Amazingly delicious and enormous portion - - porchetta sandwich upstairs at the central market…read more Unfortunately, I don't recall the name of the restaurant, but certainly worth seeking out. If I go back one day, I'll have the exact same sandwich again!

Located in the San Lorenzo district, just a few minutes' walk from the main train station of Santa…read moreMaria Novella), Mercato Centrale is a vibrant food hall experience housed in a historic market building (very similar to the Time Out Market franchise across Europe). From the outside, it looks like a grand, iron-and-glass structure typical of European markets; inside, it opens into a bustling, multi-level space filled with food vendors, communal tables, and constant movement. The vibe is energetic, social, and slightly chaotic in a fun way - perfect for grazing, group dining, or trying multiple cuisines in one visit (from Italian to American to Mexican!). We stopped in for a quick lunch at around 2pm on a Wednesday; there was plenty of seating at high-top tables, and QR codes on paper menus make it easy to explore all the different food vendor options. It's also a fun activity to peruse the market, taking in different sights, smells, and flavors. All of us ended up opting for Schiacciatas (large Italian sandwiches that are a staple in Florence) from Massimiliano Parri, which all ended up ranging from €10-12, depending on toppings - yes, it's more expensive than what you'd get from a traditional schiacciateria, but you're also paying for the market's location and convenience. We appreciated the fact that they shave the meat right in front of you! My schiacciata came with freshly shaved ham atop crusty white bread, slathered with burrata cheese, and sprinkled with arugula and figs (I opted for no additional olive oil, since I found the ham quite rich already). I loved the contrast of textures and flavors, though I will say that the bread ended up cutting the roof of my mouth! All in all, Mercato Centrale is a bit touristy, but still miles better (and cheaper) than most "Italian" sandwich places you'd find in the US (pro tip: save your receipt for free use of their bathrooms). The variety can't be beaten, prices are reasonable for a central market, and it's steps from some of Florence's most iconic spots.

We decided to stop at this restaurant on a whim. Wow! We were blown away by the food and service…read more We started with the bruschetta, which was served with fresh tomatoes, olives and arugula. It was delicious and so light! We also ordered wine. We got the Rosso di Montalcino 2024 and it was definitely one of the best glasses of wine I ever had. The steak we had was also amazing. It was tender and so flavorful. The potatoes were also fantastic! At the end of the meal, we had Vin Santo (dessert wine that you dip biscotti in). Very delicious, but very strong. Lastly, the server (maybe manager or owner) brought us out complimentary limoncello. It was also delicious. We definitely had to walk (or try to walk) it off after all that! I can't say enough about the food and service. We went to another steak place a few days before at Trattoria Dalloste. It was a couple of doors away from this place. The service and food didn't even compare to this place. We spent a lot more money for rubbery and fatty steak. They also tried to overcharge us. So, do yourself a favor and try La Cantinetta Osteria con Cucina. You won't be disappointed! If we ever go back to Firenze, we would go back to this restaurant in a heartbeat.

We visited this place last night, our first night in Florence. There weren't a lot of options in…read morethis area of Florence, near the Duomo, and most places were full. The establishment is nice and inviting, and the staff are friendly and helpful enough. The lasagna was--and I'm not exaggerating -- gross. It looked and tasted like it came out of a can or package. After having excellent lasagna in Tivoli, two of my family members were expecting something at least enjoyable. If we were in a restaurant in American, where we are from, we'd have asked for something else as substitute. I had a risotto dish that was good enough, but the wine pour could have been better. If you come to this place, you may like it enough, based on other reviews, but definitely don't order their atrocious lasagna. Grocery store lasagna is better.

The first time I came here was while studying abroad in 2017. The food was the highlight of my trip…read moreto Florence. Truffle in the fries were truffle-y but not heavy like in the states. Pasta was al dente to perfection. It left a great footprint on my memory. The second time coming was today. 9 years later. Thousand more Yelp reviews under this restaurant's belt. Sometimes it's true they say don't try to relive nostalgia. In some ways I'd agree. It was much busier this time but we were able to be seated & served promptly. The food didn't hit as hard but the fries stayed the winner. Thank you Za Za

