Restaurants
Florence restaurants
Trattorias, market counters and modern Tuscan kitchens worth crossing the river for.
All'Antico Vinaio
The schiacciata sandwich shop with the famous queue on Via dei Neri: warm Tuscan flatbread filled with cured meats, cheese and spreads. The sandwiches are huge and good; whether they are worth a long wait is your call. Go mid-morning or mid-afternoon to avoid the worst of it.
Trattoria Mario
A family-run lunch trattoria beside the San Lorenzo market, with shared tables, a handwritten menu and a reputation for bistecca at fair prices. Lunch only, Monday to Saturday, no reservations, cash only (check before you go). Get there before it opens.
Trattoria Sostanza
A narrow, old-fashioned trattoria near the river, known for chicken breasts cooked in butter and served sizzling in the pan, and an artichoke tortino. Small, popular and hard to get into: book by phone well ahead.
Buca Lapi
A vaulted cellar restaurant under Palazzo Antinori, open since 1880 and decorated with old travel posters. Traditional Tuscan cooking with the bistecca as the main event. More of an occasion than an everyday trattoria, and priced accordingly.
Trattoria Zà Zà
A big, busy trattoria on the square in front of the Mercato Centrale, with outdoor tables and a long menu of Tuscan classics. Popular with visitors and reliable rather than surprising; book for dinner in high season.
Mercato Centrale (San Lorenzo market)
The 19th-century iron-and-glass market hall. The ground floor is a working food market for butchers, cheesemongers and greengrocers; the upper floor is a modern food hall with counters for pasta, pizza, lampredotto and wine, open into the evening. Good for groups who cannot agree.
Da Nerbone
A counter inside the ground floor of the Mercato Centrale, serving market workers since the 19th century. Order a bollito (boiled beef) or lampredotto (tripe) sandwich, dipped in the broth, with green sauce. Mornings and lunchtime only, and usually closed on Sundays like the market floor; order and pay at the till first.
Gelateria dei Neri
A small gelateria on Via dei Neri with a long list of flavours, including some dairy-free sorbets and unusual combinations. A reliable stop between Santa Croce and the Uffizi.
Vivoli
A family gelateria in a lane near Santa Croce, widely described as the oldest in Florence (the family's shop dates back to around 1930). Old-fashioned in the good sense, with a small café counter as well.
La Sorbettiera
A neighbourhood gelateria on Piazza Tasso at the edge of San Frediano, far from the tour routes. Worth the walk if you are exploring the Oltrarno.
Gelateria La Carraia
A busy gelateria at the Oltrarno end of Ponte alla Carraia, popular with Florentines and students for generous cones at low prices. Expect a crowd on summer evenings.
Trattoria Cammillo
A long-running Oltrarno trattoria on Borgo San Jacopo, a few steps from Ponte Vecchio, with white tablecloths, Tuscan classics and seasonal dishes. Book for dinner.
Il Santo Bevitore
A modern Tuscan restaurant in a vaulted former shop on Via di Santo Spirito, with a strong wine list and a menu that changes with the seasons. One of the most consistently recommended dinners in the Oltrarno; book ahead.
Osteria Santo Spirito
A lively osteria on the corner of Piazza Santo Spirito with outdoor tables on the square in good weather. Hearty portions; its baked gnocchi with cheese is the dish people come back for.
Trattoria 4 Leoni
An old trattoria on Piazza della Passera, a small square in the Oltrarno, with tables outside in summer. Tuscan staples plus its well-known pear and pecorino pasta. Popular; reserve for dinner.
Cibrèo Trattoria
The simpler trattoria of the Cibrèo group near Sant'Ambrogio market, serving Florentine home cooking such as soups, stews and offal. Small and busy; arrive early or check the current booking policy.
Sant'Ambrogio Market
The neighbourhood market, smaller and more local than the Mercato Centrale: produce stalls outside, butchers, cheese and a lunch counter inside. Usually mornings only, closed on Sundays.
Trattoria da Ruggero
A small family trattoria on Via Senese, outside Porta Romana and away from the tourist centre. Classic Florentine cooking, with locals at most tables. Book by phone; it is tiny.
Enoteca Pinchiorri
Florence's only restaurant with three Michelin stars (2025 and 2026 guides), in a palazzo on Via Ghibellina, with one of the largest wine cellars in Europe. Formal, very expensive, and for a special occasion. Reservations are essential.
Ditta Artigianale
A specialty coffee bar on Via dei Neri, part of a small Florentine group, serving filter coffee and flat whites as well as Italian espresso. Useful for a slower breakfast than a standing espresso at the bar.
Caffè Gilli
A historic café on Piazza della Repubblica, open since the 18th century, with a belle-époque interior and a pastry counter. Stand at the bar for the ordinary price; table service on the square costs considerably more.
Trattoria Sabatino
A no-frills family trattoria just outside Porta San Frediano, with one of the cheapest set of Florentine classics in town and a dining room full of regulars.
Il Latini
A big, convivial trattoria with hams hanging from the ceiling and shared tables. Busy and theatrical rather than refined; come hungry and in a group.