Best Restaurants in Florence 2026: A Local's Guide
Updated October 2026
People ask me for one thing more than any other: where should we eat in Florence? This is the list I send them. It covers the old trattorie I return to every trip, the market counters where Florentines grab lunch, the steak houses worth the hype, and the Michelin tables for a big night. I have eaten at every place on this page, and I rechecked each one in October 2026 against the 2026 Michelin Guide, its own website and recent reviews to make sure it is open and still good.
Florence is not a city for chasing trends. The best meals here are simple: a bowl of ribollita, pappardelle with wild boar, a steak cooked over coals, a glass of Chianti. The trick is knowing which doors to walk through, because the streets around the big sights are full of places that live off people who will never come back. Use this guide as your shortlist, then dig into my detailed guides to the best pasta in Florence, the best steakhouses in Florence, the most romantic restaurants in Florence and the best cocktail bars in Florence when you want more.
My quick picks
Best classic trattoria: Trattoria Sostanza, for butter chicken and a room that has barely changed in a century.
Best lunch on a budget: Trattoria Mario in San Lorenzo, at a shared table with market workers.
Best bistecca: Buca Lapi in the cellars of Palazzo Antinori, or Trattoria Dall'Oste for a livelier night.
Best in the Oltrarno: Il Santo Bevitore for dinner and Trattoria Cammillo for a white tablecloth lunch.
Best market meal: Da Nerbone inside the Mercato Centrale, for a lampredotto sandwich.
Best special occasion: Enoteca Pinchiorri, the only three Michelin star restaurant in Florence.
Best with a view: Borgo San Jacopo, on a terrace over the Arno near the Ponte Vecchio.
Best modern Tuscan: Gunè San Frediano and Io Osteria Personale, both in the Oltrarno.
How I chose these restaurants
Every place here passed three tests. First, I would happily eat there again next week. Second, Florentines eat there too, not only visitors. Third, it is open and running well in 2026. I left out places that have slipped, places that only work for a photo, and anything I could not confirm. If you want the full background on a dish, see my guide to 20 Florentine foods to eat.
Classic Florentine trattorie
Trattoria Sostanza
Where: Via del Porcellana 25r, between Santa Maria Novella and the Arno.
Sostanza has been feeding Florence since 1869, and it still has the white tiled walls, shared tables and marble counters of an old working class trattoria. It is small and loud, and the staff do not rush to please you, which is part of the charm. I have taken nervous first timers and food snob friends here, and both left happy.
What to order: the famous petto di pollo al burro, chicken breast cooked in a sizzling pan of butter, then the artichoke omelette in season and the meringue cake for dessert.
Booking tip: Book by phone a few days ahead. Closed on Sunday. The room is tiny, so small parties often share a table.
Where: Via Rosina 2r, behind the Mercato Centrale in San Lorenzo.
Mario has been a lunchtime institution since 1953. You share tables with strangers, the menu is on the wall, and on Fridays there is fish. It is the most honest meal in Florence, and it is where I go on day one of every trip to remind myself why I love this city. Lunch Monday to Saturday, plus dinner on Fridays except in July.
Read my full guide to Trattoria Mario for what to order and how to get a seat.
What to order: the ragù of the day, ribollita in cold months, and the bistecca on Friday or Saturday if you are sharing.
Booking tip: No bookings for small groups. Arrive just before noon, give your name and wait outside.
Trattoria Sergio Gozzi
Where: Piazza di San Lorenzo 8r, facing the Basilica of San Lorenzo among the leather stalls.
A family run lunch room with a short handwritten menu that changes daily. It is quieter than Mario and just as good. Lunch only, Monday to Saturday.
What to order: whatever pasta is on the day's menu, then bollito misto or a stew.
Booking tip: No reservations. Come at noon or after 2:00 PM.
Del Fagioli
Where: Corso dei Tintori 47r, near Santa Croce.
An old Florentine trattoria with wood paneled walls, run by the same family for decades. It is listed in the Michelin Guide and it feels like eating in somebody's grandmother's dining room. It is closed on weekends, so plan it for a weekday.
What to order: ribollita, the involtini, and the bistecca if your table is up for it.
Booking tip: Call a day or two ahead for dinner. Lunch is easier.
Trattoria Cammillo
Where: Borgo San Jacopo 57r, just over the Ponte Vecchio in the Oltrarno.
White tablecloths, waiters in jackets and a menu that follows the seasons. Cammillo is my pick when I want a classic trattoria meal that still feels a little dressed up. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
What to order: seasonal fresh pasta, porcini in autumn, and the mixed fry of chicken and vegetables.
Booking tip: Book dinner, especially on weekends.
