Eating Around Florence

Tuscan food tends to be simple and satisfying. Classic dishes like panzanella, or bread salad, are refreshing during the summer. And the local beef, purchased at most places by the ounce, never disappoints when served sizzling on the plate.

However, the city can be crowded and hard to navigate. So, I put together a collection of some of my favorite places to dine and take in the views. Most are walkable within the city and one of my favorites is a cab or a car ride towards Chianti and well worth the trip.

Drinks and Dinner

For a cheap-and-charming insider view of town, check out the bar Olbate in the library. It is a great place for a glass of wine with a stunning view of the Duomo. The ristorante also does simple dishes at lunch and the place is, not surprisingly, full of students.

For a more elegant meal the Il Magnifico restaurant in the Tournabouni Hotel is a gem. The street outside is swank, central and free of cars. The rooftop terrace—a work in progress when I was there—is going to be stunning. The dining room has one two-top facing the street, which we snagged, and the view is great. The restaurant serves both classics like beef tartare with a quail egg and the Tuscan pasta pici with cacio e pepe—craveable adult mac n’cheese—with lime zest on it. Lime zest seems to be the newest thing in Florence and with fairly simple pasta dishes and I could do without it. The wine list offers ample Champagne offerings and ample, fun selections that aren’t Italian.

Dessert and a Walk

There are so many good gelaterias in Florence. Avoid those with the heaping tubs of ice cream and crazy flavors like puffo, which means smurf. Not even your kids will want to eat them.

One of my favorites is Vivoli, near the church of Santa Croce. Keep in mind you order at the cash register first and pay, before presenting the receipt to the person who scoops the ice cream. Another is Gelateria Santa Trinita. Trust me the line is worth waiting in.

Afterwards you can have a great little walk in the Oltrarno, the hippest ‘hood on the other side of the Ponte Vecchio from the Duomo and other big tourist attractions. The church of Santo Spirito is beautiful at night and the many bars around it are great places to grab a glass or wine or a digestivo.

Lunch, Dinner and an Escape to the Countryside

Santo Bevitore is a favorite among locals so you need to make a reservation. Simple Tuscan classics mix it up with hearty second courses of proteins like duck. The wine list, both by the glass and the bottle, is great with much depth in Chianti Classico and lesser-known Italian wines. The restaurant also features a great selection of local cold cuts and cheeses.

Ristorante Irene is located smack in the middle of Plaza della Repubblica. There is seating outside in the Piazza as well as tables inside. Seafood dishes rule the roost here with a great spaghetti with lobster dish as well as fat and juicy scallops. It’s a great place to stop and cool your heels and enjoy a glass of bubbles.

Everything about the St. Regis is over the top. From the mile-high ceilings in the Winter Garden restaurant to the cool list of variations on the Negroni as well as a Bloody Mary brunch offerings. The risotto with asparagus was astounding, as was the ravioli filled with sheep milk ricotta cheese, fava beans and Tuscan bacon.

I have to admit that I love the first courses so much in Italy that I often fill up them before properly finishing a meal with a meat or seafood course. If you want to take a daytrip to Chianti you are going to want to enjoy a long, wine-filled lunch in the countryside before or after visiting one of the hundreds of amazing wine producers. Villa Calciana Greve in Chianti is one of my favorites and the estate has beautiful gardens and does tours.

Cinque di Vino sits in a small piazza in San Casciano Val di Pesa. It is deservedly well known for its Bistecca alla Fiorentina beef, sold by the once, better come hungry as the smallest cuts are more than two pounds. However, the place also excels with appetizers like a local tuna salad and Fiori di Zucca, fried zucchini flower blossoms stuffed with cheese.

If you can’t manage the steak, the beef filet is delicious, and the hamburger looked great (but I couldn’t eat one on Italian time). Buon appetito!