After a heavy day of shopping, walking for 8 miles and dealing with the heat, we needed a good…read moresit-down dinner with a substantial meal tonight. We found Trattoria Za Za, but could not get reservations. We showed up with 60 people waiting in line like us. The line moved quickly and we were seated in a glass enclosure with nice views. The menu is vast and the food flying out of the kitchen looked amazing. An appetizer of lightly battered squash blossoms was unique and enjoyed by all. Our first choice was the green peppercorns and Cognac cream covering a steak with rosemary potatoes. This was the best dishes of our 17 day excursion. The steak was perfect while the sauce was incredibly delicious. The steak with argula salad was our second choice. It was also savory and highly recommended. The setting here is great, amazing food, good value and a truly relaxed environment. If you are in Florence, please treat yourself to a fine meal at Trattoria Za Za for that special evening. To the establishment, great restaurant and we will return. Congrats on a beautiful evening.

Great great great! Came to the original location in Florence and was not disappointed. The lines…read moreappeared long but nice quickly. They're were three sandwich counters all within a stones throw away from each other and each had a line outsides sandwich was outta this world! Highly recomended.

Great place for foccacia sandwiches! Got the la paradiso and it was such a light yet balanced…read moresandwich packed with flavor! Loved how the stracciatella added some wetness to the sandwich and the pistachios added some flavor and crunch. Service is fast! Came at 3 pm with no line and another time with a line but it moved quick. They have some seats but eating outside is a nicer vibe.

Trattoria San Lorenzo specializes in traditional Tuscan dishes. I'm not sure how we came upon this…read moreplace but I am super glad we did. This was my most favorite meal during our vacation. Diving right into the food, my meal started with their Carabaccia, a traditional Florentine onion soup that dates back to when Leonardo da Vinci was slurping soup. It was a wonderful start to the evening. Feeling adventurous, or maybe just hungry, our group decided to share their Bistecca Alla Fiorentina "Tradiziozale", a hefty Florentine T-bone Beef-Steak. Wow, that was incredible. They brought out a 1.4kg very thick steak for our approval before cooking. We approved, and agreed in having it served rare. I ate so much steak. Our server was great, helping us navigate the menu that resulted in this meal.

Near the Duomo and my Airbnb in prime tourist area I honestly wasn't expecting much but we had just…read morelanded and my whole family passed out so I went roaming and stopped here to bring food back. ALL of us loved their food! So much so that my Dad insisted we go there again the next day. Later in the trip we were looking for pizza since gustapizza didn't work out and their pizza was also amazing! Fair prices, excellent food, in a tourist area, in Italy???? Never heard of her until now! Besides the different pizzas, I had the Cinghale which was incredible! The Lasagna also fabulous and the spaghetti for my picky daughter. With outside seating for people watching or inside and a menu you can't go wrong with, I highly recommend this Trattoria. Only attaching the pizza photo because the other food was takeout back to the Airbnb and I never took a photo sadly.

Definitely a tourist trap and I fell for it. First red flag was when we were asked how we want our…read moresteak done - which I never heard at any of the Florentine establishments I have previously dined at. It is traditionally served very rare, never cooked past medium-rare. I guess they cater to guests who like their steak well done so they can enjoy it how they are used to and go home and tell others about their authentic experience in Florence. The steak was under-seasoned and I found myself salting it, which I never do. The pappardelle with boar sauce was just OK, also had better versions of it. The cheesecake was good. The service was good, prompt and attentive. Overall experience, I'm scratching this one off my repeat list.

I definitely recommend you make reservations! It was quite a long wait. The staff was friendly. We…read moreordered a steak and i love how it came out on a hot plate. We were able to cook a couple of slice more for the kids. The French fries was really good. Pasta was cooked al dente. Expensive meal but it was good.

