Best Restaurants in Florence to Suit Every Craving

Florence combines Renaissance architecture, world-famous museums and one of Italy’s most recognisable regional cuisines. Traditional trattorias and sandwich counters share the city with vegetarian kitchens, contemporary restaurants and some of Tuscany’s most highly awarded dining rooms.

This guide covers the best restaurants in Florence for different budgets and occasions. Among the best places to eat in Florence, you will find inexpensive schiacciata sandwiches, traditional Tuscan dishes, fully vegan restaurants, romantic dining rooms beside the Arno and Michelin-starred fine dining.

Exploring the historic centre, Santa Croce, San Lorenzo and Oltrarno is easier without heavy luggage. Qeepl provides convenient luggage storage around Florence, allowing you to leave your bags or suitcases in a secure location before heading to lunch or dinner. Prices start from €4.39 per bag per day.

What Should You Know About Food in Florence?

Florentine cooking is based on simple techniques, seasonal produce and ingredients associated with the Tuscan countryside. Olive oil, unsalted bread, beans, vegetables, herbs and meat appear throughout the local cuisine.

One of the city’s best-known dishes is bistecca alla fiorentina, a thick T-bone steak traditionally cut from Chianina cattle and cooked rare over a high heat. It is normally priced by weight and is intended to be shared rather than ordered as an individual portion.

Other familiar dishes include ribollita, a bread, bean and vegetable soup; pappa al pomodoro, made with tomatoes and stale bread; and lampredotto, a slow-cooked beef stomach filling traditionally served inside a bread roll with green sauce.

The best food in Florence also includes fresh pasta such as pappardelle with wild boar ragù, crostini topped with chicken-liver pâté and cantucci biscuits served with Vin Santo. Schiacciata, a Tuscan flatbread filled with cured meat, cheese or vegetables, is one of the most convenient choices for a quick lunch.

Lunch is generally served between 12:30 and 2:30 p.m., while dinner usually begins after 7:30 p.m. Many traditional restaurants close between services, and some small trattorias open only for lunch. Reservations are strongly recommended for popular restaurants.

Florence is less expensive than some major European dining capitals, but prices vary greatly between neighbourhood trattorias and Michelin-starred restaurants. The estimates below are broad ranges in euros and should be checked against current menus before visiting.

Best Affordable Restaurants in Florence

Affordable dining in Florence ranges from traditional trattorias and Neapolitan pizza to filled schiacciata and busy market counters.

1. Trattoria Mario

Trattoria Mario is a historic family-run restaurant beside the Mercato Centrale. It is known for communal tables, a handwritten daily menu and a fast-paced lunch service rather than a leisurely formal meal.

The menu may include ribollita, pasta with ragù, roast meat, tripe and bistecca alla fiorentina. A typical meal costs around €20–€45 per person, although steak is priced separately by weight. The restaurant is close to the Medici Chapels and Florence Santa Maria Novella station.

2. All’Antico Vinaio

All’Antico Vinaio began as a small Florentine wine and sandwich shop before becoming an internationally recognised brand. Its original counters remain on Via dei Neri, close to Piazza della Signoria and the Uffizi Gallery.

The speciality is schiacciata filled with ingredients such as prosciutto, salami, pecorino, vegetables and truffle cream. Most sandwiches cost approximately €8–€15, making them practical for an inexpensive lunch. Queues can become long around midday.

3. Il Pizzaiuolo

Il Pizzaiuolo serves traditional Neapolitan pizza from a wood-fired oven in the Santa Croce district. The restaurant uses soft, long-fermented dough with the raised crust associated with Naples.

Classic pizzas include marinara, margherita and versions topped with buffalo mozzarella, vegetables or cured meat. A meal generally costs around €15–€30 per person. The restaurant is on Via dei Macci, close to Sant’Ambrogio Market and the Basilica of Santa Croce.

4. Mercato Centrale Firenze

Mercato Centrale Firenze occupies the upper floor of the historic San Lorenzo market building. Multiple independent counters allow visitors to choose different dishes while sitting together in a shared dining area.

Options include fresh pasta, pizza, lampredotto, meat, seafood, cheese, desserts and drinks. Most visitors can eat for around €15–€35 per person. The format works particularly well for groups with different preferences or for travellers who do not want a formal restaurant meal.

5. I Fratellini

I Fratellini is a tiny wine and sandwich counter that has operated in central Florence since the nineteenth century. Customers order at the window and usually eat standing in the surrounding street.

The menu includes compact sandwiches filled with Tuscan salumi, pecorino, porchetta, vegetables and spreads. A sandwich and drink generally cost around €8–€15 per person. The counter is on Via dei Cimatori, between Piazza della Signoria and the Duomo.

Top Vegetarian Restaurants in Florence

Florence has dedicated vegetarian and vegan restaurants alongside cafés offering substantial plant-based menus.

1. Il Vegetariano

Il Vegetariano has served vegetarian and vegan food in Florence since 1981. The informal restaurant draws on Italian regional cooking while also incorporating flavours and dishes from other parts of the world.

The daily selection may include soups, pasta, grain dishes, vegetable pies, salads and vegan desserts. A meal generally costs around €15–€30 per person. Il Vegetariano is on Via delle Ruote, north of the historic centre and within walking distance of the Accademia Gallery.