Il Latini
Where: Via dei Palchetti 6r, near Palazzo Rucellai.
Hams hang from the ceiling, wine comes in big flasks, and you will probably sit next to strangers. Il Latini is loud, fun and great for a group. It now also opens for lunch on weekends, and is closed on Monday.
What to order: crostini, pappardelle, then the bistecca to share.
Booking tip: Book even if you think you do not need to, and expect a short wait anyway.
The best bistecca alla fiorentina
Bistecca is a T bone or porterhouse from Chianina or other Tuscan breeds, seasoned with salt, grilled over coals and served rare. It is sold by weight and meant for sharing. For my full list, see the best steakhouses in Florence.
Buca Lapi
Where: Via del Trebbio 1r, in the cellars of Palazzo Antinori.
Open since 1880, Buca Lapi is a vaulted cellar covered in old travel posters. The steak is excellent and the room is one of the most atmospheric in Florence.
What to order: the bistecca, with white beans and roast potatoes on the side.
Booking tip: Book several days ahead, a week for weekends.
Trattoria Dall'Oste
Where: Several locations, including Via Luigi Alamanni near the station and Borgo San Lorenzo near the Duomo.
A modern steak house with a big wine list and a menu that lets you compare different cuts and aging times. It is less traditional than Buca Lapi, but service is fast and it handles big groups well.
What to order: the aged Chianina bistecca and a bottle of Chianti Classico.
Booking tip: Book online. Go to the Alamanni branch if you want more space.
Oltrarno and San Frediano favorites
Across the river is where I would live if I lived in Florence, and it has the best concentration of good restaurants in the city. If you want to stay nearby, see where to stay in Florence by neighborhood and my Florence hotel guides.
Il Santo Bevitore
Where: Via di Santo Spirito 64r.
Vaulted ceilings, candles, a long wine list and Tuscan cooking with a lighter touch. It is listed in the Michelin Guide and it is where I bring friends who want a great dinner without a tasting menu. Open for lunch and dinner.
What to order: the seasonal pasta and whatever the kitchen is doing with vegetables that week.
Booking tip: Book a few days ahead. Wait for your table with a glass next door at Il Santino.
Gunè San Frediano
Where: San Frediano, in the Oltrarno.
A newer name in the Michelin Guide, Gunè cooks contemporary Italian food in a relaxed room. It is the kind of place locals book for a birthday.
What to order: the tasting menu if it is your first time, or two pastas to share.
Booking tip: Book a week ahead for weekends.
Io Osteria Personale
Where: Borgo San Frediano 167r.
Creative, ingredient led cooking in a stripped back room with brick walls. It is listed in the Michelin Guide and the menus change often.
What to order: a tasting menu, which lets the kitchen show off.
Booking tip: Book online, especially from Thursday to Saturday.
Osteria Vini e Vecchi Sapori
Where: Via dei Magazzini 3r, a few steps from Piazza della Signoria.
A tiny rustic room with a chalkboard menu right behind Palazzo Vecchio. It proves you can eat well near the big sights if you know where to look.
What to order: the ravioli, the tripe if you are brave, and the tiramisù.
Booking tip: Book. There are only a handful of tables.
Santa Croce and Sant'Ambrogio
Trattoria Cibrèo, Il Cibrèino
Where: Via de' Macci, by the Sant'Ambrogio market.
The casual side of the Cibrèo family, listed in the Michelin Guide. No pasta here, by tradition, just Tuscan soups, stews and polenta. Fabio Picchi's spirit lives on in the room.
What to order: the yellow pepper soup, the polpettone and the chocolate cake.
Booking tip: No bookings. Arrive at opening and put your name down.
Zeb
Where: Via San Miniato 2r, at the foot of the climb to San Miniato.
A tiny counter run by a mother and son, listed in the Michelin Guide for its market cooking. You sit on stools around the counter and choose from what is on the board.
What to order: the fresh pasta of the day.
Booking tip: Book ahead. There are very few seats.
Market counters and quick lunches
Some of my best meals in Florence cost very little and take ten minutes. These are the places I go for a quick lunch between museums. For the full list, see the best sandwich shops in Florence.
Da Nerbone, Mercato Centrale
Where: Inside the ground floor of the Mercato Centrale in San Lorenzo, open in the morning and at lunch.
Since 1872, Nerbone has served lampredotto, the cow's fourth stomach slow cooked in broth, to market workers. Grab a sandwich and eat it standing at the counter. Closed Sunday.
What to order: the panino con lampredotto, bagnato, with salsa verde and spicy sauce.
Booking tip: Come before noon to beat the line.
All'Antico Vinaio
Where: Via dei Neri, near the Uffizi.
