New Restaurants in Florence: October 2026 Openings Worth Booking
Every autumn Florence reshuffles its dining scene, and October 2026 has been busier than most. I have been tracking the new openings, and these are the ones I would actually put on a dinner list for a trip this season. A quick tip before you go: new places fill fast in their first months, so book ahead, especially for Friday and Saturday nights.
J Contemporary Japanese Restaurant, Corso Italia
This is the opening everyone in town is talking about, partly because of the address. J Contemporary opened on 21 October in the former foyer of the Teatro Comunale on Corso Italia, a space that sat empty after the Maggio Musicale moved to its new home in 2014. The group comes from Campania, and Florence is its first restaurant outside the region. Expect sushi, sashimi and hot dishes like miso marinated black cod, plus a serious cocktail bar. The interiors nod to the theater, with an entrance styled like a stage curtain. Source: la Repubblica.
Portale by Paulo Airaudo, Porta Rossa Hotel
Inside the Porta Rossa Hotel on Via Porta Rossa, one of the oldest hotels in the city (first recorded in 1386), Portale has opened with a menu by Argentine chef Paulo Airaudo and Florentine chef Mirko Margheri in the kitchen. It is deliberately relaxed: thirty covers, a la carte only, no tasting menus, and Tuscan dishes like pappa al pomodoro and ravioli filled with finocchiona and pecorino. There is a ten seat bar for aperitivo, which makes it a smart stop between Ponte Vecchio and Piazza della Repubblica. Source: Florence is You.
Sevi, Peruvian cooking in the center
Chef Francys Salazar has opened Sevi with Jhoseleen Brilli running the dining room. The cooking covers Nikkei, Chifa and criollo traditions, with smoked ceviche and dishes cooked over a kamado grill. The showpiece is a twelve course omakase served at the counter to just four guests at a time. Downstairs, a speakeasy called Fragmentos pours pisco cocktails. Source: Accomodati Notizie.
Three more for your list
Alchimia Vegetale, Le Cure: chef Danilo Dispoto has brought his plant based tasting menu into a cozy fourteen seat room near the Le Cure market.
Santabarbara Desco and Cantina, Via Pier Capponi 34R: a wine bar spin off from the Santabarbara team, with shareable plates.
Dosirak, Via San Zanobi: Korean street food near San Lorenzo, good for a fast lunch or takeaway.
Sources: The Florentine and Accomodati Notizie.
My take
If you only have one special dinner, I would book J Contemporary for the setting and the bar. For an easy lunch near the sights, Portale is the most convenient. For more ideas, see my guide to the most romantic restaurants in Florence.
Planning where to base yourself for these dates? Browse my Florence hotels guide, organized by neighborhood.
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