The eastern medieval quarter around Piazza Santa Croce, home to Cibreo, Vivoli, Acqua al 2 and a working market every morning at Sant'Ambrogio.
Acqua al 2 in Florence's Santa Croce district has run the signature assaggio di primi (five-pasta sampler) since 1978, and the steak with blueberry sauce, served until midnight every night.
Signature: Assaggio di primi, Bistecca al mirtillo, Filetto al pepe verde
Order: The assaggio di primi, bistecca al mirtillo, and any chocolate dessert from the sampler.
Tip: Open daily; book a fortnight ahead. The 19:30 and 22:00 seatings; lunch closed.
Gilda Bistrot in Florence's Sant'Ambrogio district runs the small-room modern-bistrot format opposite the market, with seasonal Tuscan plates and an all-organic wine list.
Signature: Pici al ragu, Bistecca, Crostini di fegatini
Order: Pici al ragu, the crostini di fegatini and a glass of natural Chianti.
Tip: Closed Monday; book a fortnight ahead. The Sant'Ambrogio market across the square opens at 07:00.
Cucina Torcicoda in Florence's Santa Croce district is a three-room concept (osteria, pizzeria and ristorante) under one roof, with the bistecca cellar and a modern Tuscan tasting carte.
Signature: Bistecca alla fiorentina, Tagliata di Chianina, Tartare
Order: The bistecca alla fiorentina from the dedicated ristorante room, or the pizza next door.
Tip: Three connected rooms with different menus; the ristorante books out 2 weeks ahead.
Ditta Artigianale in Florence's Via dei Neri is Francesco Sanapo's flagship roastery and cafe, with single-origin filter coffees, espresso and the country's first dedicated barista school since 2013.
Signature drink: Single-origin filter coffee
Order: A V60 filter from the rotating origins board, plus a brunch plate on weekends.
Tip: Open daily 08:00 to 22:00. The roasted-bean retail counter ships internationally.
Forno Pugi in Florence has been the wood-fired neighbourhood forno since 1925, with three shops across the city baking schiacciata, pizza al taglio, focaccia and the classic Florentine pastries daily.
Order: Schiacciata alla fiorentina (chocolate cream during Carnevale), the daily pizza al taglio.
Tip: Counter only; cash and card. The Viale De Amicis original is the largest; smaller shops on Via San Gallo and Piazza San Marco.
Worth the queue: Schiacciata alla fiorentina
Pasticceria Gualtieri in Florence's southern Oltrarno corner has run as a family pasticceria since 1937, with the bignoletti cream pastries, a daily cake counter and a chocolate praline lab.
Order: Bignoletti panna (cream-filled choux), the schiacciata alla fiorentina in Carnevale, chocolate pralines.
Tip: Closed Monday. Standing-room counter; bignoletti sell out by 11:00 on weekends.
Worth the queue: Bignoletti panna
Ditta Artigianale in Florence's Via dei Neri runs a sourdough-and-pastry programme alongside the roastery, with a daily-baked focaccia, sourdough loaves and the brunch carte every weekend.
Order: Sourdough toast and avocado, the daily focaccia, the brunch eggs benedict.
Tip: Open daily 08:00 to 22:00. The roasted-bean retail counter ships internationally.
Worth the queue: Sourdough toast and avocado
Ditta Artigianale in Florence is Francesco Sanapo's roastery and cafe, with single-origin filter coffees, Italy's first barista school and a roasting lab supplying espresso to 100 cafes since 2013.
Order: A V60 filter from the rotating origins board, plus a brunch plate on weekends.
Tip: Three Florence rooms; Via dei Neri is the original. The Oltrarno corner runs cocktails later.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Colombia, Brazil, Kenya
How they serve: Espresso, Filter, V60, Whole bean retail
All'Antico Vinaio's second Florence shop, also on Via dei Neri, runs the same schiacciata-counter programme as the original since the 2010 expansion, with a 30cm flatbread stuffed-to-order from €8.
Try: Schiacciata sandwich
Order: La Favolosa, Toscano DOP schiacciata, mortadella-and-stracciatella set.
Tip: Queue runs the block from 12:00; the Via dei Neri 65r original is across the street.
Mama Florence in Florence's Sant'Ambrogio district is a small-group cooking-school format, with three-hour pasta-and-tiramisu classes, a market-walk-and-cook combo and a Tuscan-wine pairing dinner.
Forno Pugi in Florence has been the neighbourhood forno since 1925, with three shops baking pizza al taglio, schiacciata, focaccia and the Florentine pastries daily, with portions at €4 to €8 each.
Try: Schiacciata and pizza al taglio
Order: Pizza al taglio (the chocolate-cream schiacciata fiorentina in Carnevale), focaccia stuffed.
Tip: Counter only; cash and card. Viale De Amicis original is the largest; smaller shops on Via San Gallo.
Ditta Artigianale in Florence's Via dei Neri runs a weekend brunch programme alongside the roastery and cafe, with eggs benedict, avocado toast and a daily-changing pastry case from 10:00 to 15:00 Sat-Sun.
Order: Avocado toast, eggs benedict, a V60 filter coffee from the rotating origins.
Tip: Walk-in or book on the website. Specialty filter coffee from rotating origins; book seats by 11:30 on Sunday.
Acqua al 2 in Florence's Santa Croce district runs the kitchen until 00:30 every night, with the signature five-pasta assaggio di primi and the bistecca al mirtillo served to the after-theatre crowd.
Try: Assaggio di primi sampler
Order: Assaggio di primi, bistecca al mirtillo, a final chocolate dessert sampler.
Tip: Book a 22:00 seating a fortnight ahead. Open until 00:30 nightly; dinner only.