Florence on a Plate: 7 Restaurants for Every Appetite
Our personal picks for Florence's most worthwhile tables, respected by locals, beloved by tastemakers, and helmed by passionate chefs dedicated to consistently great food. In a city this popular with tourists and high on operating costs, eating truly well takes research. Consider this yours.
Enoteca Pinchiorri
Via Ghibellina has long been synonymous with this legendary address, a 17th-century palazzo that has housed one of Italy's great restaurants since 1972. What Annie Féolde and Giorgio Pinchiorri began as a humble wine bar with a kitchen eventually earned three Michelin stars. Today, chef Riccardo Monco leads the kitchen with precision and restraint, letting bold flavours speak for themselves without descending into excess. Francesco Federici's desserts are an occasion in their own right, and front of house, overseen by the esteemed Alessandro Tomberli, matches the cuisine in both elegance and care.
Atto di Vito Mollica
Tucked behind the Duomo within the Corte degli Imperatori at Palazzo Portinari, once the residence of the Salviati family, this is one of Florence's more remarkable culinary addresses. Chef Vito Mollica's cooking is sea-focused and deliberately surprising, pairing exceptional ingredients (including fragrant house-made bread and a curated selection of Tuscan and Umbrian olive oils) with combinations that catch you off guard in the best way. Original frescoes depicting scenes from the Odyssey line the walls, a softly bubbling fountain provides a calming backdrop, and service throughout is polished and attentive.
Santa Elisabetta
Slightly off the tourist trail but very much worth finding, this intimate restaurant sits within the Torre della Pagliazza, Florence's oldest and only circular Byzantine tower, accessed through the entrance of the Brunelleschi hotel. Upstairs, just six tables are gathered beneath a Murano glass chandelier, creating an atmosphere that is equal parts historic and refined. Chef Rocco De Santis brings a distinctly Mediterranean sensibility to the kitchen, with Campanian roots running visibly through his elaborately crafted fish and seafood dishes.
Borgo San Jacopo
Named for its setting in the beloved Oltrarno neighbourhood, this restaurant within the Hotel Lungarno sits just steps from the Ponte Vecchio. The prime seats, two tables on the balcony overlooking the Arno, are among the most coveted in the city, though wherever you end up, chef Claudio Mengoni's cooking consistently delivers. The menu spans two tasting options and an à la carte selection, with creative meat and fish dishes that nod, occasionally and confidently, to Tuscan tradition.
La Leggenda dei Frati
Set within the Villa Bardini museum complex up in the hills above Florence, this restaurant rewards the uphill journey with creative, modern Italian cooking and one of the city's most romantically situated terraces. Chef Filippo Saporito keeps things grounded in Italian culinary tradition while sourcing the finest sustainable ingredients, meats, breads, pastas, and presenting them across several menus, including a thoughtful vegetarian option. In summer, the terrace opens up with views stretching to Santa Croce, herbs scenting the air and, if you're lucky, cicadas in the distance.
Saporium Firenze
Ariel Hagen, Florentine despite the name, runs an open kitchen here, moving easily between the stoves and the dining room, where he takes evident pleasure in talking guests through his dishes. His commitment to sustainability shapes everything, from sourcing to presentation. The menus are tasting in format but can be navigated à la carte, and the desserts are memorable. The Caterina De' Medici's rose, a reimagined zuccotto with milk and Alkermes liqueur, is a highlight. The wine list is serious, with excellent by-the-glass options alongside some rare 1980s and 90s labels for those who know what to look for.
La Torre
A short drive south of Florence, Il Castello del Nero is a spectacular 12th-century estate in Tavarnelle Val di Pesa, and La Torre is its destination restaurant. Chef Di Pirro's cooking is technical and inventive without losing warmth or depth, underpinned by organic kitchen garden produce, including up to ten varieties of tomato, and an impressive cellar. Three menus cover the range: "Evoluzione Vegetali" (vegetarian), "La Terra" (meat-forward), and "Il Mare" (fish and seafood). The dessert menu alone, with its extraordinary imagination and refined petit fours, is reason enough to make the trip.
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