A cheat sheet to the best restaurants in Florence, Italy

There is so much noise on the internet and social media that finding legit places to eat without the hype has become a literal obstacle course. 

If you’re reading this, it means you actually care and are still doing research besides blindly trusting a parachute influencer list on a TikTok or Reel. 

To reassure you, allow me to provide some context as to why this guide exists and my qualifications. 

ICYMI: I’m an Italian-trained sommelier with a B.A. degree in Italian & Food Studies. And my professional guides and articles appears on respected food & travel publications like Eater, Conde Nast Traveler and Michelin Guide. I also keep up a Substack for curated guides beyond the viral spots

I’ve spent over a decade (since 2012) eating my way though Florence (and around Italy) getting to know the chefs, bartenders, purveyors, winemakers and growers responsible for what ends up on our tables.

My work involves Tuscan wine tours and curated small group culinary tours in cities like Florence, Bologna and Milan. I started doing this work because I wanted to bring people to the source of genuine, representative Italian food & wine culture. 

I started out as a tourist myself making a lot of mistakes and eating mediocre calories. I sincerely don’t wish for others to fall in the same or common traps, while also connecting people to the magic of Italian culture. I want people to feel a bit of what I felt when I decided to want to study Italian and upend my life in America to move to Italy. 

My greatest wish is for people to experience Italy in a way they recall of fondly, and to help them avoid superficial tourist fodder just treating them like a number.

Listen this job isn’t earning me a villa and a pool (it’s definitely giving me lots of cholesterol to burn off at the gym). So what makes this all worth it is reading people’s reviews and messages to me years after taking a tour or using one of my guides (like this one) for their trips. 

My goal is not only an insider, but a certified Italian speaking wino is to bring you honest recommendations that would satisfy both locals and food loving visitors with discerning palates. 

I have usually refrained from posting anything that says “best restaurants in Florence” but let’s be honest, not all restaurants were created equally. And the answer varies wildly on your personal tastes and genre of eatery.  

But for the sake of answering a FAQ from my guests from our Florence food tours, I realized having a handy post, divided by category (traditional, special occasion, ristorante, etc) would be a great start.

Links to social dining experiences in Florence and other more curated guides like the best steak, gelato and negroni are also included.

NB: This post is behind a one-time fee paywall. I’ve selected pay-to-view posts to help keep this post up-to-date and help with my out of pocket research costs. 

Why pay for this when there are so many other free guides?

These cheat sheets go straight to the point, narrows down the very top 5ish for every category to take the worry out of your Florence best restaurant travel research.

These are places hands-down a first timer or a return visitor can rest assured their dining bucks are both spent wisely and authentically. 

I have condensed my very ultimate bests food in Florence so you don’t have to spend time researching and making decisions. Happy reading and thank you for supporting my work!

If you’re finding it hard to decide how to strategize your Italy vacation and picking the best restaurants, consider arranging a travel consult with me.

I get to know your tastes and make detailed personalized recommendations accordingly including hotel recommendations. My consults optimize your day by day itinerary as well as cultural activities/points of interest in between. Info and contact HERE

Already have your itinerary planned but looking for guided gourmet activities, consider booking a culinary walk in Florence or a wine tour in the Tuscan countryside