{"id":82576,"date":"2023-09-07T01:01:49","date_gmt":"2023-09-07T01:01:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nohurrytogethome.com\/?p=82576"},"modified":"2024-04-04T10:28:13","modified_gmt":"2024-04-04T10:28:13","slug":"eating-in-florence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nohurrytogethome.com\/eating-in-florence\/","title":{"rendered":"Guide To Eating In Florence"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
If you are traveling to Tuscany you are going to need to learn the basics about eating in Florence to get the most of your experience. One of the best parts about Florence is its amazing food, no matter what your agenda or dietary restrictions are. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In this article, I will cover how best to eat in Florence, what to try, where to go and all my top tips to get the best out of Florence\u2019s food scene. I have been traveling and living in the city for over 15 years now, making it possible to share my inside tips on eating in Florence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Food in Florence is very simple yet satisfying and rich. The food you will come across is, for the most part, the same you will find across the whole region of Tuscany, except for a few dishes unique to the city. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Historically, Tuscany is a poor area. Tuscans and Florentines learned to survive on what they could find seasonally without allowing even a crumb of bread to go to waste. In fact, many dishes were created out of a necessity to recycle leftovers. Meats and cheeses were not a part of the regular diet in the past but today play an important role in Florentine cuisine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Tuscany is very temperate and Florence in particular has very nutrient-rich soil perfect for growing fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes 12 months a year. These are the base ingredients for most of the classic Florentine and Tuscan dishes you will come across while traveling in this area. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Because of this, Tuscany is a great place to eat if you are pregnant or vegan. So many of their dishes are by nature vegan and very nutrient rich. Be sure to double check with your waiter or server before ordering if you have dietary restrictions but you can always count on finding something!<\/p>\n\n\n\n This concept of cooking with what could be grown and foraged to make hearty, rich meals is known as la cucina povera<\/em> or the poor man\u2019s cooking. Today, the diet in Florence is still very rooted in traditional dishes, primarily vegetable and legume based, but with the addition of cheese, cured meats, pork, chicken, and beef. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Pappardelle al cinghiale<\/em> is a wide ribbon egg pasta that is served in a wild boar rag\u00f9. This is a typical winter dish in Florence but you can find it year round.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Peposo is a beef stew made from nothing more than beef, red wine and plenty of black pepper. Look for this winter stew in any trattoria but don\u2019t expect to see it in the summer months. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Pecorino di Pienza is more of an ingredient than a dish in Florence. This sheep\u2019s milk cheese can be aged anywhere from just a month to a couple of years. The very best comes from the Val d\u2019Orcia region in Tuscany. Enjoy it with a glass of wine at any wine bar on a cheese board, known as a tagliere di formaggio. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Tuscany is world famous for their extra virgin olive oil, harvested every year starting in October. Freshly pressed olive oil is peppery and spicy, great for dressing salads and eating with bread. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Fettunta<\/em> is grilled Tuscan bread drizzled with freshly-pressed olive oil from that year and sprinkled with salt. This is a classic Italian afterschool snack for kids in Florence but only in the fall when the new oil is ready. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Schiacciata<\/em> is Tuscany\u2019s version of focaccia, crusty on the outside and pillowy on the inside. You can get it plain, called schiacciata all\u2019olio<\/em> or opt for toppings such as olives, tomatoes, rosemary or even slices of hot dogs for kids! <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s commonly used to make sandwiches with cured meats such as prosciutto crudo and pecorino cheese. Stracchino cheese and grilled vegetables is a good choice for vegetarians. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Pane toscano<\/em> is a very rustic white bread made without salt. This is what you will find on every bread basket at any restaurant in Florence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n White beans are used for a variety of dishes in Florence and in this recipe, they are stewed with tomatoes, garlic and sage, served as a side dish to any secondo<\/em> or second course dish you order. