There’s never been a more exciting time to dine in Florence. The city is home to 11 Michelin-starred restaurants, elevated international cuisine, and modern concept eateries, all peacefully coexisting with historic institutions and generations-old trattorias. With upwards of 16 million visitors annually, it’s essential to sift through mediocre tourist traps to find the top places to eat in the Tuscan capital.
Below, we’ve rounded up 11 of the best restaurants in Florence, a blend of locally loved classics and fine dining addresses. Each one showcases what makes dining in Italy special: seasonal ingredients and regional dishes that transcend fleeting tourist trends.
Club Culinario da Osvaldo
This cozy restaurant serves up Italian comfort food in a classic Tuscan country villa setting – think rickety wooden tables crammed side by side and specials scribbled on blackboards. The food feels as though it has been prepared by a nonna, made with love and old family recipes, from potato-filled tortelli from Tuscany’s southern Maremma, roasted squab with vegetables, fish stews from Livorno, and cones of fried dough with cured pork and fresh cheese. All of the desserts are worth trying, especially the tiramisu and the Sardinian seada – deep-fried dough pockets filled with pecorino and doused in honey.
Address: Piazza dei Peruzzi, 3/r, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy
Vini e Vecchi Sapori
Around the corner from Piazza della Signoria, one of Florence’s most scenic squares, is this soulful, rowdy trattoria with plenty of heart. Everything on the menu is delicious, but make sure you try the fried courgette flowers when they’re in season, served deep-fried as a starter or in the signature primo (first course) saffron cream paccheri pasta. Enjoy glimpses of the family chefs stirring massive cauldrons of ribollita and duck ragu in the kitchen. Prepare to revel in the moreish classics that define Tuscan and Florentine cooking.
Address: Via dei Magazzini, 3/r, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy
Il Vecchio e Il Mare
Just a stone’s throw outside Florence’s historical centre, this restaurant serves up stellar pizza and seafood with a Rive Gauche vibe. There are plenty of good pizzerie in Florence’s bustling city centre, but there’s nothing quite like stumbling upon a quiet, tucked-away address away from the crowds. It’s worth the trek across the road that divides the historical side from the residential area, with many independent boutiques and gourmet shops in the Via Gioberti quarter perfect for popping into after your meal. Expect slow-risen doughs spun into thick-crust Neapolitan-style pies topped with delicious cheeses and speciality ingredients like preserved heritage tomatoes and cured meats, sliced truffles, volcanic-grown pistachios from Bronte, and fabulous seafood pasta such as uni linguini.
