A Guide to the Eateries of Florence

By Frank E. Bartscheck II

Being in the heart of Tuscany, a region of Italy that is synonymous with good food and wine, Florence also has a great deal of wonderful restaurants. While trying to navigate the Italian restaurant terrain in the illustrious city, it is vital that you understand the differences between a ristorante, trattoria, osteria and enoteca, especially when you consider how far you may need to stretch your travel budget.

A ristorante is often the most expensive option because it is a full service — including a wine steward or sommelier — establishment where you will not only be paying for the food, but also the service. A trattoria is less expensive because it is typically casual, rustic and will serve local, fresh and traditional fare. These are often family — owned establishments. Osterias are essentially wine bars that serve small, simple meals — the meals change daily, thus there is often no fixed menu. An enoteca is a wine bar that does not serve food, but some locations may offer light appetizers.

Trattorias were by far my favorite option because they offer a more authentic Italian dining experience without being too expensive. Keep in mind that because the food is fresh, it is also seasonal so the winter menu is drastically different than the summer menu.

If you’re browsing for a wholesome lunch, I recommend trying Trattoria di Mario, which is close to Santa Maria Novella and Mercato Centrale (Via Rosina 2R, 50100 Florence - trattoriamario.com). The trattoria, only open until 3:30pm, is a small, rustic and quaint place offering authentic Florentine cuisine at a reasonable price. Because the space is on the smaller side, the staff often will sit you at a table with fellow customers. While this may be unusual to some, it truly adds to its charm if you chat with those seated at your table, creating a unique dining experience along the way. Many times you will find yourself eating alongside locals so it provides a great opportunity to gain an insider’s perspective into Florentine culture.

I strongly recommend the pasta with meat sauce, which is the specialty of the house. Also, the ribollita soup, a traditional winter dish, is a hearty and traditional Tuscan vegetable soup that is flavorful and filling. The meat dishes are also very popular, and the waiter brings the selected cut of meat to the table for approval prior to cooking. You’re able to watch the chef grill the cut through the glass-enclosed kitchen, getting a show for your upcoming meal. Since everything is fresh and cooked daily, the menu is not set and changes each day. To show that they mean fresh, arriving later in the afternoon means there is a risk that some items on the menu will no longer be available as they run out of the ingredients.

Another popular option for lunch is located on the second floor of the Mercato Centrale building, which has numerous offerings available for all palates. Multiple cafeteria counters offering some of the best in take-away Tuscan cuisine are located here. At lunchtime the place is crowded with locals looking to fill up on their afternoon break. There is also a wonderful wine store with very accommodating wine stewards who can assist you in making the right choice for your meal. Also, don’t forget to enjoy some fresh mozzarella cheese from the mozzarella cart. Don’t worry if you can’t find the cart, find a place to sit and enjoy your meal and within a few minutes it will find you.

If you are looking for a quick and easy place to stop for lunch or dinner, I recommend All’antico Vinaio sandwich shop. Located near Pallazo Vecchio on a pedestrian-only street (Via deiNeri, 74, Firenze, Italy) the word is out on this wonderful little eatery. You will know you are in the right place when you come upon people wandering the street with overflowing sandwiches in hand. Be advised there is a line almost year round, although during the winter months you can typically expect to be served within 5-10 minutes. The employees are extremely friendly, helpful and can provide you with advice if you are feeling overwhelmed by all of the delectable choices.

They have a wide variety of fresh and locally sourced meats that are some of the best I tried in Florence. They can also accommodate vegetarians with some wonderful options. The sandwiches are a flat rate of five euro each but you do get what you pay for because they are huge. It takes a very big appetite to finish one of these in a single sitting. Make sure to bring cash because they do not accept credit cards. There is also a large selection of scrumptious Tuscan wines available by the glass or bottle.

For dinner, my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed Trattoria Pallottinoon multiple evenings while in Florence. Located on a quaint and narrow street close to the Basilica di Santa Croce (Via Isoladelle Stinche 1R, 50122 Florence - trattoriapallottino.com), the small establishment is family run and has been in business since 1911. The dining room is unassuming but do not let that deter you from enjoying the fabulous fare. The waitstaff is extremely friendly and makes you feel at home. Even during non-peek tourist season it is recommended you call ahead to make a reservation. Everything is fresh, made to order and memorably delicious.

The fried bread with Tuscan ham and cheese was one of the most unique appetizers we encountered during our travels. The flavor blended unexpectedly well, the ham melted against the heat of the freshly fried dough and the cheese was a wonderful complement to the fluffy bread. We would go back just for this dish. I especially recommend the Tuscan ribollita and homemade lasagna (both meat and spinach options). They offer a wide array of world-class Tuscan wines and the waitstaff can offer suggestions depending on what you order. For dessert, the tiramisu was deliciously light, fluffy, creamy and perfectly sweet. It is one of the best I had in Italy, which is saying a lot because Italian tiramisu is fabulous just about everywhere.

If you have a hankering for some Florentine dessert, Bar Pasticceria Robiglio located just south of the Piazza del Duomo offers some mouthwatering sweets. Having been in business since 1928, this family owned establishment has perfected the art of baking. At the beginning of every year, before Italy celebrates Carnevale, the traditional Florentine cake named Schiacciata Alla Fiorentina is available. Sweet, but not too sugary, light, fluffy with just a hint of orange, the cake was so unique and enjoyable I would go well out of my way to have it again. The fact that the cake is only available for a limited time every year only serves to make it more desirable. The long, curved glass pastry display case runs the length of the wall in the front room. It seems to go on forever and is filled with all sorts of wonderful-looking and tasty options, no matter what you are in the mood for. Don’t forget to try the hot chocolate, which is unbelievably thick and rich in all of the best ways.

For those who do not have a strong sweet tooth, cantucci e vinsanto (commonly known as vin santo) offers an interesting dessert option: a regional tradition that consists of specialized almond biscotti named cantucci that is dipped into a semi-sweet white wine. Once we tried it, we were hooked and we enjoyed this dessert many nights out on the town and while tucked in at home. The flavors individually are quite nice, but the combination of the two creates something that is much more than the sum of its individual parts. The almond and light orange flavor of the cantucci is augmented by the slightly sweet burn of the wine and perfectly softens the hardness of the cantucci.

Italy is widely known for its wonderful cuisine and Florence is no exception. The above suggestions were the best places my wife and I encountered. However, be warned that in many of the more touristy sections of the town there are establishments that are extremely expensive and the food leaves much to be desired.