The 21 best Florence restaurants

Just over the Arno river in Florence’s bohemian Santo Spirito quarter, Trattoria Cammillo is a Florentine stalwart that’s hardly changed since it opened in 1945. In fact, the grandchildren of Cammillo himself are still at the helm, and you’ll find Chiara, the matriarch of the family, in here most days. The vibe is loud and delightfully chaotic, but the seasonal specials never fail to deliver: go for persimmon tiramisu in autumn, lightly fried courgette flowers in spring, and whatever pasta dish is on the daily-changing list of ‘piatti del giorno.’

Il Santo Bevitore is one of Florence’s most romantic restaurants, especially on summer evenings, when streetside tables spill out onto the street and couples stroll by arm in arm. The food at Il Santo Bevitore is excellent, but it’s as much about the wine here, with a strong natural wine offering and hundreds of bottles to choose from. Flickering candles and exposed stone walls make this place at once rustic and elegant. Founded by three childhood friends who are passionate about ingredients and provenance, the interiors are simple enough to let the food shine.

Tucked away in a corner of the Sant’Ambrogio neighbourhood, Cibrèo championed nose-to-tail cooking decades before it became cool. Since the late seventies, visionary chef Fabio Picci brought so-called ‘peasant food’ (cucina povera) from the home kitchen to the restaurant scene, serving chicken heads, tripe and stale bread soup (ribollita) without apology. Gradually his restaurant empire grew into a cafe, an organic supermarket and an asian-fusion restaurant, transforming this unpolished market square into Florence’s culinary epicentre.

Two words: boar sauce. Old-school style in ambience and cooking techniques, Trattoria Marione is perennially filled with Italians on their lunch break or out to dinner with friends. Make sure to order the seasonal specials and ask for the waiter’s recommendations. Call in advance to secure a table, especially during the Italian holidays. And make sure you order the Florentine ribollita. 

This little trattoria offers family-style seating (you can learn some Italian while here!) at low tables. Join usual diners in ordering carafes of red wine to go along with the rich Tuscan dishes. Trattoria Mario oozes pure Florentine cooking, serving traditional favourites that have been around for centuries. The menu changes daily, but make sure you get whatever’s got the ragù in or with it.

This place is not for tourists: the eclectic decor and tightly packed tables don’t call to mind the sort of ambience that many look for when visiting. Il Giova is a family-run local lunch spot perennially crowded with folks craving the daily changing menu, concocted by the owners each morning depending on what’s found fresh at the San Ambrosio market across the street. If you notice the fried porcini mushrooms on the menu, you have struck gold.

When you dine at Ristorante Buca San Giovanni, you're dining underground. Like stepping into a cave, the restaurant is found inside a beautiful 1300s church crypt decorated with ragged stone archways and religious imagery. ‘Buca’ in Italian today means ‘hole’, but originally it was a place where pilgrims and knights stopped to eat. It was also a hiding spot for members of secret societies, and we'd say there’s still a certain mysterious vibe to the place. The food served has evolved into fancy twists: expect dishes like risotto with celery mousse and marrons glacés (candied chestnuts).

This osteria sits right at the corner of one of the friendliest piazzas in all of Florence and one that many tourists miss because they don’t venture far enough into the other side of the river. Osteria Santo Spirito is worth the walk, trust us: the portions are larger than most (half-portions are also available...why would you want that?), the ambience is purely magical, and, most importantly, the sizzling truffle and cheese gnocchi is to die for.

Florentines are meat lovers. How could they not be? In the fertile green plains of Tuscany graze premium Chianina cows that make unique, huge thick steaks, which Florentines love (usually opting for rare). The temple of Chianina is Antico Ristoro di Cambi, and a proper Florence experience, with fascinating vaulted ceilings, dangling pork legs and huge wine flasks. The T-bone steak is the centrepiece here: it overflows the plate, and definitely requires two people to finish it off. 

Family run and a local favourite, walking into Il Latini feels like walking into the family kitchen and, well, you sort of are. The traditional Tuscan restaurant tucked into the narrow streets by Piazza Repubblica boasts a full menu of Florentine favourites, from crostini appetizers to a mixed roast platter or Florentine steak. Locals tend to quickly fill up the tables, so it’s best to make a reservation in advance. Bonus points: dogs are treated even more generously than their human counterparts here.