Food & Drink

The Florentine cuisine is the opposite of haute cuisine: rustic, honest, focused on the quality of ingredients, and without frills. Florentines call it "cucina povera" (poor people's cuisine) — which means not poor, but ingeniously simple.

The Classics

• Bistecca alla Fiorentina: THE dish of Florence — a T-bone steak from Chianina beef, at least 3–4 cm thick, grilled over charcoal, served rare (al sangue). Priced per kilo (45–60€/kg), a steak weighs 1–1.5 kg. Always shared. Order white beans (fagioli all'olio) and a Chianti Classico with it. Do not order well-done — Florentines will be furious.
• Ribollita: The most famous soup of Tuscany — "reboiled" stew of black cabbage (cavolo nero), white beans, stale bread, and vegetables. Simple, warming, perfect in winter.
• Pappa al Pomodoro: Tomato-bread soup — stale bread dissolved in tomato sauce, with garlic and basil. Sounds simple, tastes divine.
• Lampredotto: Florence's ultimate street food: tripe (the fourth stomach of the cow), slowly cooked, thinly sliced, in a roll (panino) with salsa verde and hot sauce. Sounds daunting, tastes fantastic. The Trippai (Lampredotto stands) are an institution — found at Piazza dei Nerli, Mercato Centrale, and Via dei Macci.
• Schiacciata: The Florentine flatbread — with olive oil, rosemary, and salt. Available in every bakery (Forno) — as a snack in between or filled as Panino (Schiacciata con prosciutto e mozzarella). The version with grapes (Schiacciata con l'uva) is only available in September/October — a seasonal highlight.
• Crostini di Fegatini: Toasted bread with chicken liver pâté — the classic appetizer in every trattoria. Rustic and aromatic.

The Negroni — born in Florence

The Negroni was invented in 1919 at Caffè Casoni (now Caffè Giacosa, Via della Spada): Count Camillo Negroni asked the bartender to mix his Americano with gin instead of soda water. The result — equal parts gin, red vermouth, and Campari, garnished with an orange slice — became the most famous cocktail in the world. In Florence, it is drunk as an aperitivo (6–8 p.m.), on the piazza or at the bar. 6–10€.

Gelato — the Invention from Florence

Florence is the birthplace of gelato: Bernardo Buontalenti invented ice cream for the Medici in the 16th century. Today, you can find some of the best gelaterias in the world in the city:

• Vivoli: Since 1930 — the oldest gelateria. No cones, only cups. Creamy and intense.
• Gelateria della Passera: Tiny, hidden in the Oltrarno, with spectacular flavors (lavender, ricotta with figs).
• La Sorbettiera: The favorite gelateria of the Florentines — far from the tourist center (Piazza Tasso), but worth the trip.