10 Amazing Places to Eat and Drink in Florence
Florence is a mecca of food and wine, so make sure you make the most of it by hitting up some of these exceptional bars and restaurants during your visit. Where to eat in Florence? Read on to find out.
If you are a foodie visiting Florence, you are in for a hell of a treat. This city is known for excellent cuisine, and great bars and restaurants can be found in every neighborhood, as long as you know how to look. I’ll give you a few basic pointers to get you headed in the right direction, and then provide our recommendations for the best places to eat and drink in Florence.
Tips and Tricks to Avoid a Disappointing Meal
There are five basic rules to picking where to eat in Florence (and really, any major tourist city) to ensure you enjoy your meal:
- DON’T eat at a restaurant where the menu is entirely in English or contains photos of all of the food.
- DON’T choose a place because a waiter outside called you over and tried to persuade you to eat there.
- DON’T take Google Maps reviews as undisputed facts. We know, it’s an easy place to start and we gravitate toward those 4 star and up locations as well. But the truth is, in tourist destinations like Florence, these reviews are overwhelmingly contributed by, well, tourists, who may have different expectations for service than are standard in that country. If you see a place that looks good but the reviews aren’t top notch, check to see whether those reviews are food-related or simply someone being a little impatient.
- DO walk at least two to three blocks away from big tourist attractions to avoid higher costs and lower quality.
- DO gravitate to restaurants with a small, specific menu.
Follow these simple guidelines, and you’ll be set up for success!
The Bars and Restaurants You Simply Must Try
We highly recommend these spots for your next visit to Florence. Looking for more information on the classic dishes of Florence you should eat while you’re there? Check out our post here.
Also – a quick note that at most bars and restaurants in Italy, you’ll pay when you’re ready up at the counter or bar area. This means there’s no need to wait for your waiter to pay your bill. We actually loved this about Italy, but it can cause some confusion at first.
Breakfast
Served from 8:00-9:30am, a classic Italian breakfast is a café i cornetto, or espresso and croissant, eaten standing at the counter of the café. Obviously, you can sit as well, but that will incur a coperto charge, or cover/service fee, of typically one to two euros per person. This is standard at all meals and establishments across Italy.
This café was our favorite due to great prices, delicious café i cornetto, and a cute spacious room in the back, which we made use of while waiting for our train after checking out of our Airbnb. They also have free wifi and gelato, and are dog-friendly!
Lunch
While lunch is traditionally the larger, longer, sit-down meal of the day (served from 12:30-3:00pm), often as a tourist you’ll be looking for something quicker so that you can get back to the sites. Feel free to sub out any of our dinner recommendations for lunch if you’re looking for a bigger meal, otherwise, we recommend some quick and tasty street food.
Skip the lines and over-hype of All’Antico Vinaio and grab a schiacciata ripiena at La Nicchietta in Calimaruzza. While this spot does break the “not too close to a tourist attraction” rule, it is definitely a delicious exception. At just 5 EUR a pop, these sandwiches made out of salted and pressed focaccia bread are filled with a variety of tasty meats, cheeses, and veggies and are large enough to keep you full until aperitivo time, even with a full touring agenda.
Aperitivo
Aperitivo is essentially Italian happy hour and was our favorite “meal” of the day. It is primarily enjoyed between 6:00-7:30pm and involves drinks and appetizers. One of our favorite things about Italian culture is that you are almost never served a drink without an accompanying (free!) snack, except for late night. While the freebies are delicious and often enough to tide you over till dinner, don’t shy away from ordering some appetizers from the menu, they can be a real treat!
This bar has one of the all-time best terraces I have experienced, and let me tell you, I am a girl that is always on the hunt for vibe and aesthetic. Opening at 6:30pm, the back terrace fills up quickly, and for good reason. Lots of greenery, an open-air bar, and hanging lanterns with twinkly lights are paired with the best Aperol Spritz I had in Florence and excellent aperitivos. We highly recommend the gyoza toscani.
