27 Best Restaurants in Florence, Italy

This is the perfect place to grab a bite and/or a glass of wine after a visit to the nearby Uffizi. Only the very best ingredients go into owner Alessandro Frassica's delectable panini.

Serving arguably the best panini in town, proprietor Alessandro Frassica sources only the very best ingredients. Located right behind the Uffizi, 'ino is a perfect place to grab a tasty sandwich and glass of wine before forging on to the next museum.

This clubby spot, whose name means "carousel," was created by the late Prince Dimitri Kunz d'Asburgo Lorena and is now expertly run by Soldano, one of his twin sons. The ever-changing menu generally has vegetarian and vegan options. For dessert, this might be the only show in town with a sublime tiramisù and a wonderfully gooey Sacher torte.

A few minutes from Santa Croce, this charming osteria serves some of the most eclectic food in Florence. Try the spaghetti degli eretici (in tomato sauce with fresh herbs). The grilled meats are justifiably famous; the carbonata is a succulent piece of grilled beef served rare. Weekly specials complement what's happening in the market, and all of the food pairs beautifully with their wine list, which is heavy on things Tuscan.

At this classy Florentine institution dating from 1885, try one of the truffle panini and swish it down with a glass of prosecco.

One of the best spots in Florence for people-watching offers stellar service, light snacks, and terrific aperitivi. It's been around since the 1860s, and has been famous for its hot and cold chocolate (with or without cream) for more than a century. Though the food is mostly good (it's not a bad place for a light, but expensive, lunch), it's best to stick to drinks (both alcoholic and non-) and the terrific cakes, pies, and pastries.

Watch chickens roast over high flames while you decide which of the delightful side dishes you'd like to enjoy as well. Although this place is strictly takeout (there are no tables), it's open on Sunday when most places are not.

Watch chickens roast over high flames as you decide which of the other delightful things you're going to eat with it. The beauty of this place is that it's open on Sunday when most things are not.

Hidden in a little cul-de-sac just down the street from the Ponte Vecchio, this colorful eatery has a variety of sandwiches (both hot and cold, most of which are served on five-grain bread), crostini, salads, and various tartares. Vegetarian and vegan options abound, but the kitchen also has a way with Italian cured meats. The cocktail list is impressive and includes a lengthy list of variations on the Venetian spritz, served here in Mason jars.

The Antinori family started selling wine from their palace's basement in the 15th century, and, 600 years later, this buca (hole) is a lively, subterranean spot filled with Florentine aristocrats chowing down on what might be the best—and the most expensive—bistecca fiorentina (flavorful, lightly seasoned beef) in town. The classic Tuscan menu has the usual suspects: crostino di cavolo nero (black cabbage on toasted garlic bread), along with ribollita (vegetable, bean, and bread soup) and pappa al pomodoro (tomato and bread soup).

This rustically elegant space, which has served many purposes over the past 600 years, offers some of the tastiest food in town at great prices. It's the perfect place to come if you aren't sure what you're hungry for, as they offer a little bit of everything: salad lovers will have a hard time choosing from among the lengthy list (the Scozzese, with poached chicken, avocado, and bacon, is a winner); those with a yen for pasta will face agonizing choices (the ravioli with pecorino and pears is particularly good). A revolving list of piatti unici (single dishes that can be ordered on their own, usually served only at lunch) can also whet the whistle, as well as cheese and cured meat plates. The well-culled wine list has lots of great wines by the glass, and even more by the bottle.

The pasticceria (bakery) Dolci e Dolcezze, just off colorful Borgo La Croce, has the prettiest and tastiest cakes, sweets, and tarts in town.

A sumptuous Renaissance palace with high, frescoed ceilings and bouquets in silver vases provides the backdrop for this restaurant, one of the most expensive in Italy. Some consider it one of the best, and others consider it inauthentic, as the cuisine extends far beyond Italian. Prices are high (think €95 for a plate of spaghetti) and portions are small; the vast holdings of the wine cellar dull the pain, however, when the bill is presented.

Conveniently placed very near the ticket office of the Basilica of Santa Croce, this bar does it all: great coffee, terrific pastries, fine wines by the glass, and tasty sandwiches.

This little wine bar combines the best of Italian and French cheeses with wine from the same places to create true gustatory pleasure. The list of crostini is creative and offers some unusual pairings (like French Brie with Italian Speck, which is dotted with a spicy tomato chutney). Bottles of wine and artisanal foodstuffs are also available for purchase. All this can be enjoyed while sitting outside.

Specializing in things Sicilian, this shop is known for its tart and flavorful granità (granular flavored ices), which are great thirst-quenchers.

Piazza Signoria has a new-as-of-February 2022 hotspot. Breakfast, light lunches (where the dishes have fanciful name), dessert, and afternoon tea are all possibilities.

Atop a steep hill, en route to the church of San Francesco, this lovely little eatery is certainly worth the trek. Indulge in inventive reworkings of Tuscan classics, like the mezzaluna di pera a pecorino (little half-moon pasta stuffed with pear and pecorino) sauced with Roquefort and poppy seeds. Slivers of papaya—a rare commodity on menus in these parts—anoint the tasty carpaccio di tonno affumicato (smoked tuna carpaccio). The wine list and the attentive service help make this a terrific place to have a meal. When it's warm, you can sit on the little terrace outside.

Near Santa Maria Novella is La Spada. Walk in and inhale the fragrant aromas of meats cooking in the wood-burning oven. You can either eat in or take it away.

Mozzarella takes center stage at this sleek eatery on Florence's swankiest street. The cheese, along with its culinary cousin burrata (a fresh cheese filled with cream), arrives daily from southern Italy to become the centerpiece for various salads and pastas. Four different kinds of rotoli (rolled, stuffed mozzarella) are available; the one with smoked salmon and arugula is particularly tasty. You can pair your cheese with a number of accompaniments, including caponata (a Sicilian eggplant mélange) and mortadella from nearby Prato. Efficient service (in a 16th-century palazzo courtyard when the weather's nice) and a well-priced wine list add to the pleasure of a meal here. Nightly happy hour, with an extensive selection of snacks, is fun and a bargain.

The eclectic staff at this trattoria in a small piazza is an appropriate match for the diverse menu. In winter, you can eat in one of two rooms with high ceilings, and, in summer, you can sit outside and admire the scenery. Traditional Tuscan favorites, such as taglierini con porcini (long, thin, flat pasta with porcini mushrooms), are on the menu, as are less typical dishes such as the earthy cabbage salad with avocado, pine nuts, and drops of olio di tartufo (truffle oil). Reservations are a good idea.

Handily located between Piazza San Marco and Piazza San Lorenzo, Shake serves up creative juices, tasty baked goods, wonderful salads, and great bowls. It's committed to sustainability and to keeping its carbon footprint small.

This shop is devoted to chocolate in all its guises. The small but sublime selection of chocolate-based gelati includes one with hot peppers.

It opens at 11 am and closes at midnight: this is a rarity in Florentine dining. They do a little bit of everything here, including fine pastas, salads, pizzas, and even an American-style breakfast. Because the kitchen stays open continuously, if you're hankering at 4 pm for something to eat, or a pizza laden with Italian pork products, you're in luck. And all of this can be enjoyed with a splendid view of Piazza Santa Maria Novella.