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.
Florentine trattoria, bistecca€€€santa-maria-novella
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.
Florentine, Tuscan fine dining€€€€sant-ambrogio
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.
Florentine trattoria€€€oltrarno
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.
Florentine, bistecca-led€€€centro-storico
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.
Modern Italian, fine dining€€€€centro-storico
Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura in Florence's Piazza della Signoria is Karime Lopez's Michelin-starred kitchen above the Gucci Garden, with Bottura's Emilia Burger and modern-Italian tasting carte.
Signature: Emilia Burger, Tortellini al Parmigiano, Tasting menu
Order: The Emilia Burger (mortadella-and-zampone), the tortellini al Parmigiano and the seasonal tasting menu.
Tip: Book six weeks ahead. The €150 lunch tasting is the entry; the €220 dinner the full set.