What to Eat in Florence: The Best Local Foods to Try

The Must-Try Foods in Florence

Part of the joy of traveling is discovering new flavors and regional dishes. Florence is known for simple dishes built on high-quality Tuscan ingredients. If you’re wondering what to eat in Florence, these local dishes are a great place to start.

Panini in Florence (Tuscan Sandwiches)

Florence boasts an entire culture around these sandwiches, served on schiacciata, a Tuscan flatbread. We ate numerous panini during our time in Florence — each more delicious than the last, and all from tiny hole-in-the-wall shops.

What Makes Florentine Panini Special

Simple, fresh ingredients are the backbone of these sandwiches, filled with high-quality cured meats and local produce.

Best Places to Eat Panini in Florence

There’s a wildly popular spot called All’Antico Vinaio, but we didn’t wait in the excessively long lines, so I can’t speak to it.

We ate our first lunch in Florence around the corner from our accommodation, called Amorini Panini e Vino Firenze. We didn’t have time to return, and that is a decision we will long regret! They make their sandwiches fresh to order and they are an absolute delight.

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Mr. Explores has a colleague who lives in Florence part-time and recommended a local favorite, Caffè Notte. It’s in the Oltrarno area (literally “beyond the Arno”), far from the main tourist areas, so you won’t hear much English spoken here.

We ordered Caprese salad along with our panini, which came wrapped in newspaper pages covered with crossword puzzles. Every bite was delicious, and the atmosphere of the tiny café couldn’t have been more charming.

Pastries & Coffee in Florence

Cornetti and Italian Breakfast Pastries

A typical breakfast in Italy is a cappuccino or un caffè (espresso), coupled with a cornetto (a croissant, typically filled with a sweet cream). Unique flavors of crema I saw repeatedly in Florence were chocolate, Nutella, and pistachio.

Ordering a savory breakfast will mark you as a tourist right away. That being said, eat how you like — it’s your trip. 🙂

How Italians Actually Order Coffee and Breakfast

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Ordering breakfast, and even coffee, is a completely different cultural experience than what I’m used to in the US. Italians order breakfast quickly and often eat standing at the bar rather than sitting at a table.

You place your order, pay the cashier, then take your receipt to the counter to receive your drink and pastry. You have to let the cashier know if you are planning to stand and eat at the bar (al banco) or sit at a table (al tavolo). The idea is that if you are going to sit, you are going to be charged more for the items because you are going to be taking up space for a while. In Italy it’s common to make a small purchase before using a café’s restroom.

💡Tip: If you need to use the restroom, it’s a good idea to spend a Euro or two to buy an espresso at a café, then ask to use the facilities. There are not a lot of public restrooms in Italy.

Gelato in Florence

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I am a sweets-loving girl, so you’d better believe I had gelato every single day of our trip to Italy. It was such a treat! I made a real effort to branch out and try unusual flavors that I would never find at home.

How to Spot Authentic Gelato

Most gelato is good, but some is truly exceptional. What makes authentic gelato better is the freshness of the ingredients. Authentic gelato uses natural ingredients, so the colors tend to look more subdued. For instance, a good pistachio gelato may look brownish-green as opposed to the bright green we are accustomed to in the States.

Best Gelato Flavors to Try

Hazelnut, limoncello, and Nutella were among my favorites. My absolute favorite ended up being stracciatella, similar to a chocolate chip ice cream flavor, but the chocolate is finely shaved. The most unique flavors I tried were pomelo and raspberry-thyme.

Traditional Tuscan Pasta Dishes

Pici Cacio e Pepe

Though you will likely eat your fill of pasta in Italy, pici cacio e pepe is one that is worth a try. Pici noodles are from the Siena province of Tuscany and feature thick, hand-rolled noodles made without eggs. This dish is served with cacio e pepe — a simple sauce made from Pecorino Romano cheese and black pepper.

Cheese Wheel Experience in Florence

Osteria Pastella is known for its Tagliatelle Flambé al Tartufo Fresco, a dish prepared theatrically tableside. Your server will toss freshly made tagliatelle inside a cheese wheel that has been flambéed with brandy, swirling the pasta and coating it in the melted cheese. Next they plate the pasta and grate a generous pile of fresh truffle shavings on top.

Is It Worth It?

Honestly, the experience was fun and the pictures were cool, but this one is overrated in my opinion. If you want to see it made but don’t want to splurge, head to Osteria Pastella and order something else. Half the tables around you will be ordering the cheese wheel pasta, so you’ll still get to see it.

