Where to eat and stay in Florence 2023

Thirty of my favourites, from classic trattorie to gelato to non Italian eats

I've written so much about eating in Florence over the years and this is still probably one of the most asked questions I get! I have guides in the back of my cookbook Florentine and have written food guides for publications from Departures magazine to Gourmet Traveller. I have also been making detailed e-books with full guides on where to eat over the past couple of years but now here, my newsletter, is the place where I will share my food guides!

Even though this is a guide for Florence, I am also trying to steer people away from Florence in the very busy months (which is basically all year except November-March) because it is simply becoming totally unpleasant and unsustainable to visit because of the sheer numbers of tourists piling into the city. It’s hard to get a taxi, a dinner reservation or just walk down the street. I know this is not how you want to experience Florence. See this post for on more about that.

But if you are there in the busier months, at least you have this list to keep you well fed; most of these are the places I would go and I tend to seek out less crowded spots (such as the lesser known Coquinarius restaurant in panoramic Fiesole rather than their regular spot next to the Duomo).

I will often refer people to my old blog posts that you can find on the travel page. Honestly, these are still the places I love eating at in Florence. The oldies are most definitely goodies but I have narrowed it all down for you here. In addition to this list, I wanted to point you to these two posts in particular:

This post has some of my favourite neighbourhoods and places to eat in those streets, piazzas and corners that I still love most.

This post has 11 wonderful places to eat great panini in Florence that are not Antico Vinaio (see the post above on traveling sustainably in Florence for more on this tourist hot spot that you should avoid like the plague! I used to live directly across the street from it before its exaggerated and ridiculous rise to fame, it was once really good and normal and its rise to fame has kicked out a lot of wonderful little shops from that street). I could do a similar rant on wine being served through the “buchette”, little wine doors — but will save it for another day. Please don’t fall for them, it’s a gimick aimed at tourists!

Without further ado, here are my picks, old and new:

In the historic centre

Trattoria Sostanza (old school Florence, I love it for its simplicity and that it never, ever changes. Book the later sitting so you’re not rushed)
Trattoria Cibreo (not to be mistaken with Cibreo restaurant or Cibreo cafe, their counterparts, they are all good but all different)
5 e Cinque (vegetarian, organic Ligurian menu — get the focaccia di Recco — above)
Regina Bistecca (for the works or a special night; they also have a great bar for pre dinner drinks)
Le Volpi e L'uva (my second home since 2005 and to me the only wine bar in Florence)
Procacci (for a fancy aperitivo of truffled panini and great Virgin Marys)
Dalla Lola (a no-frills, tiny, young trattoria of forgotten dishes, a new favourite)
Enoteca Spontanea (small, cute place on Via Maggio serving natural wine and good food with knowledgeable, friendly staff)
Bistro Santa Rosa (lovely food and good cocktails, also a garden space for the kids to run around)
Osteria Tre Panche (truffle dishes on the rooftop of the Hotel Hermitage next to the Ponte Vecchio — below)
Tripperia Pollini (nothing like standing around with a panino with lampredotto from a tripe van for a full Florentine experience!)
I Buongustai (a favourite ever since I used to work across the street from it in a little jewellery shop back in 2007, a tiny lunch spot of good, simple food, right near Piazza della Signoria in via dei Cerchi 15r)

In the outskirts

Trattoria Ruggero (a classic Florentine restaurant, via Senese 89r)
Trattoria Da Burde (one of the best for classic Florentine dishes but watch the opening times as they are mainly open for lunch)
Caffe Desiderio (clever and tasty bistro in the piazza in Settignano, my old neighbourhood, one of the only places you can sit in a non touristy piazza in Florence)
Coquinarius Fiesole (the hillside version of the Coquinarius next to the Duomo is even better than the original, great wine list with plenty of natural wine options)