2. Brac

Brac combines an art bookshop, café and vegetarian restaurant in a quiet courtyard near the Uffizi Gallery. Its calm atmosphere provides a contrast to the busiest streets of central Florence.

The kitchen serves creative vegetarian plates with several vegan options. Dishes may include vegetable preparations, grain salads, pasta, cheese and house-made desserts. A meal generally costs around €20–€40 per person, and reservations are advisable because the dining area is small.

3. #RAW Vegan Firenze

#RAW Vegan Firenze is a fully vegan restaurant in the Santo Spirito area. It specialises in dishes prepared without animal products, with many raw and gluten-free choices.

The menu includes vegetable noodles, salads, plant-based burgers, raw cakes, cold-pressed juices and dairy-free alternatives. Expect to spend around €18–€35 per person. Its Oltrarno location is convenient for visiting Piazza Santo Spirito, Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli Gardens.

4. Flower Burger

Flower Burger is a fully vegan burger restaurant known for brightly coloured buns and plant-based patties made from beans, grains and vegetables.

The menu includes burgers, potato sides, sauces and desserts without animal products. A complete meal generally costs around €15–€25 per person. The casual format is suitable for a quick lunch or dinner when a full-service vegetarian restaurant is not necessary.

5. Shake Café

Shake Café serves salads, wraps, smoothie bowls, juices and brunch dishes at several central Florence locations. It is not exclusively vegetarian, but it provides a broad selection of vegan and meat-free choices.

Plant-based options may include pancakes, tofu or seitan wraps, salads, smoothies and dairy-free pastries. A meal generally costs around €15–€30 per person. Central branches include locations near Santa Maria Novella, Via Cavour and Via dei Neri.

Romantic Restaurants in Florence

Florence offers candlelit dining rooms, intimate hotel restaurants and terraces overlooking the Arno and Ponte Vecchio.

1. La Giostra

La Giostra occupies an atmospheric dining room near Santa Croce. Low lighting, historic photographs and closely arranged tables create one of the city’s most recognisable romantic interiors.

The menu combines Tuscan dishes with influences connected to the restaurant’s Austrian heritage. Signature choices include pear ravioli, bistecca alla fiorentina and pasta with seasonal sauces. Dinner generally costs around €60–€120 per person before beverages.

2. Il Santo Bevitore

Il Santo Bevitore is a contemporary Tuscan restaurant in Oltrarno. Its exposed brickwork, soft lighting and compact dining room create an intimate but relatively informal atmosphere.

The menu changes with the seasons and may include handmade pasta, vegetables, meat and modern interpretations of regional dishes. A complete dinner generally costs around €55–€100 per person before beverages. The restaurant is close to Piazza Santo Spirito and the artisan streets south of the Arno.

3. Borgo San Jacopo

Borgo San Jacopo is a Michelin-starred restaurant inside Hotel Lungarno. Its dining room sits directly beside the Arno, and a limited number of tables have particularly close views of Ponte Vecchio.

Chef Claudio Mengoni presents modern Italian cooking through tasting menus and à la carte dishes with occasional Tuscan influences. A full dinner generally costs around €150–€250 per person before beverages. Reservations should be made well in advance, especially when requesting a balcony table.

4. Golden View

Golden View occupies a prominent riverside location beside Ponte Vecchio. Large windows look towards the bridge and the historic buildings lining the Arno.

The broad menu includes pasta, pizza, meat, seafood and Tuscan dishes. Depending on the chosen courses, dinner generally costs around €50–€100 per person before beverages. A window table is worth requesting when making a reservation.

5. Santa Elisabetta

Santa Elisabetta is an intimate two-Michelin-starred restaurant inside the historic Torre della Pagliazza at Hotel Brunelleschi. The small dining room contains only a handful of tables.

Chef Rocco De Santis creates elaborate Mediterranean tasting menus with a strong emphasis on fish and seafood. A full experience generally costs around €200–€320 per person before beverages. Its central location places it only a short walk from the Duomo.

Are There Michelin Star Restaurants in Florence?

Yes. The official Michelin Guide lists 12 Michelin-starred restaurants in Florence in its current selection: one restaurant with three stars, one with two stars and ten with one star.

Florence also gained a new starred restaurant in the 2026 guide when Luca’s by Paulo Airaudo received its first Michelin star.

Three of the most notable Michelin-starred restaurants are:

• Enoteca Pinchiorri — three Michelin stars. Enoteca Pinchiorri is one of Italy’s most established fine-dining restaurants. Located in a historic palace on Via Ghibellina, it combines creative Italian cuisine with an internationally significant wine cellar.

• Santa Elisabetta — two Michelin stars. Santa Elisabetta is led by chef Rocco De Santis and serves creative Mediterranean cuisine inside the historic Torre della Pagliazza. Its tiny dining room and seafood-focused tasting menus create an especially intimate experience.

• Luca’s by Paulo Airaudo — one Michelin star. Luca’s by Paulo Airaudo is located inside Hotel La Gemma in central Florence. The restaurant received its first star in the 2026 guide for contemporary cuisine that combines Italian ingredients with international influences.