If you decide you simply must experience this trend for yourself, do make reservations well in advance.

Bistecca alla Fiorentina (Florentine Steak)

What Makes This Steak Unique

This thick-cut steak is a T-bone or porterhouse steak, served bone-in and seasoned only with rock salt and perhaps a bit of olive oil while grilling. It’s seared on the outside but served rare on the inside. It’s huge — plan on sharing!

How to Order Florentine Steak

Traditional Florentine steaks are never cooked past rare. It’s typically sold by weight, and priced per 100g.

We ordered this humongous bistecca alla Fiorentina, plus Chianti, creamed spinach, and bread at a cute little spot called Gusta Osteria. It’s cozy, with a casual atmosphere, and located close to the Ponte Vecchio.

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Where to Eat in Florence (Hidden Gems & Tips)

How to Avoid Tourist Traps

You need to spread out from the touristy areas to experience more traditional food. If there is a menu out front of the restaurant with pictures of food, you’re in a tourist trap. The assumption is that you can’t read Italian. Especially if the menu contains a huge range of cultural foods (think burgers, pizza, and sushi on the same menu). If someone is standing out front trying to herd you inside, tourist trap. Keep moving. If the menu says “American Breakfast,” they are definitely catering to a tourist crowd.

Travel blogger Nomadic Matt suggests walking at least five blocks away from a major tourist sight before looking for food if you want to experience something authentic. Florence is small enough that you might not need to go that far, but you get the idea.

Signs of a Local Restaurant

Take a look at your fellow diners. If most of the people around you are speaking Italian and not carrying cameras, you’ve probably found a local spot. Menus can be a giveaway as well. Small, focused menus are usually a great sign — they suggest the restaurant specializes in a handful of dishes instead of trying to please everyone. Bonus points if the menu is handwritten.

Another good sign is a short daily specials list, often written on a chalkboard or posted on the wall. These dishes are usually made with whatever ingredients are freshest that day.

If you see locals lingering over long lunches with wine and no rush to leave, that’s another clue you’ve found a good place.

💡Tip: In Italy, servers won’t bring the bill unless you ask for it — meals are meant to be enjoyed at a relaxed pace, not rushed. When you’re ready, simply say, “Il conto, per favore” (the check, please).

Budget Tips for Eating in Florence

💎 Splurge: A Memorable Tuscan Dinner

Experience at least one splurge meal while in Florence, whether you treat yourself to a Florentine steak or simply try out an unusual dish you might never see on a menu back home.

💡Save: Grocery Store Picnics and Casual Meals

Spend some time browsing a local grocery store when you arrive. It’s fun to see how different the goods are in a foreign country.

Stock up a bit on picnic-style food and pack a small picnic so that you can stop and eat at a fountain in a piazza or at a scenic overlook along the river.

Bring simple breakfast items back to your accommodation so you can eat and go in the mornings and get right out to experiencing the city.

Drinks in Florence (Aperitivo Culture)

Aperitivo culture in Italy is often compared to happy hour, but it’s actually more of a slow, social pre-dinner ritual where locals enjoy a drink like a spritz along with small bites, easing into the evening rather than just grabbing discounted drinks.

Aperol Spritz: Italy’s Classic Cocktail

Everywhere you go in Italy you will see the bright orange wine-based cocktail, the classic Italian Aperol spritz. It’s made with Prosecco (sparkling wine), Aperol, and soda water, and garnished with an orange slice. They are slightly bitter in flavor from the Aperol. Whether you are a fan of them or not, they do photography beautifully.

Final Thoughts: Eating Your Way Through Florence

Florence is one of those cities where some of the best memories are made at the table — whether it’s a simple panini from a tiny corner shop, a perfectly cooked bistecca alla Fiorentina, or a daily gelato you didn’t plan on but absolutely don’t regret.

If you can, try a little bit of everything. Some of the most memorable travel experiences come from stepping outside your comfort zone and saying yes to new flavors, new traditions, and new ways of eating.

Florence is the perfect place to do exactly that.

If you’d like some local expertise, this excursion will help you eat and drink your way through Florence on a guided tour of hidden trattorias, tasting cheeses, pasta, gelato, truffles, and wine—even sipping through a historic wine window. Sign me up!

Which of these Florentine foods would you try first—or have you already fallen in love with one on your trip?