From Street Food to Five Stars- Eating Out In Florence
- Trish Tothova
- Aug 20, 2017
- 5 min read
Italian food is an all-round favourite, with their expertise in pizza, pasta, seafood and not forgetting gelato, it’s the queen of cuisine.
Florence is particularly well known for its high standard of restaurants and eateries, as people quote “You can never have a bad meal in Florence.” It’s quite the stretch as the city is buzzing with hundreds of places to eat and drink, but one thing you can always be sure of is its vast array of choices, from luxurious high end seafood and meat restaurants to your supremely fresh sandwich stops, making it attractive to all types of traveller budgets.
Here’s the Food Travels Editorial list of the best places to eat and drink around Florence, including your daily dose of gelato.
Boccadama
Piazza di Santa Croce, 25/26r, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy
££-£££
Opposite the beautiful Santa Croc church, Boccadama offers fantastic outdoor views. Easy to reach being in the city centre its got a lovely setting in the piazza including indoor seating.
With a selection of great antipasti and meat dishes, it's best known for its pasta.
If you are looking for a superb pasta dish this place will not disappoint, the spaghetti and meatballs is your man.
With a pleasant service and the buzz of Florence right in the palm or your hands, its a great choice for all types of people, from couples to families and even solo travellers.
La Giostora
Borgo Pinti, 10-18 R, 50121 Firenze FI, Italy
£££-££££
Quite easily one of the most beautiful restaurants in Florence. The traditional clothed tables, walls covered with art and photographs, gives it a real personal touch. Each table with a candle lit centre piece and ceilings covered with mesmerising twinkling lights, it allows you to sink into a romantic, up market dining experience.
Upon arrival you can expect a glass of prosecco and a warm first class service. The menu boasts choices of seafood, meats and fillets with other choices such as risotto and linguine.
Cooked perfectly and paired with exquisite flavours the chefs here have a great understanding of what the taste buds crave.
A high end restaurant, with a well deserved certificate of excellence. Worth every pretty penny and a great choice for couples who are looking for something more sophisticated with a flare of magic.
La Pizzeria Sud at Mercato Centrale Firenze
Mercato Centrale, Piazza del Mercato Centrale, 3, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy
£-££
Tuck into one of the freshest pizza's around at the upstairs cafeteria located in the central market (Mercato Centrale) of Florence.
Starting at just 8 euros, the pizza's here are cooked in an open fire stove, taking approx 5 minutes to cook. Now if that isn't fast service I don't know what is.
With toppings like prosciutto to mozzarella and diced tomato. It's a great place to visit if you want to feed the family with high quality ingredients at a cheap price.
Being based in the cafeteria means there is plenty of open space to sit with the long stream of tables placed in the centre of the hall. However, if you prefer to be in a more spacious surrounding, La Pizzeria Sud has its own private balcony overlooking the cafeteria. With no table service charge, it's a more relaxed area to sit and enjoy your perfectly cooked pizza.
Dei Frescobaldi
Via dei Magazzini, 2/4 r, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy
£££-££££
Hidden between the rows of shops in a quaint little street leading towards the centre is the magnificent meat master Dei Frescobaldi. The restaurant oozes class and elegance, with its lux table settings contrasting the traditional Florentine style walls.
It's excellent and well advised waiters, with impeccable English skills make sure you are fully content with your dining experience.
The choice of fillets are the best on the menu, being one of the finest meat dishes you will have the pleasure of experiencing . Pair it with their exquisite red wine menu, it will be a meal you can never forget.
All'antico Vinaio
Via dei Neri, 74/R, 50100 Firenze FI, Italy
£-£
Branded as the best street food in Italy, this sandwich shop is a lunch stop you absolutely must make when visiting Florence. The queue at lunch time can sometimes reach the end of the street with locals and tourists alike dying to grab an enormous filling packed sandwich.
But who can blame them, with a strong reputation and regular celebrity visitors this is not just any old sandwich shop.
The bread is all freshly baked, soft and spongy and the meats and cheeses are displayed in their original butcher lumps, ready to be sliced.
You can choose to create your own or take a pick from the brilliantly crafted choices on the board which give an insight to the classics and favourite choices.
At the price of around 5 euros, considering it's size, its a pretty good deal. A cheap eat and you can stroll around Florence with a full tummy, all without paying the price of table service at a restaurant.
Gelletaria Dei Neri
Via De' Neri 9/11R, 50122, Florence, Italy
££-£££
Probably the best gelato and sorbet you will have in your life. Period. Highly accredited and loved by all, this place will most definitely satisfy your sweet tooth.
They offer it in cups, cones and sorbets that you can drink.
The flavours are incredibly rich and the wide variety offers something for everyone. If you have a more fruity flare, they have a refreshingly large range, from your classics like strawberry, to mango and even mandarin.
For all the chocolate lovers there is also a fantastic range of flavours such as double chocolate, nutella, milk chocolate and salted caramel.
Prices range from 1.80 to 6 euros depending on size. Being open until late means you can enjoy it at breakfast, lunch, dinner or even as a midnight snack.
Viktoria Lounge Bar
Via Giuseppe Verdi, 20, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy
££-£££
You can find this fun bar on the main strip of where the late night party people like to meet. With a modern interior, they offer L'apertivo time where they dish out a buffet of food and nibbles for you to enjoy with your drinks.
What really stands out is the incredible talents of the bar tenders and their ability to provide a fantastic service, making sure you are happy throughout your stay.
The drinks are beautifully garnished and presented with a great range of house originals on offer. Or you could simply tell them how you are feeling, your moods and wants, and believe it or not they will make the perfect drink for you.
Dedicated to their craft this bar is an all round fun place to spend your night without any sky rocketing prices.
Make sure you stop off for a couple on your time here, it will take a load off your long day of walking and sight seeing.
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