What to Eat in Florence: 12 Treats You Should Not Miss

Florence is one of the best places to enjoy many unique experiences that you could not have anywhere else in the world. From wine tastings to museums and historical sites, there is no shortage of delightful things to do in Florence. If you love sweet wine, Florentine steak, or other local food, you will find that Florence restaurants can offer you the most delicious treats. There are even some excellent vegetarian restaurants in Florence if you don't eat meat. Eating is a big part of the experience of enjoying Florence, so you will want to have these dishes on your list of things that you must try out when you visit.

The first thing that you should do when you head to Florence to visit is to make sure that your bags are not going to be in your way. Put your luggage into secure storage in Florence with Bounce so that you can enjoy all of the delicious food that is available in nearly every part of the city. Being worried about your luggage can ruin your entire trip, and you will be so glad that you have put your bags into secure storage when you see how much easier it makes your travel.

Once your bags are securely stored, you will be ready to make the most of all the local Tuscan dishes and amazing Florence street food that you should not miss out on!

What to Eat in Florence

While it can be tempting to attempt to grab some of the Florentine desserts that are offered at the airport, you should wait to start trying authentic Florence cuisine until you can sit down at Florence restaurants and try the best version of these items. The best restaurants in Florence will offer many of these items all on one menu, and you will love being able to order all of the most recommended items during a single meal if you want. You can also wander around the city, trying out the best food that this city can offer.

From Tuscan cuisine to delicious wine, there is no shortage of wonderful foods and cuisine choices to enjoy in Florence. You will want to take the time to try them all out while you are visiting Florence. There is so much good food to enjoy here in Florence, but this guide will help you to make the most of the main flavors and dishes that are unique to this part of the world.

Florentine Steak

This is a rare veal steak that can be taken from a Chianina breed of cattle that has its origins in Siena. The steak is grilled over hot coals, which preserves the texture and taste of the meat itself. The seasonings are simple, and you can expect that most of the flavor will come directly from the meat. The usual seasonings will be salt and rosemary, and that is it. This is a very simple steak, but the texture and natural flavor are so good that you will wish you could get it at home.

This steak recipe dates back to the House of Medici, and the Medici family are said to have ordered their steaks cooked this way. This made it a local favorite, and it is still considered a delicacy among Italian cuisine options.

Lampredotto And Trippa

If you are brave, this local favorite is something that you just have to try. This is an Italian sandwich that is made with the fourth stomach of a cow. This dish makes sense when you consider that this area was traditionally a farming region, and people did not have much money. The tradition of making this sandwich came from the need to make the most of every bit of the cow to make ends meet.

This is not a food item that is for everyone, but locals love it, and there is nothing that says Florence more than this delicacy.

Pappa al Pomodoro

Pappa al Pomodoro is a traditional Florence dish that is served in Florence restaurants as well as in the homes of those who live here. This is mostly considered a winter dish, but you can get it out of season as well in some places. If you love soup, this is something that you will not want to miss out on. Pappa al Pomodoro is a bread soup that is made with fresh tomatoes, stale bread, olive oil, garlic, basil, and sometimes other seasonings or vegetables.

This is usually served with Tuscan bread, which is just as good as the soup itself. For those who love a good thick soup or chowder, this is the right meal to pick.

Coccoli

The name of this creamy fresh cheese treat translates as "cuddles," and you will find that these small balls of dough fried in olive oil are as delightful as their name. Coccoli are traditionally stuffed with prosciutto ham and creamy fresh cheese. The small balls of deliciousness are sometimes also made as Florentine desserts and are stuffed with sweet fillings instead of savory items.

This is one of the most popular Italian dishes that you can eat in this city, and they are often served as a snack alongside wine or other drinks when you sit down before dinner.

Vin Santo

If you love wine and dessert equally, you need to try out this well-known dessert wine that is linked with the region. This wine is thick and amber in color, and it is often served with cookies or desserts when you sit down to eat. This is one of the best-known local wine options that you can give a try, and all the best restaurants in the city will offer it. Vin Santo is often used to accompany Cantucci, a hard biscotti cookie, which is hard to eat if not softened with the wine.

Best of all, this is not a spendy wine, so you will not have to break the bank by giving it a try. It is also offered almost anywhere in the city, so you won't have to make a special reservation somewhere to give it a try.

