Florence, Italy — Food and Dining
Restaurants in Florence, Italy
Restaurants
Expensive
Cantinetta Antinori
Owned by Tuscany’s most famous winemakers, and housed in the family's elegant palazzo near Santa Maria Novella, this refined restaurant pitches super-Tuscans and great Chiantis from the extensive Antorini estates. Subtle food flavors predominate on the menu and accompany diners in their vinous deliberations, with dishes such as involtini (rolls) of glazed veal and artichokes cooked in white wine with spring onions. Seasonal ingredients are often used, while for dessert, diners can sip sweet Vin Santo served with cantuccini biscuits.
Palazzo Antinori, Piazza Antinori 3
Tel: (055) 23 595.
Website: www.antinori.it
Cavolo Nero
An appealingly hidden-away find, Cavolo Nero is an intimate dining room where you can feast on dishes from all over Italy, given a contemporary twist. Choices include pasta con le sarde e finocchietto (pasta with sardine e wild fennel) and petto di pollo ripieno di verdure con salsa di menta e yogurt (chicken breast filled with vegetables and yogurt and mint sauce). The jasmine-shaded outdoor terrace is a must in warm weather.
Via dell’ Ardiglione 22
Tel: (055) 294 744.
Enoteca Pinchiorri
Immaculate linen and crystal glassware top the tables at Florence's most famous restaurant, which boasts three Michelin stars. At the heart of the historic city, finely dressed diners expect to be impressed by French chef Annie Feolde's haute cuisine matched with owner Giorgio Pinchiorri's collection of magnificent wines. You can select a menu degustazione (€200-275) offering meals such as mackerel fillets with black cabbage with polenta, dry apricots and salmon roe. Prices for a main course start from €60.
Via Ghibellina 87
Tel: (055) 242 777.
Website: www.enotecapinchiorri.it
Il Cibreo
In the buzzing markets of Sant'Ambrogio, Fabio Picchi's renowned restaurant and trattoria, Il Cibreo, has made an art form of jazzing up rustic Florentine ingredients. Especially recommended are the passato di peperoni gialli (a yellow pepper soup), and spiced candied fruit mostarda (a type of condiment) eaten with local cheeses. Vegetarians are catered for, too. It is advisable for diners to reserve for premium service in the restaurant or take a chance at the neighboring Cibreino trattoria, where they'll have to jostle for the marble-top tables but pay half the price.
Via de' Macci 118r
Tel: (055) 234 1100.
Website: www.cibreo.com
Ristorante la Giostra
Owned by a Hapsburg prince, this restaurant is hidden away near the San Piero arch, but just a short walk from the Duomo. Cosy inside, it is busy at lunchtime but the atmosphere becomes more intimate in the evening, making it perfect for a romantic evening meal. Flavours are mainly Tuscan, but with some Austrian influence. The seasonal menu might include hand-made Taglierini con tartufi bianchi (pasta with white truffles) tagliata di Chianina, Parmigiano Reggiano e rucola (slices of Chianina beef, parmesan and rocket). Desserts are both Italian and Viennese - Sacher torte and tiramisu both put in an appearance.
Via Borgo Pinti 12r
Tel: (055) 241 341.
Website: www.ristorantelagiostra.com
Ristorante Rossini
On the ground floor of an old palazzo, this restaurant near the Ponte Vecchio serves creative Tuscan and Italian dishes made with fresh seasonal ingredients. The set tasting menu includes dishes such as trippetta di seppie su salsa di cavolo nero, piadina di ceci al pepe di sarawack (cuttlefish tripe on black cabbage sauce, chick peas flat bread and sarawack pepper) and Tonno al sesamo con trilogia di verdurine in agrodolce (sesame tuna with bittersweet vegetables trilogy(red onion, fennel and aubergines). Desserts are equally imaginative.
Lungarno Corsini 4
Tel: (055) 239 9224.
Website: www.ristoranterossini.it
Moderate
Acqua al 2
This modern and cheery bistro fizzes with atmosphere. It's an intimate bottle-lined locale, where plates line the rustic walls, and art, fashion and food draw a late-night crowd of journalists, American students, actors and cognoscenti. The menu offers dishes such as cannelloni with marscapone and mushrooms, and taster platters, such as strips of beef served with dipping sauces, and selections of salads, pasta, cheeses and excellent wines.
Via Vigna Vecchia 40r
Tel: (055) 284 170.
Website: www.acquaal2.it
Angels
This cool, contemporary restaurant attracts a fashionable crowd of 20- and 30-something locals. The ornate coffered ceiling (covered in winter with drapes) and exquisite stained glass windows are complemented by simple, dark, wood tables and low white seats. The menu changes regularly and features seasonal produce. Dishes might include tagliatelle with pheasant sauce, beef fillets with black truffle sauce, or wild boar loin cooked in Brunello wine and served with polenta. There is also a chic American bar which serves a good aperitivo (early-evening drinks with accompanying snacks), under high ceilings hung with a rainbow of lampshades.
Via del Proconsolo 29/31
Tel: (055) 239 8762.
