Where to Eat in Florence

There is no shortage of places to grab a bite in Florence. As a visitor, young or old, you will find something you like and never go hungry. There are some experiences more suited to the adventurous palate, such as grabbing a tripe sandwich from a street vendor (a local favorite, but you don’t want to know what’s in it), or visiting a local butcher and seeing animal parts that most American butchers discreetly hide from view. But for the most part, Florence has a variety of food that is extremely approachable to the typical American visitor. What’s not to love about pasta, pizza and gelato?

Let’s start with old school. Perhaps the most famous restaurant in town is Cibreo, which is a beautiful restaurant located in a very cool neighborhood right near Sant’Ambrogio market. You go here and turn yourself over to the chef, trusting him to delight you with what’s fresh and good that night. The food is traditional and expensive. Nearby is the Cibreo Trattoria, which is Cibreo’s more casual younger sibling. The food is equally amazing. They do not take reservations, so you need to arrive when they are opening (around 8pm) and ask for a table. There’s even a Cibreo Cafe down the street, which is perfect for lunch or meeting a friend for a mid-day cafe break. I’ve spent a lot of time in the Cafe because it’s right next to a large underground parking garage that serves Sant’Ambrogio market. It’s great to start the day with an easy trip into town, a reliable parking space, a fabulous cappuccino at Cibreo Cafe and then a quick stroll to wherever you want to go in town.

A restaurant that we really like, and recommend often, is Obica, a hip mozzarella bar in the fancy shopping district near Via Tornabuoni. I love this style of eating — You pick your type of mozzarella, from buratta to traditional buffalo, then choose your garnishes, from pesto to veggies to delicious Italian sausages. The menu is great but I also enjoy the ambiance. They have a spacious enclosed patio with couches for lounging through cocktail hour after a long day of shopping.

We always try to keep our ears open for new places to try the next time we visit, or maybe not “new” but at least new to us. There’s a fair amount of buzz around Borgo San Jacopo, which recently received a Michelin star rating. This restaurant is located on the south side of the river, or the Oltrarno district, with beautiful river views. It is associated with one of the Lungarno Collection hotels, which are beautiful luxury hotels with a modern flair centrally located in Florence. From what we’ve heard, a dinner at Borgo San Jacopo is an adventure of flavors. We can’t wait to try it!

Buon Appetito!