Simone Cipriani's Essenziale in Florence's San Frediano runs the open-kitchen tasting concept inside a former leather warehouse, with a lampredotto course that reframes the street classic.
Signature dishes: Tasting menu, Lampredotto reinterpreted, Game
Must order: The five-course tasting and the lampredotto reinterpreted dish if it is on the carte.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday; tasting menus only at dinner. Book three weeks ahead.
Address: Piazza di Cestello 3r, 50124 Firenze, Florence
La Menagere in Florence's San Lorenzo is the all-day concept in a 19th-century housewares shop, with breakfast, brunch, lunch, aperitivo and dinner under one roof since 2015.
Signature: Brunch, Tagliatelle al tartufo, Aperitivo plate
Order: The weekend brunch, tagliatelle al tartufo and the aperitivo plate at 18:30.
Tip: Open daily 07:00 to midnight. The flower-shop entrance is a draw; book the back dining room for dinner.
Giovanni Latini's Osteria di Giovanni in Florence's Santa Maria Novella sits opposite the family-original Latini room. The bistecca is dry-aged 40 days and the pici come from the in-house lab.
Signature: Bistecca alla fiorentina, Pici cacio e pepe, Pappa al pomodoro
Order: Bistecca alla fiorentina, pici cacio e pepe and Giovanni's pappa al pomodoro.
Tip: Book a fortnight ahead; the front room is the one to ask for. Open daily for dinner only.
Buca Lapi in Florence's Santa Maria Novella has cooked the bistecca alla fiorentina in the Palazzo Antinori cellar since 1880, a candlelit basement of long communal tables and dry-aged Chianina.
Signature: Bistecca alla fiorentina, Tagliatelle al tartufo, Crostini di fegatini
Order: The bistecca alla fiorentina (1.2kg for two) cooked on the wood grill, and the tartufo pasta in season.
Tip: Cash and card; book three weeks ahead. The cellar is hot in summer; ask for the front room.
Ristorante Cibreo in Florence is the formal flagship of Fabio Picchi's empire, with the yellow-pepper passato, cresta di gallo cockscomb and the eponymous cibreo offal stew since 1979.
Signature: Passato di peperoni gialli, Cresta di gallo, Cibreo (offal stew)
Order: Passato di peperoni gialli, the cibreo offal stew and any cockscomb course.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday; lunch is one fixed tasting. The trattoria around the corner is the easier-priced entry.
Trattoria Cammillo in Florence's Oltrarno has been the Masiero family's white-tablecloth trattoria on Borgo San Jacopo since 1945, with crepes alla fiorentina and the wood-grilled bistecca.
Signature: Crepes alla fiorentina, Bistecca alla fiorentina, Risotto al curry
Order: Crepes alla fiorentina (spinach and bechamel), bistecca alla fiorentina, the curry risotto.
Tip: Closed Tuesday and Wednesday; book three weeks ahead. Cash only, dinner only.
Regina Bistecca in Florence's Centro Storico is the dedicated bistecca house behind the Duomo, with Chianina dry-aged in glass cabinets and a wood-fired grill in full view of the dining room.
Signature: Bistecca alla fiorentina, Tartare di Chianina, Tagliata
Order: The 1kg bistecca alla fiorentina for two and the Chianina tartare to start.
Tip: Book a window seat over Via Ricasoli a fortnight ahead. Closed Tuesday; lunch is the calmer service.