Website: www.ristoranteangels.it
Osteria Caffé Italiano
This Santa Croce trattoria is very much in vogue, drawing Hollywood stars and ambassadors with its old-world rustic charm. Osteria Caffè Italiano serves simple Tuscan dishes extremely well. Dark wooden cabinets groan with salamis and bottles of wine in the front room, while waiters (busy with platters of freshly sliced meats, lasagne, pork steaks, roasted vegetables and pecorino cheese) bustle about under the chandeliers in the large, vaulted dining room behind; there's an adjacent pizzeria, with simple yet brilliant choices that you can also take to go. On the downside, service can be slow.
Via Isola delle Stinche 11/13r
Tel: (055) 289 080 or 289 368.
Napoleone
A neo-baroque cavern with carvings and hunting trophies, this chic pizzeria hauls in the chicest of the Florentine punters for delicious pizzas. It's relaxed and cool, and has an outdoor terrace. It's not just about pizza, you can get great cold cuts and steak, as well as pasta and other dishes.
Piazza del Carmine 24
Tel: (055) 281 015.
Website: www.trattorianapoleone.it
Cheap
Alle Mossacce
Situated between the cathedral and the Bargello Museum, this trattoria, the name of which roughly translates as ‘crude in manner', cannot be beaten for value for money. Diners sit at wooden tables, happily feasting on steaming plates of pasta, washed down by simple jugs of red wine. Firm favorites include hearty Tuscan ribollita (bread and vegetable soup), spaghetti alle vongole (with mussels) and lasagne al forno.
Via del Proconsolo 55r
Tel: (055) 294 361.
Website: www.trattorialemossacce.it
Antico Ristoro di Cambi
This family-run restaurant overlooking the Arno is a traditional Tuscan trattoria offering bare brick walls and a warm welcome. The antipasti and the bistecca alla fiorentina (a T-bone steak dabbed with virgin olive oil and cooked over glowing charcoal) are both excellent, while vegetarians will enjoy dishes such as penne with pumpkin flowers. Desserts include traditional favorites such as tiramisu and chocolate tart. This venue is always deservedly popular, particularly on a hot summer's day.
Via San Onofrio 1r
Tel: (055) 217 134.
Website: www.anticoristorodicambi.it
Cantinetta dei Verrazzano
This gastrodome near the Ponte Vecchio incorporates a deli offering wonderful sausages and cold meats, a bakery with tempting pastries and tarts, a coffee bar and a sales outlet for the wines of the prestigious Chianti vineyards of Castello di Verrazzano. Specialties include savoury-filled foccacia bread and a delicious array of crostini and cold meats, which can be sampled with the estate's wines at the tables. The decor is warm and inviting, with rustic yet elegant terracotta floors, marble surfaces, large mirrors and dark wood furnishings.
Via dei Tavolini 18-20r
Tel: (055) 268 655 590.
Website: www.verrazzano.com
Enoteca Pane e Vino
Set one block back from the Arno, this eaterie offers rustic surroundings, with a barnlike, beamed interior, and atmosphere relaxed; video screens show the action in the kitchen. The creative set menu has tempting offerings, such as ravioli di pesce con gamberi, salsa di gamberi e carciofi croccanti (fish ravioli with crawfish, crawfish sauce and fried artichoke), on a menu that changes daily. Otherwise diners can tuck into plates of cold meats, sausages and cheese with wine, served by the glass or bottle, from the excellent list.
Piazza di Cestello 3r
Tel: (055) 247 6956.
Filipepe
This chic, bustling wine and cheese bar near the Ponte Vecchio attracts a wide mix of diners, who come for creative food in romantic surroundings, with carved wooden chairs, painted woodwork, and wooden ceilings. Drawing on traditions from various parts of Italy, dishes include seasonal soups, imaginative salads, crostini, and hearty main dishes such as pici e pioppini con pecorino Romano e pepe (pasta with Roman pecorino cheese and pepper). Save room for the great desserts, such as fig tart, or warm strawberry cake with lemon sauce.
Via San Niccolò 43
Tel: (055) 200 1397.
Website: www.filipepe.com
Il Latini
Under hams dangling from the rafters, waiters run between busy tables and the wood-panelled walls are crammed with photos of writers in this old-fashioned, refectory-style trattoria - holder of a Michelin Bib Gourmand. The Latini family encourages the sense of fun with helpful service and Tuscan home cooking of hearty bean and vegetable soups, stews, wild boar steaks and hand-cut cold meats.
Via dei Palchetti 6r
Tel: (055) 210 916.
Website: www.illatini.com
Il Pizzaiuolo
This extremely popular, rustic pizzeria serves traditional Neapolitan pizzas - with thick crusts, rather than the traditional paper-thin Florentine pizzas. You eat in simple, no-frills surroundings, might have to share a table, and will probably have to queue, especially at the weekend. Around 30 different varieties of pizza are on offer.
Via dei Macci 113r
Tel: (055) 241 171.
