simplicity of ingredients, rich in taste and ethical sense, where seasonality is a guide in the choice of raw materials, along with daily contact with local producers. Perfect for a relaxed experience, a signature cuisine made of contrasts, bold flavors, simple ingredients with unusual combinations.

Se-Sto on Arno (Westin Excelsior)

Piazza Ognissanti, 3

ph +39 055 27152783

On the sixth floor of The Westin Excelsior, it is a futuristic structure made of continuous glass windows that offers one of the most beautiful panoramic views of the city. A word of advice? Choose table 41, overlooking the Arno right in front of the Duomo. Exclusive dishes on the menu include Tagliatella with rabbit and rosemary, cream of leeks and black truffle, Braised pork cheek and soft polenta bramata.

Harry's Bar The Garden

Via Il Prato 42

ph. +39 055 2771704

Harry's Bar The Garden makes its own the exclusive atmosphere with international breath of the Sina Villa Medici, offering its traditional cuisine, careful attention to detail. The extraordinary location, soft lighting and overlooking the garden with swimming pool, will make your special magical and unforgettable.

Osteria delle Tre Panche - Hotel Hermitage

Vicolo Marzio, 1

ph. +39 055 583724

A wonderful truffle-flavored culinary journey signed Osteria delle Tre Panche, overlooking Ponte Vecchio and the terrace on the sixth floor, overlooking all the monuments of our wonderful city! An unmissable taste experience in one of the most incredible corners of Florence where you will feel like touching Ponte Vecchio with one hand.

MICHELIN STARRED

Enoteca Pinchiorri***

Via Ghibellina, 87

ph. +39 055 242777 - 242757

The temple of taste in Florence, three Michelin stars. Giorgio Pinchiorri and Annie Feolde, from different origins but with the same passion that has led them over the past 40 years to create something unique. Not to be missed is the exploration of the proposals based on the quality of raw materials by Annie Feolde and her kitchen brigade, led by Chefs Riccardo Monco and Alessandro Della Tommasina. So is the wine cellar, among the first in the world, featuring two wine lists, Italian and international, and a series of unique tastings, totaling more than 4,000 labels. Unmissable dishes include the "Sandwich of anchovies, arugula extract, vegetable giardiniera with alpine butter, and caramelized onion ice cream.

Il Palagio - Four Seasons Hotel Firenze*

Borgo Pinti, 99

ph. +39 055 2626450

Starred restaurant of the Four Seasons Hotel Firenze, overlooking the wonderful Gherardesca garden. Executive chef Paolo Lavezzini, a great interpreter of Italian cuisine, and above all seasonal, therefore strongly linked to the territory. On the menu he alternates between traditional dishes revisited with extreme elegance, and new proposals, born only thanks to his creativity.

Saporium Firenze*

Lungarno Benvenuto Cellini, 69r

ph. +39 055 212933

Located on Lungarno Cellini where La Bottega del Buon Caffè once stood, Saporium brings the philosophy and haute cuisine of Borgo Santo Pietro in Chiusdino to Florence. Executive Chef Ariel Hagen and his brigade take diners on a sensory journey based on Borgo Santo Pietro's land-dish concept. There are 3 tasting menus, Territorial Projections, Pes-care, and Vegetable Depths, and include unique dishes that Ariel created last year at Borgo and that have already become his workhorses. Also open for lunch with a less demanding 3-course menu.

Gucci Osteria*

Piazza della Signoria, 10

ph. + 39 055 0621744

When fashion and cuisine come together, the result is stunning. In the dreamy spaces of Gucci Garden, the iconic realm of the famous Florentine-born brand, a concentration of beauty and flamboyance just a stone's throw from Michelangelo's David. At the helm of the kitchen is chef Karime Lopez, a Michelin star (the first Mexican woman ever and also the only lady awarded by the Redhead in 2020), a student of the great Massimo Bottura, who strongly wanted her at the helm of his Florentine brigade. On the menu is Mexico's purple corn Tostada with a resounding palamita underneath; Japan's Taka Bun, a steamed bao with pork belly. Again, the Emilia Burger, the burger with which Bottura smashed Shake Shack in New York a lustre ago. In the dining room, an excellent Damiano Barbato is the icing on the cake of a unique experience.