Must-Try Foods in Florence

Every region of Italy has a different cuisine, so when you go to Bologna, for example, don't expect to see Cacio e Pepe or Carbonara on every menu. Traditional restaurants/trattorias/osterias/enotecas usually will only have local food of the region on their menu, and for good reason! Italy is made up of 20 regions, each with their own distinct regional cuisine. 

Antipasti (Appetizers) 

Crostini Toscani (Fegatini)

You may be familiar with the French pâté, and Crostini Toscani or Crostini Fegatini is very similar. Crostini Toscani is a classic Tuscan antipasto: toasted slices of bread topped with a creamy chicken liver pâté.

Coccoli Prosciutto e Stracchino

Deep fried salted balls of dough, accompanied with prosciutto and soft, stracchino cheese is a must try! 

Primi (First Courses)

Pappardelle al Cinghiale

Pappardelle al cinghiale (or wild boar pasta) is a signature dish in Florence. Wile boar, while it may seem unheard of to visitors, is very common to Italians and is an extremely versatile game meat which can be prepared in many ways. It is typically marinated in red wine overnight, stewed in a tomato sauce, and then served atop thick pasta noodles, like pappardelle. Not only is wild boar a healthier alternative to pork, but it is also more sustainable – more than 150,000 of these boars roam the national parks in the Tuscan region. Marinating and slow cooking the wild boar renders the meat tender and full of flavor.

Panzanella

This summer Tuscan salad with chopped soaked bread, tomato, onion, and cucumbers is another dish of the "cucina povera" cuisine. 

Tagliatelle Funghi Porcini e Tartufo 

Locally grown porcini mushrooms and flavorful Tuscan truffles are the stars for this famous Florentine dish. Tagliatelle noodles are tossed in a creamy mushroom sauce and garnished with generous amounts of parsley to complement the flavors of the fungi. The freshest truffle and porcini mushroom tagliatelle can be found in Florence around the mid-autumn season, as that mushroom production peaks between August and October. 

Pappa al Pomodoro

Tuscan bread soup is a Florentine dish, that dates as far back as the 19th century. This thick tomato and bread comfort soup is a locals favorite, that shows how the Florentine farmers and peasants reused simple ingredients to create delicious dishes. During medieval times, the stale bread was used in this soup to not go to waste. 

Ribollita

This Tuscan bread soup with leftover veggies is another warm winter dish favorite. It is full of healthy beans and greens, with rustic bread and a tomato based stew. This dish also stems from the "cucina povera" culture, where peasants used what they had on hand already. 

Crespelle alla Fiorentina

This extremely typical pasta dish is not found commonly, but when you do find it, know it's a classic from the past. Crespelle are the Italian version of a crêpe, and in this case stuffed with ricotta cheese and spinach, then covered with a creamy béchamel sauce. Sometimes you will find they add a spoonful of flavorful tomato sauce and always a hefty portion of grated parmesan cheese. This dish is baked in the oven and served golden brown.

Secondi (Second Courses)

Bistecca alla Fiorentina

You cannot walk through the streets of Florence without seeing the famous Florentine steak hanging from refrigerators of restaurants throughout the city. The Bistecca alla Fiorentina, or the Florentine steak, is hands down Florence's most famous local dish. Its deliciousness comes with very strict requirements to gain the prestigious label of "bistecca alla Fiorentina."

To qualify as a Florentine steak, it needs to be a T-bone cut weighing no more than 2 kg and no less than 1 kg, taken from grass-fed Chianina cows raised on the farms of neighboring Siena.

The Bistecca alla Fiorentina is cooked rare (al-sangue), with nothing more than salt and pepper for seasoning. The charred exterior and rare-cooked meat is something that you must try!!

Peposo

This dish also comes from the poor working class. It's a stewed beef, that slowly cooks in red wine with black peppercorn. 

Coniglio

Finding roasted rabbit on a menu in Tuscany is not something to be alarmed by. This dish below for an example is rabbit wrapped in pork.

Trippa alla Fiorentina

Trippa alla Fiorentina is a traditional Tuscan dish and a street food staple in Florence. The dish is made with strips of tripe that are simmered with onions, carrots, celery, hot peppers, and tomatoes. Once fully cooked and tender, it is served drizzled with Tuscan olive oil and sprinkled with grated Parmiggiano cheese. It's recommended to accompany trippa alla Fiorentina with a few slices of Tuscan bread.

Tagliata di Manzo

Tagliata means cut/sliced so a Tagliata di Manzo is simply sliced beef. Usually you will find it served over a bed of arugula/rocket with Parmesan cheese. This is the same meat of the Bistecca so it is also served al-sangue, meaning rare. 

Contorni

In Italy, secondi or meats don't usually come with anything, it's simply just the meat, so it is more common to order a side dish of vegetables, like spinach, or beans or potatoes with your meal.

Fagioli all’uccelletto

These Tuscan-style baked beans are usually seen on the menu as a "Contorno" or side dish. This hearty vegetarian dish dates back centuries ago. It is often served with slices of Tuscan, saltless bread, for the "scarpetta" to literally wipe your bread through to clean your plate. This dish is made of beans stewed in a hearty tomato sauce base, infused with unmistakable notes of sage and garlic. 

This can often be found as a base to the non-vegetarian dish, Salsiccia e fagioli all'uccelletto, where sausage mounts on top the tomato-bean base.  

Piselli “alla fiorentina”

These are simply green peas boiled with garlic, parsley, and often pancetta, with a splash of olive oil for serving. 

Spinaci

Spinach is a very popular item you'll see listed on menus as a side dish. In Italy, secondi or meats don't often come with anything, it's simply just the meat, so it is more common to order a side dish of vegetables like spinach. Normally it is served cooked and then sauteed with a healthy dose of olive oil. 

Street Food:

Schiacciata

A traditional Florentine flatbread, with lots of salt and olive oil. You can have schiacciata as an afternoon snack, sometimes topped with cheese and herbs. The basic recipe is made up of just salt, olive oil, water, flour and yeast. 

Schiacciata all'Uva

This sweet bread, stuffed with grapes, can be found during the Autumn season, when the grape harvest has just begun. This is something you will crave for months, after trying, but can only find for a short period. 

Schiacciata all’uva is made with two layers of dough, and with plenty of red grapes dotted in the middle and on top.

The local Tuscan wine grapes, such as canaiolo, are used for their sweetness and they are seasonal, which is why you can usually only find this bread around harvest time in the month of September. 

Lampredotto

Lampredotto is a Florentine street food staple. Dating back to the time when peasants could not afford to let any of the remains of their food go to waste, lampredotto is simply beef tripe. Much of Florence's culinary culture comes from the idea of "cucina povera" which translates to the cuisine of the poor. This sandwich uses the lining of the cow's 4th stomach, usually slow-cooked in. a broth and served in a panino, topped with either a green spicy sauce. 

Dolce

Cantucci con Vin Santo

You may have heard of the term "Biscotti" but in Italian, that simply translates to cookies. What you're thinking of as "biscotti" is really called Cantucci in Italy. 

Cantucci are small, twice-baked almond cookies and they are often eaten after the meal, dipped into a sweet, dessert wine. 

Schiacciata Fiorentina

This sweet cake is usually found during the time of Carnevale. Usually the cake is cooked in a rectangular form, covered with powdered sugar and topped with a design of the Florentine lily or "giglio", the city emblem. In the middle of this decadent dessert is a pastry cream. 

Looking for WHERE to eat these delicious foods? 

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