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Plan Your Trip Explore Florence & Tuscany Worth a Trip Survival Guide COVID-19 We have re-checked every business in this book to ensure that it is still open after the COVID-19 outbreak. However, the economic and social impacts of COVID-19 will continue to be felt long after the outbreak has been contained, and many businesses, services and events referenced in this guide may experience ongoing restrictions. Some businesses may be temporarily closed, have changed their opening hours and services, or require bookings; some unfortunately could have closed permanently. We suggest you check with venues before visiting for the latest information.
Florence & Tuscanys
Top Experiences
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Dining Out
Quality ingredients and simple execution are the hallmarks of Florentine cuisine, climaxing with the bistecca alla fiorentina (pictured), a huge slab of prime T-bone steak rubbed with tangy Tuscan olive oil, seared on the char grill, garnished with salt and pepper and served beautifully al sangue (bloody). Wherever you dine, quality is guaranteed.
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Cafes
Florentines dont pause long for colazione (breakfast). Most make a quick dash into a bar or cafe for an espresso and cornetto (croissant) standing at the bar. At pranzo (lunch), busy professionals will sometimes grab a quick snack at a cafe usually a panino (sandwich) or tramezzini (the local version of a club sandwich) accompanied by a glass of wine or a coffee.
Trattorie, Osterie & Ristoranti
Champions of traditional Tuscan cuisine, these low-fuss eateries are greatly beloved in Florence. Popular for both pranzo and cena (dinner), they are often family run and excellent value for money. Theres a fine line between an upmarket version of an osteria (casual tavern) or trattoria and ristorante ; service is more formal in ristoranti and cuisine is generally more refined.
Enoteche
Enoteche (wine bars) are trending in todays Florence, popular for their focus on quality wine and light, seasonally driven dishes often described as Modern Tuscan. Popular destinations for aperitivi (pre-dinner drinks accompanied by cocktail snacks), they are equally alluring for a casual pranzo or cena.
Best Traditional Tuscan
Sensational Tuscan dining by San Lorenzo market.
Top-notch Tuscan cuisine la Fabio Picchi in SantAmbrogio.
All the classics in an interior unchanged since 1915.
Tasty Tuscan home cooking at a snip of other restaurant prices.
Best Modern Tuscan
Inventive cuisine by one of Florences most talented chefs.
Creative bistro fare on Piazza della Repubblica.
Long-standing, modern Tuscan favourite on the Oltrarno.
Creative osteria to die for.
Best Gelato
Handmade gelato and sweet pastries, famed Italy-wide.
Top-notch gelato near the Duomo.
Vintage fave for coffee, cakes and gelato.
Sensational artisan gelateria near Piazza San Marco.
Best Panini
Creative sandwiches to go in SantAmbrogio.
Gourmet panini near the Uffizi.
Favourite for its simplicity, in a 13th-century cellar since the 70s.
Best Quick Bites
Mad-busy deli serving iconic cured-meat tasting platters.
Riverside food truck cooking up artisan burgers.
Tripe to go in foodie SantAmbrogio.
Fresh, raw snacks and dishes all sensational to eat in or go.
Bar Open
Florences drinking scene covers all bases. Be it historical cafes, contemporary cafes with specialist coffee, traditional enoteche (wine bars, which invariably make great eating addresses too), trendy bars with lavish aperitivo buffets, secret speakeasys and edgy cocktail or craft-beer bars, drinking is fun and varied.
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Cafes
Florence has cafes of every type historic, hip, bohemian, cosy and plenty with no frills. Most are bar-cafe hybrids, serving beer, wine and spirits as well as coffee, along with pastries in the morning and panini at lunch. Those located on piazzas often have terraces that are perfect places for whiling away an hour or so.
Bars
You can drink at a bar almost any time of the day, but most are at their best from 5pm (aka aperitivo time), when many places serve complimentary snacks with drinks. Apericena , a brilliant cent-saving trick and trend among students and 20-somethings in Florence, translates as an aperitivo buffet so copious it doubles as cena (dinner).
Enoteche take pride in their selection of wines and tend to concentrate on Tuscan labels. Most offer antipasto platters of cheese, cured meats and crostini (toasts with various toppings) to eat.
Best Cafes
Hipster coffee roastery and gin bar.
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