Ribollita

Another famous Tuscan soup, this dish is more like a chowder, and it is made with cannellini beans, kale, cabbage, and other vegetables. There might also be stale bread croutons included in the ingredients in this dish. This is a vegetarian dish that was traditionally eaten in wintertime when things like cannellini beans and other vegetables were most of what was in storage, but it is now served year-round at many restaurants in Florence.

Remember that this soup will be very filling, and you will probably be served a large amount of it when you order this dish. You might want to plan the rest of your meal around this main course if you want to give Ribollita a try.

Brunello di Montalcino

This is a deep red Italian wine that has a powerful flavor. It is meant to offer you an explosion of flavor in your mouth, and the bouquet is very different from what most people think of when they think of red wine. This wine has a strong floral and earthy smell with cherry and rose notes.

There are not many other wines to compare to this one, which is why you should make sure to give it a try when you are in Florence. You will probably struggle to find this wine to try anywhere else in the world.

Gelato

While gelato has made a name for itself in the US in the past ten years or so, there is nothing like gelato that comes from Florence. Gelato restaurants in Florence offer you access to so many really delicious flavors that are not usually offered in other countries, and the texture and flavors of gelato here are second-to-none.

There are also gelato street food vendors near the city center who can help you to give this local favorite a try. Make sure you try pistachio gelato while you are in Florence since this is a very traditional flavor for this treat.

Coniglio Arrosto Morto

Rabbit is not served in many places in the US, but when it is made properly, it is very good. This is a common dish in Europe as a whole, and you might want to give it a try in one of the places where it is the most delicious. Rabbit can be tender, and when well-seasoned, it will not be gamey at all.

This is often a lunch dish in Italian fare, and you might also see it as a starter option at some fancier restaurants in Florence. As with other meat dishes here, just don't expect a marinade to flavor your rabbit dish. Most of the flavor will come from the cooking process and some salt and rosemary.

Schiacciata Alla Fiorentina

If you love cake, you need to try this traditional Florence dessert. This is a dish that is as Italian as pasta, and you will want to be sure that you make room for it at least once during one of our meals in this city. The flavor of this cake is usually citrusy in nature, so it might be lemon or orange flavored. The cake itself is light and sweet and just melts in your mouth.

The other nice thing about this Italian dish is that it will not make you feel that guilty for eating it as it is not loaded with lots of sweet ingredients or even that much sugar.

Vernaccia Di San Gimignano

Another really special Chianti wine, this is a great choice if you love a wine with a strong flavor. The bouquet for this Italian wine is typically fruity, but you will also get notes of saffron. You can enjoy this wine at most of the restaurants in Florence, and you will find it is a reasonable price as well. The honey notes and intense flowery flavor might not be for everyone, but you should at least give this well-known wine a try while you are in the region.

This wine is named after the grape that it is made from, and it has been made in this region since the Renaissance. This is a traditional wine that offers a flavor that is truly unique, and you should be sure to give it a try with dinner or lunch while you are in this part of Italy.

Schiacciata Con L’uva

Another really tasty dessert, this is a great choice if you love fresh fruits. This is another light Italian cake that has a fruity filling, and it is made with only 6 spoonfuls of sugar. This is one of the common dessert options that is offered at most restaurants in Florence because it is so popular.

Schiacciata Con L’uva is an almost refreshing cake-style dessert, and the sweetness and deliciousness of the tart fruit filling is hard to convey. You will just have to try this lovely treat to experience the freshness and light texture of this dessert.

Sampling the Cuisine in Florence is a Must

Florence is one of the most incredible places that you can visit for so many reasons. Between delicious food and drink and the lovely weather and scenery, there is so much to love about this region. Florence has long been one of the best areas in Italy for wine, olive oil, and delicious pasta and you can enjoy all of these items and more when you head to Florence for a trip. You'll probably want to check out the best hikes in Florence to work off some of the calories you've consumed.

Make sure that you are open-minded about eating rabbit and wild boar, and don't turn down the favored local dishes that include local ingredients like porcini mushrooms or even cow stomach. There are many amazing cuisines that are unique to Florence and you will love getting the chance to enjoy them while you visit this part of Tuscany.