What Food is Florence Best Known For?

Florence for Foodies

Florence is an expensive city to visit and the food can be pricey too. But you can also find some amazing rustic food which is fantastic value. If you want a full meal, lunch is usually a cheaper option with many establishments offering a set menu at fixed price. Look out for the Platti Speciali del Giorno.

Ristorante, Trattoria or Osteria?

It’s worth knowing the difference between the different types of eatery in Italy. A ristorante is what we would understand to be a classic restaurant. You would expect to be seated, there will be a full menu and waiter will attend to your every need. A sommelier may be on hand to help with the wine list.

Trattorias are more relaxed. These are likely to be family-run restaurants that present home-made meals that are rustic. You’ll likely order house wine by the glass and quaff it down with delicious traditional food.

An osteria is a drinking establishment that serves food. It’s more likely to be a wine bar because Italian wine is excellent. The food will largely comprise smaller dishes, aimed to complement the drinks on offer.

The Italian Menu

Italian menus can be a little confusing. Around the world, many restaurant menus offer an appetiser, a main course and a dessert. Italian menus offer so much more!

They start with the anti-pasti, appetisers which may comprise small dishes of delicious things, like olives, cured meats and marinated vegetables.

Then the primi, which are more than a starter. A soup, a pasta dish, or a risotto are typical.

Secondi are the main course offerings. These will usually comprise a meat or fish dish. They are sometimes served without carbs and vegetables, so if you want these you will need to order them separately.

Dolci are the sweet desserts to round off the meal.

The problem is that  – unless you are super-hungry – if you go for the full menu you are unlikely to be able to manage a dessert. The other courses are just too filling.

In terms of etiquette, the great thing is that you can mix it up – simply choose whatever you want. If you only want a prima course, that’s okay, it you want to go all-out and enjoy everything, that’s fine too.

High End Dining

Bistecca, Florentine steak, is the city’s most famous dish. There are a plethora of restaurants offering steak and you will see huge hunks of beautiful steak ageing in their windows, enticing you inside for a very carnivorous experience.

The steak is sold by the kilogram (including the bone), so you will need to work out how much you and your dining companions need. The waiter will likely show you your steak before it gets cooked.

Steaks are usually cooked rare or medium rare and its likely that you won’t be asked how you like your steak. And, even if you are, don’t ask for ‘well done’ on such a wonderful piece of meat! The steak usually doesn’t come with carbs or veg, so you will need to order those separately, if you need them. This beauty was served on a platter with salt so that you could add seasoning to your own taste.

It is a splurge but the steak is truly delicious so we recommend trying bistecca if you can.

Gelato

It is thought that gelato was invented in Florence (although some regions, notably Sicily, might dispute this). Cosimo Ruggeri, who served at the court of Catherine de’ Medici, developed a marvel called fior di latte in the 16^th century, winning the prize in a competition to discover the most singular food dish. Italian gelato is quite different to ice cream. Gelato is lighter because it contains more milk than rich cream, and the churning process is more leisurely.

Many gelateria showcase their wares in trays with brightly coloured, delicious-looking offerings. While these are tasty, the best gelati should be stored in metal tubs with lids on, protecting the gelati from light and air and preserving flavour. Gelati shouldn’t have the bright colours because this may mean that the flavours aren’t entirely natural, that is, they may contain colouring. In Florence, Caraya and Eduardo have a reputation for excellent gelati.

Coffee

Italians love a coffee and there are plenty of bars (cafes) in Florence to stop and enjoy a break with any one of Italy’s amazing variety of coffees. The best places that make cappuccino don’t re-froth the milk – every cup is made perfectly to order. Gialli is the oldest coffee shop in the city. It’s located in Republica Piazza. But remember – don’t order cappuccino after 10:30am!

Wine Windows

Back in the city, the wine windows of Florence are a delightful idea. These cute little windows, cut inside a wall, can be found all over the city. They date back to the 16^th century as a way for local passers-by to enjoy a tipple on the pavement. Just knock and ask for a glass of wine.

However, charming as they are, the wine can be really expensive! A minimum of 9 Euros for a glass of wine is not great value and, sadly, some of these windows do feel rather like a tourist trap. And you often find tour groups lurking outside, which makes standing in the street with a glass of wine but lots of people crowded around you far less enjoyable. Considering you can get a bottle of Chianti Classico directly from the producer – some bottles are 10 Euros – visiting a wine window is a fun thing to do, but not great value. That said, there are some value wine windows around the city, so if you chance upon a good one, why not indulge?