Florence travel guide — where to stay, what to do, and where to eat in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.
Florentine cuisine is one of Italy's most celebrated, built on the philosophy of cucina povera — simple, seasonal ingredients elevated to an art form. The city is the home of bistecca alla fiorentina (a massive charcoal-grilled Chianina T-bone served rare), ribollita (twice-cooked bread and vegetable soup with cavolo nero), lampredotto (braised cow's fourth stomach in a crusty bread roll), crostini di fegatini (chicken liver pâté on toasted bread), and pappardelle al cinghiale (wide pasta ribbons with slow-cooked wild boar ragu). Florence's historic trattorias have changed little in a century. The Florentine table prizes quality ingredients: Chianina beef, cavolo nero, cannellini beans, and Tuscan extra-virgin olive oil. Wine is anchored by Chianti Classico from the vine-covered hills between Florence and Siena.
Top restaurants
Handpicked picks for the best dining experiences.
Restaurants by cuisine
Browse picks grouped by cuisine type.
Italian
Traditional Tuscan
Wine Bar
Food tours & tastings in Florence
Eat your way through Florence with a guide.
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Street food
Local flavours at affordable prices.
Lampredotto sandwich (panino con lampredotto)
Florence's most authentic street food: the cow's fourth stomach (abomasum) slow-braised in a herby vegetable broth, chopped, and served in a crusty semelle bread roll whose top is dipped in the cooking liquid, finished with salsa verde (green parsley sauce) and optional spicy sauce. A Florentine institution sold at tripperie and market stalls.
Price: €4-6 (~$4-7)
Trippa alla fiorentina
Honeycomb tripe stewed slowly with tomato, onion, carrot, celery, and finished with grated Parmigiano, served in a paper cup. A staple of Florentine street food stalls and a cornerstone of the city's cucina povera tradition.
Price: €4-7 (~$4-8)
Schiacciata flatbread
Thin, crispy Florentine flatbread baked with extra-virgin olive oil and sea salt, sold by weight at bakeries. In September and October, schiacciata all'uva is baked with sweet wine grapes pressed into the dough — the most Florentine of seasonal treats.
Price: €2-5 (~$2-5) per portion
Gelato artigianale
Artisan gelato made daily with seasonal fresh ingredients: rich pistachio, stracciatella, dark chocolate, and rotating fresh fruit sorbets. Authentic gelato sits flat in the display case (not piled in mountains) and is dense and deeply flavoured.
Price: €2.50-5 (~$3-5) for a cup or cone
Cecina (chickpea flatbread)
A thin, crispy chickpea-flour flatbread baked in a wood-fired oven, sold in slices. Originally a Livornese and Pisan tradition, it is available at specialist rosticcerie in Florence and is a satisfying, inexpensive snack.
Price: €2-4 (~$2-4) per slice
Food markets
Where locals shop and graze.
Mercato Centrale
Florence's historic covered food market, built in 1874, is the finest place in the city to buy local cheese, salumi, fresh pasta, truffle products, and olive oil. The magnificent cast-iron ground floor hosts traditional market stalls; the upper floor has an artisan food hall with affordable eat-in options.
Hours: Ground floor: Mon-Sat 7AM-2PM; First floor food hall: Daily 10AM-midnight
Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio
A covered neighbourhood market favoured by Florentines for its excellent fresh produce, local cheese, seasonal vegetables, and deli items. Less touristy than the Mercato Centrale and a more authentic daily market experience — the best place to see how Florentines actually shop.
Hours: Mon-Sat 7AM-2PM
Mercato delle Cascine
Florence's largest weekly open-air market in the riverside Cascine park. Locals come for clothing, food, household goods, and plants. A useful Tuesday morning stop for budget shoppers and picnic supplies.
Hours: Tuesday mornings only, 7AM-2PM
Dining etiquette & tips
Navigate the local food scene confidently.
Lunch is typically 12:30PM-2:30PM, dinner from 7:30PM-10:30PM; restaurants are often closed between services and will not seat after 9:30PM
Never order a cappuccino after a meal — espresso only; ordering a cappuccino after dinner marks you as a tourist in Florence
Coperto (cover charge of €1.50-4 (~$2-4) per person) is standard practice and covers bread and the service of being seated — it is not a scam or optional
Tuscan bread (pane sciocco) is baked without salt — a Medici-era tradition — and is deliberately unsalted to complement the strong flavours of Tuscan cured meats and cheeses
Bistecca alla fiorentina is served rare (al sangue) and requesting it well-done may be refused at traditional trattorias — this is normal Florentine custom
Service charge is not typically included; leave 10-15% in cash on the table if service was good, especially at smaller trattorias
Reservations are essential at popular and smaller trattorias, particularly in spring (April-June) and autumn (September-October) when Florence is at its busiest
House wine (vino della casa), served by the quarter or half litre (un quarto, un mezzo), is reliable and affordable in traditional trattorias — often the best-value choice
Food budget guide
What to expect at different price points.
| Level | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | Breakfast €2-3 (~$2-3) (cornetto and cappuccino standing at the bar), Lunch €8-15 (~$9-16) (trattoria daily special, market stall, or street food), Dinner €15-25 (~$16-27) (neighbourhood trattoria with pasta, main, and house wine), Street food €4-7 (~$4-8) (lampredotto sandwich, gelato, or schiacciata), Coffee €1.20-1.50 (~$1-2) (espresso standing at the bar) | Street food, local eateries, and simple restaurants. |
| Mid-range | $15-40/meal | Sit-down restaurants with good service and varied menus. |
| Upscale | $40+/meal | Fine dining, international cuisine, and premium experiences. |