The most famous sandwich in Florence. The schiacciata is good and the line is long. Go early, or try one of the alternatives in my sandwich guide.
What to order: La Favolosa, with salami, pecorino cream, artichokes and spicy eggplant.
Booking tip: Arrive before 11:00 AM.
Michelin star restaurants in Florence for 2026
Florence has eight Michelin star restaurants in the 2026 guide. Here is the full list, with my own notes. For terraces and candlelight, see the most romantic restaurants in Florence.
Enoteca Pinchiorri, three stars: one of Italy's great wine cellars in a Renaissance palazzo on Via Ghibellina. The milestone dinner.
Santa Elisabetta, two stars: six tables in a medieval round tower inside the Brunelleschi Hotel.
Borgo San Jacopo, one star: a terrace over the Arno and the Ponte Vecchio.
Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura, one star: playful Italian dishes on Piazza della Signoria.
Atto di Vito Mollica, one star: refined Italian cooking in Palazzo Portinari Salviati.
Il Palagio, one star: the Four Seasons restaurant, with a terrace on a huge private garden.
Saporium Firenze, one star: creative Tuscan cooking in the Oltrarno.
Luca's by Paulo Airaudo, one star: new for 2026, contemporary cooking from an Argentine Italian chef.
Also listed and worth booking: Ora d'Aria behind the Uffizi, La Leggenda dei Frati at Villa Bardini, and Cibrèo. For more hotel dining rooms, see the best hotel restaurants and bars in Florence.
Best restaurants by neighborhood
Duomo and Signoria: Osteria Vini e Vecchi Sapori, Gucci Osteria and Santa Elisabetta.
San Lorenzo and the market: Trattoria Mario, Sergio Gozzi and Da Nerbone.
Santa Maria Novella: Trattoria Sostanza, Buca Lapi, Il Latini and Dall'Oste.
Santa Croce and Sant'Ambrogio: Del Fagioli, Cibrèo and Enoteca Pinchiorri.
Oltrarno and San Frediano: Il Santo Bevitore, Cammillo, Gunè, Io Osteria Personale and Borgo San Jacopo.
San Niccolò: Zeb, before or after sunset at Piazzale Michelangelo.
How to eat well in Florence
Book dinner two or three days ahead from April to October, and a week ahead for Friday and Saturday. For Michelin tables, book several weeks ahead.
Lunch is usually from 12:30 to 2:30 PM and dinner from 7:30 PM. Kitchens that open earlier are mostly aimed at visitors.
Many trattorie close one day a week and some close for two or three weeks in August. Check the hours on their own site.
Coperto, a small cover charge for bread and the table, is normal. Tipping is not expected, but rounding up for great service is kind.
Avoid places with photo menus and staff calling you in from the street, especially around the Duomo and Piazza della Signoria.
Order bistecca by the table, not by the person. One steak usually feeds two or three.
Tell the restaurant about allergies or celiac needs when you book.
Keep exploring Florence food
the best pasta in Florence for ragù, pici and pappardelle.
the best cocktail bars in Florence for a Negroni before or after dinner.
the most romantic restaurants in Florence for terraces and candlelit rooms.
the best steakhouses in Florence for the full bistecca list.
the best gelato in Florence for dessert on the walk home.
Florence wine bars for an evening of Chianti and crostini.
All my Eat and Drink guides and my Florence hotel guides.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best restaurant in Florence?
For a classic Florentine meal, Trattoria Sostanza. For a special occasion, Enoteca Pinchiorri, the only three Michelin star restaurant in the city.
How many Michelin star restaurants are in Florence in 2026?
Eight. Enoteca Pinchiorri has three stars, Santa Elisabetta has two, and Borgo San Jacopo, Gucci Osteria, Atto di Vito Mollica, Il Palagio, Saporium Firenze and Luca's by Paulo Airaudo have one each.
Do I need reservations for restaurants in Florence?
For dinner, yes, especially from April to October and on weekends. Lunch spots like Trattoria Mario take phone bookings only early in the morning, so call ahead or arrive at noon.
What food is Florence famous for?
Bistecca alla fiorentina, ribollita, pappa al pomodoro, pappardelle with wild boar, lampredotto sandwiches and schiacciata.
Where should I eat near the Duomo?
Osteria Vini e Vecchi Sapori is a short walk away, and Trattoria Mario and Da Nerbone are ten minutes north in San Lorenzo.
What time do Florentines eat dinner?
Usually from 8:00 PM. Most restaurants open for dinner at 7:00 or 7:30 PM.
Which neighborhood has the best restaurants in Florence?
The Oltrarno, especially Santo Spirito and San Frediano, has the best mix of trattorie, wine bars and modern restaurants.
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