My husband was craving Neapolitan style pizza, so we walked around to find a pizzeria. We found…read moreMister Pizza, which happened to be very close to our hotel. Not going to lie, I was a little bit worried about Mister Pizza being a tourist trap since it was right by the Duomo in Santa Maria Novella Piazza. I even noticed on the menu that they catered to specific dietary preferences such as gluten-free crust and dairy-free cheese. But hey, this was one of the few places I have seen that made a lot of accommodations. We arrived around 8:30pm on a Monday night. The place was busy, but it appeared that people hanging around the entry way were really there for to-go orders. We were able to sit outside with views of the Duomo. Service was fine. Servers were quick and attentive, but the food took a while to come out. That said, the deliciousness of my pizza made up for it. I ordered the quattro formagi and requested it to come with marinara instead of white sauce. I was asked if I wanted burrata, but I didn't realize that it was an upsell. I thought it was going to be in place of the mozzarella, so I technically had 5 kinds of cheeses. My husband and I loved our respective pizzas. I especially enjoyed the bursts of gorgonzola and parmesan that added bursts of unique flavor. The fresh creaminess of the burrata made for a nice pairing with the edge of the crust. Speaking of the crust, it was doughy and fluffy with air pockets. One of the best crusts on a pizza.

Surprised this doesn't have more good reviews! My family and I really enjoyed this place after a…read morelong day out. We ordered the diavala pizza and one with Burada cheese with prosciutto (forgot the name). Both were delicious! The environment was a little hectic because it is near the cathedral, but still was a great vibe. The service was awesome and our waiter was very nice. I definitely recommend this place to those visiting the area!

What an AWESOME experience, thank you Kelsey for making both our dinners here in Trattoria…read moredall'Oste memorable. The staff is so accommodating and this place gets my highest recommendations!!

I have been dreaming of having bistecca alla fiorentina ever since I can remember. Back in the…read morestates, I always get strange reactions from the waiters when I order my steak "as rare as possible." That is what I was expecting in Italy. Am I the only one that thought steak florentine was supposed to be served this way? Maybe that's was my mistake but I thought that's how it was prepared in Florence. Anyways, I was immediately suspicious when our waitress asked how we would like our steak cooked and her suggestions were medium or medium well. Uhhhh what? That goes against everything I believe in! The steak came out on a hot stone slab on top of a wooden box. The slab obviously continued to cook the steak so I immediately took off a few pieces to prevent this. The steak was thick and tender with chunks of large salt grains. It looked nice all sliced up but that's where the compliments end. It lacked flavor and ended up cooking to be more medium rare when I grabbed my pieces and then even medium by the time my dad grabbed his second slice. Our waitress seemed annoyed when we asked for the truffle sauce to accompany our steak (my dad forgot to ask for it when we placed our original order) and walked away with a huff to go grab it. The fries came out cold and limp with flavorless truffle shavings on top. I'm not sure why this place has such great reviews. Maybe it got too big for its britches and the quality has declined? The one saving grace was the crema bruciata! And the very understanding hostess who gladly pushed our reservation from 7:30 to 8:00pm due to travel difficulties. Whatever the reason, this place definitely missed the mark. You can't walk three steps without seeing a steakhouse here in Florence. My recommendation? Try one of those.

*Reviewing for us picky Americans abroad*…read more Food and service was fantastic! Ordered the seasonal vegetable soup, the wild boar pappardelle, the ribeye, and Nona's tiramisu. 10/10 for everything!!

First Impressions - we did outdoor seating and it was a late dinner so not much available. Nothing…read moreabout it stood out to me. The host was very nice and welcoming. It was outdoor seating so it seemed romantic. The Noms - Bruschetta: tomatoes were very fresh. I could taste the herbs. I ordered a second healthy because it was so good. Steak: hubby ordered the steak, it was hard as a rock Ravioli: overly sauced, yet still dry... how did that happen? I don't know. In Conclusion - would not recommend unless you just want the bruschetta.

We arrived a little early for our reservation so they let us sit in the bar area and grab drinks…read moreand small apps. The olives they brought out were the best olives I've ever had (had a little spice/kick to them) and I'd come here again just to have those olives lol! When it was time for our reservation, we were moved to the dining area. It is very cute and there are minimal tables here, so I'd recommend making a reservation. However, it didn't get too packed while we were there. Pastas here were delicious, but I think the Risotto was the star of the show. We had a great time and would come back!

Service was impeccable, and ambience and vibes were on par. Food list was amazing, I had the sea…read morebass with the oysters and we had a very good bottle of Riesling and Cab. Shoutout to the host Gaya, who was very welcoming and pleasant along with the rest of the staff. Seated towards the back, we felt as if we had our own room in the restaurant. We therefore easily stayed for 3+ hours, and enjoyed all of it. Truly a great experience and one of my favorite restaurants in Florence now. Great spot for both meeting with friends and also a date night.