Trattoria Borgo Antico
The location of this pizzeria, on the small square below Brunelleschi's clean-lined church of Santo Spirito, draws a young and trendy crowd, especially during the summer, when tables are set outside. The service can be slapdash and the music loud but the buzz and the great pizzas (covered with everything from gorgonzola and ham to four cheeses) more than compensate; other offerings include Tagliata ti manzo con aceto balsamico sale rosa e patate arrosto (beef with balsamic vinegar, pink salt, and roast potatoes). Diners should reserve a spot in advance, as the restaurant tends to get busy.
Piazza Santo Spirito 6r
Tel: (055) 210 437.
Website: www.borgoanticofirenze.com
Trattoria Ruggero
Located just outside the southern city walls, at the Porta Romana, Ruggero's is a popular lunchtime hangout, crowded with Italian clerks and sales reps during the week and families at the weekend. The menu features Tuscan specialties. Hearty soups such as ribollita and main courses of roast pork loin or rabbit favor winter dining, as does the snug and sociable atmosphere. Reservations recommended.
Via Senese 89r
Tel: (055) 220 542.
Nightlife
Nightlife in Florence is fuelled by the city's well-heeled foreign students who come to study Italian and art history. Old World meets New World, as gangs of silver-tongued Romeos gather to admire leggy American blondes.
The city boasts flexible licensing hours - some pubs stay open until 0100 or even 0300. The most bohemian area is the Oltrarno, south of the river, Elsewhere, nightlife is concentrated around Piazza della Signoria, home of more sedate venues.
To find out where the action is, buy Firenze Spettacolo (www.firenzespettacolo.it) - the city's definitive entertainment publication. Information for clubs and live music events can be found at www.vivifirenze.it
Bars
Le Volpi and L' Uve
For a glimpse of an authentic Italian watering hole, wend your way to Le Volpi and L' Uve to sample some of the best wines the region has to offer. The owners, Riccardo and Emilio, can advise a plate of salami and cheese to accompany your choice of wine, and there's a pretty terrace.
Piazza de'Rossi 1
Tel: (055) 239 8132.
Website: www.levolpieluva.com
Noir
Set by the river, this watering hole has a baroque-black interior, and its clientele spill out onto the riverbank for amazing sunsets over the Arno. A good spot for an apertivo.
Lungarno Corsini 12-14r
Tel: (055) 210 751.
Negroni
Negroni invented every Italian clubbers' favorite drink back in the 1920s (gin, Campari and red Martini), and attracts an up-for-it 30-something crowd to its sleek, contemporary.interior for a dash of sophisticated nightlife in Florence.
Via dei Renai 17r
Tel: (055) 243 647.
Website: www.negronibar.it
La Dolce Vita
South of the river, long-time favorite La Dolce Vita retains its chic crown and is popular with students, who spill out onto the piazza.
Piazza del Carmine
Tel: (055) 284 595.
Website: www.dolcevitaflorence.com
Clubs
Casa del Vino
This place is situated close to the central market and is a classic old-style enoteca (wine bar), all polished wood and tipples of Chianti.
Via del Ariento 16R
Tel: (055) 215 609.
Website: www.casadelvino.it
Central Park
On the outskirts of Florence in Parco delle Cascine is Florence's superclub, with different floors offering changing vibes, from electronica to disco, and two outdoor dancefloors. It mainly attracts Florence's gilded youth. Transport can be difficult for those without a car.
Via Fosso Macinante
Tel: (055) 359 942.
Tenax
This club in the Peretola district is a hip house club, favored by a younger crowd, and has some great live concerts.
Via Pratese, Peretola district
Tel: (055) 632 958.
Website: www.tenax.org
Meccano
This place is self-consciously stylish, and huge, with four indoor and outdoor dancefloors and six bars. The club regularly hosts theme nights too, so don't forget your fancy dress costume.
Viale degli Olmi 1
Tel: (055) 331 371.
Montecarla
Close to the Boboli gardens, Montecarla is all boudoir decadence and leopardskin seats. Its exotic decor attracts a loyal following. Be prepared to be impressed.
Via de' Bardi 2
Tel: (055) 234 0259.
Tabasco Disco Gay
Florence's oldest and best gay club is Tabasco Disco Gay. As hot as its name, it is set in medieval catacombs.
Piazza di Santa Cecilia 3
Website: www.tobascogay.it
Live Music
Be Bop
Florence does not have a great deal of choice when it comes to live music but you can hear some good sounds at Be Bop, a much-loved retro cocktail bar specializing in live jazz, cover bands and funk.
Via dei Servi 76
Tel: (055) 295 230.
Jazz Club
Or you can try the atmospheric Jazz Club, which serves up live jazz, blues, salsa and world music from Tuesday to Saturday.
Via Nuova dei Caccini 3
Tel: (055) 247 970.
Website: www.jazzclubfirenze.com
Girasol Latin Bar
Near the Fortezza is the red-hued Girasol Latin Bar, which has everything from Brazilian to Cuban beats.
Via del Romito 1
Tel: (055) 474 948.
Website: www.girasol.it
