Where to eat in Florence

1. La Buchetta

We owe many great things to Google these days, including leading us to this restaurant, which we would have walked by without noticing it and what a shame that would have been. It was a busy night in the middle of July in Florence and we consider ourselves lucky being welcomed so dearly by the staff despite not having booked a table in advance. They found a great spot for us in their small, romantic restaurant and served some magical food. It was indeed so good that we needed to try the dessert as well despite being so full already. We are so appreciative of this incredible experience and I hope you do yourself the favour and try this restaurant – this will make you love Florence even more!

2. La Strega Nocciola Gelateria Artigianale

Italy in summer can be insanely hot which makes it an obvious choice to soothe the heat with ice cream. We became sort of experts at hunting down the best ice creams in Florence which was indeed no easy task as you will find “gelato” at every corner of the city. At La Strega Nocciola Gelateria Artigianale is where you find THE best ice cream in Florence, others may even designate it as THE best ice cream in Italy. Don’t leave Florence without having tried their ice cream.

3. La Petite

I cannot recall one single time where I didn’t like the pasta dish I ordered despite its shape or stuffing. La Petite is no exception, the pasta was divine! This Italian restaurant is located close to “Piazza della Republica” and easily accessible when you find yourself in the centre of Florence, though still far enough away from the crowd to feel secluded. ‘La Petite’ has a rather young and relaxed atmosphere and also, I heard they serve some extraordinarily good cocktails ;)

4. Gelateria dei Neri

After tracking down the best ice cream in Florence we didn’t rest on our laurels too long as we needed to satisfy our daily need for ice cream over and over again. On the quest to locate more mouth-watering ice cream we came across Gelateria dei Neri, a ‘gelateria’ with a history going way back to 1989. Their passion for artisanal ice cream and love for raw materials results in an ice cream with an authentic taste.

5. Mercato Centrale

For an authentic Italian meal, you should not miss an experience at Mercato Centrale - an indoor market hall dating back to 1874. Located in this giant, old market hall you find and indoor market with fresh products on the ground floor and a food court on the 1st floor with a huge selection of all Italian dishes you might think of. With each artisan offering specialized meals or products, it makes them experts in their own niche of food and you may find an answer to all of your questions, at least regarding food. This is the place for you if you are picky, but be aware that it can be an equally hard choice to decide between the immense selection of Italian food gathered all at one spot. This place is especially an excellent choice for your where-to-eat-in-Florence-list if you find yourself traveling on a budget or you’re simply in search for a low-key, local and authentic Italian experience.

6. Gelateria della Passera

Across the river, on the southside of the river ‘Arno’, you can experience another amazing gelateria. Simply so amazing that even the locals speak of it, and you know, you can always trust a local recommendation. Just a tiny jump from ‘Palazzo Pitti’, tucked away in a corner on a small intersection, you will find the gelateria where people will wait in line to order from this artisan who undoubtedly know how to make incredibly tasteful ice cream.

Tips:

1. On the quest for a ‘gelato’ you might want to look for the places where the ice cream is actually hidden away in metal buckets. A trap easy to fall for when searching for good ice cream are the colourful mountains temptingly stacked one next to the other. However, the difference between the mountains of ice cream and the one hidden in the buckets is that the mountains contain more air, making it fluffy but equally less flavourful and affecting the consistency, too. Therefore, if you want to experience original Italian ice cream, go for the one you cannot see. This is the one with an intense flavour, feeling silky smooth on your tongue, the smooth texture you are looking for.