The only restaurant atop Piazzale Michelangelo, this is the best place to enjoy sunset views of the city in comfort and style. They offer an aperitivo spread for 10 EUR that gives you an excellent tasting menu of Florentine cuisine, in miniature.
Dinner
Dinner is a late affair in Florence, typically eaten between 8:30-10:30pm. Have a snack at aperitivo or bring your appetite so that you can enjoy several of the courses that the restaurant has to offer – a primi (typically pasta or risotto), secondi (the meat dish), and contorni (vegetable side) or dolci (dessert). Learn more about the Italian menu and the classic dishes of Florence in our post here.
For classic regional dishes like bistecca alla fiorentina, pappardelle al cinghiale, or pappa al pomodoro, look no further than this traditional osteria. Located in the San Niccolo neighborhood, it’s off the beaten path enough to serve more locals than tourists, ensuring you’ll get a quality meal at a reasonable price. We ate here twice and most enjoyed their Florentine steak, which weighed in at a whopping 1.3 kg. When asked if we could get a smaller cut, the answer was simple – a big fat nope. It was a lot of food, but we were glad it meant the restaurant cared more about cooking the meat in the traditional way – matchstick thick, lightly seared with a rare interior, and coarsely salted after cooking – than about pleasing tourists. Their pasta dishes are also excellent and their pappa al pomodoro, a rustic tomato and bread soup, was my favorite dish in Tuscany.
If you’re looking for something a bit more adventurous, check out Nugolo. Located in the rougher-around-the-edges Santa Croce neighborhood, Nugolo was founded in 2019 by a young team focused on bringing new life to traditional dishes. Through creativity, innovation, and an unwavering focus on fresh, locally-grown ingredients, Nugolo takes you on a culinary journey from start to finish. The restaurant is designed to feel like a garden, with an open kitchen surrounded by greenery, skylights, and thrifted wooden tables with antique chairs. Expect a small, seasonal menu, and an amuse-bouche to start your meal, certain to be followed by one of their delectable desserts. Reservations recommended.
Something in between these two is Zeb. Here you’ll find more classic dishes, but in an upscale, intimate environment. Also in the San Niccolo neighborhood, Zeb has seating for only about 15 people, primarily at the bar surrounding an open cook space. A small, rotating menu of primi, secondi, and contorni will provide you with a deliciously coursed meal, followed by absolutely to die for tiramisu. We recommend any of their excellent Chianti Classicos to pair with your meal, and a local grappa to finish it off.
Though not technically a restaurant, the Mercato Centrale is a must-visit for one of your meals. Conveniently located near the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, this two-story building features a local produce market on the ground floor and an array of food and beverage vendors on the second floor. This is a great place to sample some local dishes that you may have been too nervous to order before, like lampredotto or tripa fiorentina, or simply to indulge in a variety of other tasty dishes like pastas, pizzas, barbecued meats, and even an entire vendor focused on truffles. You can order drinks from the central bar or even have them delivered to your table. Finish your feast with a cannoli or gelato and grab a bottle of wine to-go from the boutique shop.
Late Night
For one (or maybe more) last drink before bed, head to one of Florence’s many bars that are open until 3am or later.
A lounge bar in the San Niccolo neighborhood adjacent to a park and the Arno river, this is a cool and relaxed spot to wind down. In addition to being open nearly all hours of the day, Zoe offers affordable drink prices and desserts as well.
Santa Croce
If you’re looking to party the night away and bar hop with locals, this neighborhood is the place to be. There are a ton of great bars you can find online, but our recommendation is to simply walk through the area and follow the noise. We saw ten to fifteen different bars thronging with people on our walk to Nugolo, many spilling out into the street for a really fun and lively environment.
Now that you know where to eat in Florence, all that’s left to do is get out there and savor every bite. We hope you enjoy these bars and restaurants as much as we did! Comment below what your favorites were.
Looking for more recommendations on what to see and do in Florence? Check out our post on an ideal 2-5 day itinerary here.
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