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Fegatelli di maiale is pig liver cooked with spices. This isn\u2019t for everyone but it’s a staple in the new year after the annual pig slaughter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Crostini neri, also called crostini toscani, <\/em>is one of the most iconic appetizers in Florence. These small toasted bread rounds are topped with chicken liver pat\u00e8. Try them in an antipasto misto<\/em> or mixed appetizer platter before your meal while in Florence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Panzanella is a bread salad dressed up with summer vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers and onions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This is the quintessential Tuscan dish highlighting how old bread is repurposed for another meal. Enjoy Panzanella in the summer when tomatoes are in season and you are looking for a cool, refreshing lunch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Pappa al pomodoro<\/em> is another iconic dish made from leftover bread and tomatoes. This bread soup is hearty and simple, embodying the region\u2019s simple yet hearty cuisine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ribollita is one of the most famous Tuscan dishes and particularly easy to find in Florence. This bread and vegetable soup is hearty and filling, ideal for winter evenings. Chalk full of leafy greens such as kale and swiss chard, you can feel good about eating bowlful after bowlful<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cantuccini are Florence\u2019s most popular cookie, originally from the neighboring town of Prato. Enjoy them with locally produced sweet wine, Vin Santo, for a traditional Florentine treat after dinner. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ricciarelli are vegan almond cookies originally from Siena but popularized in Florence as well. They are particularly popular during the Christmas holiday. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This chewy dried fruit and nut cake can be found at any market or bakery in Florence. It lasts for months, making it a perfect souvenir to bring back with you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Castagnaccio is a chestnut cake, very dense and rich, studded with raisins and pine nuts. Look for this cake in the fall when chestnuts are in season. You won\u2019t find it any other time of the year! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Schiacciata alla Fiorentina is a sweet, leavened cake unique to Florence eaten during Carnival. It\u2019s either served plain with a heavy dusting of powdered sugar or filled with chantilly or custard cream. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Pici pasta is a thick, hand rolled spaghetti from Southern Tuscany, loved by all Florentines. Most traditionally, it\u2019s served with a garlic tomato sauce or a meat rag\u00f9. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Bistecca alla Fiorentina is Tuscany\u2019s most iconic dish and cannot be skipped. Enormous steaks from the famous Chianina cow are grilled and served rare with roasted potatoes, white beans and stewed greens. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Cecina<\/em> is a vegan chickpea flatbread served in slices at bakeries and pizzerias. It makes for a great, healthy snack but try to get it straight out of the oven! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Trattorie<\/em> (plural of trattoria<\/em>) are casual, rustic and usually family-run restaurants that specialize in regional dishes. Although trattorias were historically considered higher quality than an osteria<\/em> (a similar style eatery in Italy), today, they are used interchangeably and often serve the same dishes at the same price point. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The food at trattorias is simple and very seasonal. What you find will depend on the region you are in and what is available that time of year. In Tuscany, this means you will find things like panzanella <\/em>during the summer and ribollita<\/em> during the winter.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Menus at a trattoria will change periodically throughout the year. There may be staple dishes and house specialties but you can expect other dishes to change at least two or three times a year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While trattorie are very casual, you won\u2019t find communal tables and some might even have white table clothes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Good To Know:<\/strong> While tipping isn\u2019t expected in Italy (instead you will be billed a coperto<\/a> charge per person), it\u2019s a nice thing to do if you are very happy with your service. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip:<\/strong> Always book ahead at these places except at Da Rocco <\/em>and Mario<\/em> who don\u2019t take reservations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Restaurants are general eateries in Italy that are generally of higher quality or more chic than a trattoria or osteria. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The food at a ristorante<\/em> as we call it in Italian, doesn\u2019t necessarily have more refined or higher quality food than other eateries but it\u2019s defined by its service, ambiance and long menu with more options catering to dietary restrictions or with an international influence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While a trattoria or osteria will serve regional dishes, a restaurant will expand beyond its region\u2019s boardres and serve Italian food even from other areas of the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fact: <\/strong>Prices are generally higher at restaurants than at trattorias or osterias. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Street food is one of the best ways to taste Florence if you are on a budget. Some of the most traditional and authentic Florentine dishes are available from street venders or at open air markets such as at the Mercato Centrale Firenze and Sant\u2019Ambrogio Mercato. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The most traditional dishes in Florence to try as street food are lampredotto, trippa, porchetta, gelato and schiacciata. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Lampredotto is perhaps Florence\u2019s most unique and original dish, made from the cow\u2019s stomach (the abomasum) that is stewed for a long time and usually served on a roll with salsa verde<\/em> or green sauce. If you try only one street food in Florence it should be Lampredotto. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Head to Da Nerbone<\/em> in the Mercato Centrale closeby to San Lorenzo but get there early (around noon) to avoid long longs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Another authentic stop is at Sergio Pollini <\/em>outside of the famous Cibreo<\/em> restaurant in Florence. Here you will find the locals chowing down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although many regions throughout Italy have their own versions of tripe, Tuscany\u2019s version is one of the most famous. The cow\u2019s stomach is slowly cooked in onion, carrot, celery and tomatoes for hours. It\u2019s served piping hot, sometimes with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese and of course, Tuscan bread or pane toscano <\/em>to mop up all the sauce. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Visit the same stalls for trippa as recommended for Lampredotto. Many restaurants will also serve it, including Trattoria da Rocco<\/em> in the Sant\u2019Ambrogio market. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The famous roast pork can be found throughout Italy but here in Florence it’s spiced with plenty of fennel seed and served on a unsalted white roll. Most famously you can get porchetta at sandwich shops throughout the city center of Florence but you will also find vendors selling it at outdoor open air markets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the most famous spots in Florence to eat porchetta is in a great location, perfect for snack break between visiting tourist attractions. Antica Porchetteria Granieri 1916<\/em> is right off of Piazza della Signoria by the leather market of the Mercato del Porcellino. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Gelato can be enjoyed throughout all of Italy but in Florence it\u2019s particularly good. Some of the best gelato in the whole world is made right here, the birthplace of gelato itself!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t miss the most famous flavor of gelato<\/a> in Florence, buontalenti, <\/em>a custard-based gelato that pairs well with chocolate<\/a>, nut flavors or red fruits such as strawberry and raspberry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The best schiacciata is straight from a bakery and eaten in strips between meals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Schiacciata<\/a> is a favorite snack among Italians, especially children but also a great vehicle for other flavors. Don\u2019t miss the countless paninoteche <\/em>making sandwiches with schiacciata. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I can promise you that after living in Florence for 10+ years, they are all very good. You don\u2019t need to go to the Antico Vinaio<\/em> and wait in an hour line. The one next door is just as good, if not better! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip: <\/strong>You don\u2019t need to go to a sandwich shop to get a schiacciata sandwich. Instead, you can also go to a deli, called a pizzicheria <\/em>or a small grocer called an alimentari <\/em>and they will most likely make sandwiches to order. <\/p>\n\n\n\n What better way than to spend your evenings at an Italian wine bar? The art of the Italian aperitif cannot be missed while in Florence. Usually, enotecas will have a very extensive wine list with the possibility to try several wines by the glass. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are looking for souvenirs<\/a>, be sure to get the rundown on what they recommend you bring home. Most enotecas in Florence will carry not only a wide selection of regional Tuscan wines but also stock a long list of domestic and sometimes foreign wines as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Some enotecas are only wine shops and don\u2019t have tables to sit down and order a glass such as Alessi (close to Piazza del Duomo), a very good store not only for wine but souvenirs, candies<\/a> and chocolates as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Bars are the holy pit stop for food in Italy because they are always open. If you didn\u2019t know it already, any authentic Italian eatery is going to close for a mid-afternoon break between serving lunch and dinner, creating slight complications for hungry tourists who missed the window. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Bars are the one spot where you can really order whatever is displayed at any time and no one will deny you or give you a strange look. <\/p>\n\n\n\n An Italian bar is basically a very casual lunch joint, sandwich shop, breakfast hub, a bar and after-dinner hangout, usually open early in the morning from 6:30 or 7:00 to either right before dinner, around 8:00 pm or even after dinner until midnight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Between opening and 11:30, enjoy Italian breakfast with a pastry and coffee beverage either standing at the bar or sitting down. There is nothing more Italian than this if you want to fit in with the locals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Pay first at the cash register and bring your receipt to the bar counter, asking the barista for what you have just paid for. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Good To Know: <\/strong>Sandwiches and savory bites can be purchased usually throughout the day, including at breakfast.. <\/p>\n\n\n\n From around noon to 2:00 pm you can eat either a sandwich or a simple first or second course meal. This is a very casual lunch option. The bar will usually give you a paper placemat and a little paper bag with your cutlery. It\u2019s very cheap and if you are at a good bar, it\u2019s pretty good as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After lunch, expect a rush of Italians as they pour in for their post lunch coffee and then another peak as school lets out around 4:30 for snacks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Bars also serve pre-dinner drinks known as an aperitivo <\/em>with small nibbles such as chips and nuts. Be aware that prices may change, however, depending on whether you sit down or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While seemingly obvious what a pizzeria<\/a> might serve in Italy, it\u2019s not quite as simple and basic as you might think. Most traditionally a pizzeria in Italy does serve pizza but nowadays you can often get simple appetizers, first courses and sometimes even second courses. In this case, the pizzeria will most likely be called a Ristorante e Pizzeria<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In Southern Italy (especially in Campania), it\u2019s tradition to eat something fried before your pizza while you wait such as a bit of fried polenta, mozzarella, potato fritter, fried rice ball or even fried bread balls. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Forni are Italian bakeries (plural form of forno)<\/em> where you will find all things baked including savory breads, local schiacciata, cantuccini, other cookies and pastries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip:<\/strong> During the fall, look for schiacciata all\u2019uva, <\/em>only available from September through October. Meanwine during Carnevale, ask for schiacciata fiorentina, <\/em>a sweet cake sometimes filled with either a chantilly cream or custard, unique to Florence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Head to forni pick up goodies for the day to keep you going between meals. Forni tend to be very well stocked in the early morning and sell out quickly so be sure to stop by earlier rather than later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Famous Forni in Florence<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip:<\/strong> Although a bit of a chain now, Eataly<\/em>, just off Piazza del Duomo in Florence makes very good bread of all different kinds, including schiacciata that is packaged into individual bags as it comes out of the oven.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Open air markets are the absolute best way to shop for ingredients while you are in Italy. If you have any intention of cooking while in Florence, don\u2019t miss either of their two famous markets to stock up on meat, fish, sausage<\/a>, fresh bread, preserved goods, cured meats, and fruits and vegetables. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
All About Florence Food<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Famous Tuscan Dishes <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Pappardelle al Cinghiale<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Peposo<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Pecorino di Pienza<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Olive Oil<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Fettunta<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Schiacciata <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Pane Toscano<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Fagioli All\u2019Uccelletto<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Fegatelli di Maiale<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Crostini Neri<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Panzanella<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Pappa al Pomodoro<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Ribollita<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Cantuccini e Vin Santo<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Ricciarelli<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Panforte<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Castagnaccio<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Schiacciata alla Fiorentina<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Pici<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Bistecca alla Fiorentina<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Cecina<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Where to Find the Best Florence Food<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Trattorias <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Famous Trattorias in Florence:<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Restaurants in Florence<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Famous Restaurants in Florence:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Street Food in Florence<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Lampredotto<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Trippa<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Porchetta<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Gelato<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Famous Gelaterias in Florence:<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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Schiacciata<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Enotecas<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Best Enotecas in Florence:<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Bars<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Famous Bars in Florence<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Pizzeria<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Famous Pizzerias in Florence:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Forni<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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You may also like:<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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Mercati<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Famous Markets in Florence<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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