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.
Florentine trattoria€€oltrarno
I Quattro Leoni in Florence's Oltrarno is the Piazza della Passera trattoria with a summer terrace and the signature fiocchetti dumplings (pear, taleggio, asparagus) on the menu since 1957.
Signature: Fiocchetti pera, taleggio e asparagi, Bistecca alla fiorentina, Tagliata di manzo
Order: Fiocchetti pera, taleggio e asparagi, bistecca alla fiorentina, panna cotta.
Tip: Book a terrace table three weeks ahead for summer. Open daily 12:00 to 23:30; lunch is the calmer seating.
Modern Tuscan€€€san-frediano
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: Tasting menu, Lampredotto reinterpreted, Game
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.
Modern Italian, all-day€€€san-lorenzo
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.
Florentine, Tuscan€€€santa-maria-novella
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.
