It’s no secret that Italy has some of the best food in the world. If you’re planning on traveling to Florence, you’ll have to check out these restaurants; you won’t be disappointed! Here’s my ultimate list of the best restaurants in Florence.
1. Alla Vecchia Bettola:
This restaurant is a classic Florentine osteria. It opened in 1979 as a way to preserve regional traditions that the owners thought were slipping away. With white tile walls, hams strung from the ceiling, and marble-topped wooden tables, the restaurant typically serves traditional antipasti from local producers and pasta made in-house. Their house wine is a local favorite, too!
2. Osteria Vini e Vecchi Sapori:
This family-owned restaurant serves traditional fare from a blackboard menu under wood beamed ceilings. The food and wine are delicious, and the staff is known to be warm and friendly! There are only 18 seats in this one room osteria and a lot of people know how good it is, so be sure to make reservations.
3. Borgo San Jacopo:
The gourmet restaurant Borgo San Jacopo in Florence is at the heart of the exclusive Hotel Lungarno, just a few steps away from Ponte Vecchio. Be sure to ask for a table on the candlelit terrace overlooking the Arno River for an amazing dinner. Chef Beatrice Segoni serves fresh fish and prawn soup and millefoglie with layers of light pastry and coffee cream. You can indulge in Tuscan meats and cheeses, the freshest fish and vegetables, as well as an extraordinary wine list consisting of more than 500 prestigious labels.
4. Caffé Gilli:
Open since 1733, Caffe Gilli is one of the oldest operating cafes in Florence. Located in Piazza della Repubblica, Gilli’s menu includes traditional Italian savory dishes such as panini and pastas, but it is best known for its pastries, such as freshly baked cornetti, which are Italian croissants. They are also known for their handmade chocolate truffles, thick hot chocolate, and cappuccino. Seating is also available outside on the patio, which faces the busy square.
5. Fuor d’Acqua:
This elegant restaurant specializes in seafood trucked in fresh each day from the coast of Tuscany and prepared in every way from grilled to raw. The range of recipes is broad: from seabass ceviche and langoustines over pasta to a steamed calamari over argula. The restaurant is located inside an old chariot warehouse, which features Tuscan architecture like sweeping brick archways.
What is your favorite restaurant in Florence? Comment below or tweet us @travefy!