Gelato, bakeries and coffee

S.Forno (my favourite bakery in the oltrarno)
Cantinetta Verrazano (go for coffee and pastries or for one of their stuffed focaccias)
Pasticceria Giorgio (on the outskirts but easy to get to by tram; great pastries and old school aperitivo)
Ditta Artigianale (see below)
Melaleuca (see below)
Sbrino (lovely natural gelato in the oltrarno, menu above, that I took Clive Myrie to for Episode 1 of Clive Myrie's Italian Roadtrip! Below)
Carabè (my very favourite for granita and sorbet, Sicilian style, Via Ricasoli 60r)
Perché No (an oldie but always a goodie. Rose scented gelato and sesame and honey are perfect, Via dei Tavolini 19r)

Not Italian places

Wild Buns  (artisanal Swedish buns and Scandinavian bakery! Need I say more)
Melaleuca (Aussie cafe for when I'm homesick. Great coffee, great brunch, absolutely everything is housemade, from the bacon to the sourdough to the cinnamon rolls)
Oko Bento (a tiny bento place, my favourite for Japanese food that tastes like my mum's but they only open for lunch hours for takeaway bento and they often run out so get there early!)
Il Ciccio pasticceria (a cute tiny standing-only spot for bubble tea, Japanese taiyaki made on the spot, dango and mochi — if you can elbow your way past the crowds standing in line for a ridiculous wine served through a tiny door from the osteria opposite. Via delle Belle Donne, 17r)
Reburger (the best burgers in Florence, hands down. Their buns come from Wild Buns, plenty of vegan options too)
Su Guan (Chinese vegetarian - fresh tofu, great noodles, housemade dumplings, Via della Scala 22r)
Ditta Artigianale (This coffee shop, which has now five? Six? - honestly can't keep up - cafes in Florence, really is international, and although I think as it’s expanded, it’s lost control over some aspects of quality. Never the less, go here for coffee or cocktails rather than for food. I like the cloister in the Sant'Ambrogio cafe for a quiet spot or via dello Sprone when I'm meeting up with people).
Atomic Falafel (the.best. Don't let the simple look of this place fool you, it's absolutely wonderful and if you don't know what to order, ask the kind staff, they will suggest a great feast — below)

Places to stay in Florence:

I get asked all the time for recommendations for places to stay but because I have lived in Florence for many, many years (2005-2020) and now only live 40 minutes away I honestly rarely stay in hotels! But these below are ones I’ve seen the insides of and I can confirm they are lovely places. I also get asked all the time for a suggestion for neighbourhoods. You should know that the historical centre of Florence is small — you could walk across it in about 30 minutes. So you could really choose to be anywhere and you’ll still be amongst it all. That said, the train station area is the only place I would avoid unless you need to be close to it for an early trip, simply because it’s not as pretty as the rest and can also be busy and trafficky. Also see my post on my Italy Stays Addresses!

Sopr’Arno (or its sister hotels, Adastra and Oltrarno Splendid), the beautiful boutique hotel of calligrapher Betty Soldi and her partner Matteo Perduca, who also owns Regina Bistecca.

Numeroventi, an artist residency and stylish apartments in a nineteenth century syrup factory in the centre of Florence. You can’t ask for more.

Hotel Palazzo Guadagni, a charming old school hotel in the middle of Piazza Santo Spirito. Their Loggiato Rooftop bar is a great place for a drink overlooking the rooftops of the Oltrarno.

Palazzo San Niccolo, a beautiful palazzo with a garden and lovely communal spaces in the charming San Niccolo neighbourhood.

Slightly outside of the historical centre:

If you want to be slightly out of the chaos of Florence but still close enough to pop in all the time, I would also recommend Settignano Tuscany Homes — it is in my old neighbourhood of Settignano and it is stunning — and Valdirose, the charming B&B of my friends Paolo and Irene, which is a 20 minute train ride away in Lastra a Signa.

Also check my guide on Where to stay in San Miniato and then come and see us at Enoteca Marilu, for a market cooking class, a wine tasting or just aperitivo -- it is a 40 minute train ride from Florence and 30 minutes only to Pisa airport and in the middle of Lucca, Pistoia, San Gimignano, Prato, it's a pretty central place to be based!