Florentine, Tuscan€€sant-ambrogio
Cibreo Trattoria in Florence's Sant'Ambrogio quarter is Fabio Picchi's no-pasta trattoria, the casual side of the Cibreo group. The polpettine and the pappa al pomodoro run the menu since 1989.
Signature: Trippa alla fiorentina, Pappa al pomodoro, Polpettine di pollo
Order: Polpettine di pollo, pappa al pomodoro and the trippa alla fiorentina.
Tip: No reservations and no pasta on the menu. Queue from 19:45 for the 20:00 first seating; lunch is the calmer service.
Florentine trattoria€€santa-maria-novella
Trattoria Sostanza in Florence's Santa Maria Novella quarter has cooked the same bistecca and butter chicken on a coal grill since 1869. Two seatings, one menu, six communal tables.
Signature: Bistecca alla fiorentina, Pollo al burro, Tortino di carciofi
Order: The bistecca alla fiorentina (1.2kg for two) and the pollo al burro butter chicken.
Tip: Cash only; book three weeks ahead by phone. Two seatings at 19:30 and 21:30, no a la carte stragglers.
Florentine trattoria€€san-lorenzo
Trattoria Mario in Florence's San Lorenzo quarter has been the working lunch room next to Mercato Centrale since 1953. Lunch only, no bookings, communal tables, cash only.
Signature: Bistecca alla fiorentina, Ribollita, Pappardelle al cinghiale
Order: Ribollita, bistecca alla fiorentina by the etto, pappardelle al cinghiale in season.
Tip: Queue from 12:00 for the 12:30 opening. Closed Sunday and the whole of August. Cash only.
Modern Tuscan€€€oltrarno
Il Santo Bevitore in Florence's Oltrarno quarter is Marco Bechi's modern Tuscan dining room, with a 600-bottle natural-wine cellar and a daily-changing market carte since 2002.
Signature: Crudo di manzo, Pici al ragu di anatra, Coniglio in porchetta
Order: The crudo di manzo, pici al ragu d'anatra and the coniglio in porchetta with seasonal contorni.
Tip: Book a fortnight ahead for the back garden in summer. The walk-in wine-bar room Il Santino next door is the no-booking annex.
Modern Tuscan fine dining€€€€centro-storico
Marco Stabile's Ora d'Aria in Florence's Centro Storico holds a Michelin star for a modern Tuscan kitchen that reads pappa al pomodoro and bistecca through technique-driven plating since 2008.
Signature: Risotto al pomodoro, Pigeon, Tasting menu
Order: The signature pappa al pomodoro risotto and the seasonal pigeon course.
Tip: Lunch tasting €60 vs €120 dinner. Ask for the chef's-counter seats when you book.
Modern Italian€€€€centro-storico
Locale Firenze in Florence's Centro Storico sits inside the 13th-century Palazzo delle Seggiole, the Concettini family's Michelin-starred kitchen with a bar and tasting room since 2018.
Signature: Tortelli di rabarbaro, Pigeon, Tasting menu
Order: The tortelli di rabarbaro signature pasta and the pigeon course from the tasting carte.
Tip: The cocktail room downstairs is the cheaper entry point; pre-dinner aperitivo from 18:30.
