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.
Modern Tuscan fine dining€€€€santa-maria-novella
Saporium in Florence is Ariel Hagen's Michelin-starred farm-to-table room sourced from the Borgo Santo Pietro estate, a tasting carte built off the kitchen garden and herd 90 minutes south.
Signature: Tasting menu, Risotto, Game
Order: The 8-course tasting menu; the wine pairing tilts toward the Borgo Santo Pietro estate wines.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. The estate-wine pairing adds €110; book the chef's counter for kitchen view.
Modern Italian fine dining€€€€centro-storico
Santa Elisabetta in Florence's Hotel Brunelleschi holds two Michelin stars under Rocco De Santis, a 24-seat dining room inside a 6th-century Byzantine tower above the centro storico rooftops.
Signature: Pigeon and Yuzu, Mediterranean Risotto, Tasting menu
Order: The pigeon and yuzu signature and the Mediterranean risotto from the tasting carte.
Tip: Book six weeks ahead. The 10-course tasting is €260; €170 for the shorter 7-course set.
Modern Tuscan€€€san-frediano
io Osteria Personale in Florence's San Frediano is Nicolo Baretti's modern-Tuscan tasting room, with the choose-your-own four-or-five course format and a 200-strong natural-wine cellar since 2010.
Signature: Tortelli ricotta e funghi, Pigeon, Tasting menu
Order: The choose-your-own four-course tasting and any tortelli or pigeon course on the carte.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday; dinner only. Build the tasting around the maitre's wine suggestions.
Florentine trattoria€€campo-di-marte
Trattoria da Burde in Florence's western edge has been the Gori family's working-quarter osteria since 1901, with the Friday-night dinner the only evening service and a daily lunch carte for locals.
Signature: Ribollita, Bistecca alla fiorentina, Trippa alla fiorentina
Order: The Friday-night bistecca tasting if you can book; otherwise ribollita and trippa alla fiorentina at lunch.
Tip: Lunch Mon-Sat; dinner Friday only. Book three weeks ahead for Friday; bus 35 from Santa Maria Novella.
Florentine trattoria€€san-lorenzo
Trattoria Za Za in Florence's Mercato Centrale square has run the family trattoria since 1977, with a covered Piazza del Mercato terrace and the full Florentine carte from ribollita to bistecca.
Signature: Bistecca alla fiorentina, Ribollita, Tagliatelle al cinghiale
Order: The full Tuscan tasting tray, then bistecca alla fiorentina and a tagliatelle al cinghiale.
Tip: Open daily 11:00 to 23:00. Book the terrace three days ahead for summer; lunch is the easier service.
