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I don't remember much about what I ate in Florence besides having gelato about once per hour. You can get a lovely little cup of high-quality gelato for a euro or two at pretty much any deli, cafe, or bakery in the city.

There's a lovely cafe there but I can't remember the name! I could probalby walk you there, but that's not going to help right now. Hopefully I'll remember to look it up tonight. Best Chiken Caccitore (sp?) I've ever had.

Eat gelato and chocolates (if they're still selling... chocolate goes out of style in the hot summer) at Vestri. Borgo degli Albizi, 11r. SO GOOD.

Also. Pizza. Ciro & Sons Antica Pizzeria dell Arte, hands down the best in town. http://www.ciroandsons.com/ via del giglio 28r

Lastly, I Fratellini for sandwiches. I recommend the #15 (pronouced queen-dee-chee). Via dei Cimatori 38r

Every travel book on earth will also tell you to eat at il Latini. Just do it. It's fun. www.illatini.com Via dei Palchetti, 6

Granitas - go to Carabe, not sure the address but it is down the street from the hospital of the innocents. The gelato there is good to but the granitas are amazing.

Markets - if you are there on a tuesday morning you have to go to the cascine market. It's in Cascine Park near the US embassy on the west end of the city. It is a very local market, with lots of cheap flea market type things mixed in with produce. Wander through and find the great roast pork sandwiches and olive stands. They scoop up the olives and other pickled veggies into plastic bags and you can wander down and sit by the river to munch and people watch.

I spent 6 weeks in Prato, a suburb of Florence, about 4 years ago. It is a sleepy, but very beautiful little (but not that little - 2nd largest in Tuscany!) town, about 20 minutes by train from Florence. Once Sunday morning a month, there is a fantastic market in the Piazza Duomo, though I'm not sure how one would determine which Sunday it is held.

If you do have the time to go out to Prato, here are my recommendations. Take the train to the Prato al Seraglio station (not Prato Centrale). There should be a chocolate shop on the right hand corner directly across the street from the train station that has the most amazing hot chocolate you will ever taste. If you continue down this street, you'll hit the Piazza Duomo after about a block, and there is a great little bar on the far right side that serves great, cheap pasta. Going left, past the Duomo (I think it's Via Giuseppe Garabaldi), is the main shopping street, with a seriously fantastic bakery on it. This street eventually ends up you up in the Piazza Mercatale, which is pretty much just a parking lot, but there are some great restaurants along it. I recommend Don Quichote. Excellent pizza. There is also a bar there called the Wallace, and it has a huge mural of Mel Gibson in Braveheart in it!

Prato is also where much of the fabric in Italy is produced, and there is a nice museum dedicated to it there.

From there, you can either retrace your steps back to the train station, or cross the river and head through the new part of the city to Prato Centrale station. There are direct trains from there to Bologna, if you're interested in heading up that way.

I know this is all a bit out of the way of Florence, but Prato is far from the madding crowd, and I loved it very much while I was living there. Keep in mind though, that outside of major cities, Italians keep sporadic business hours, and you may arrive to find everything closed!

Have an amazing trip! Florence is beautiful, and I quite miss it.

I just got back from Italy last week, but we weren't in Florence this time. Last time I was there, a couple years ago, we ate several lunches at Cantinetta dei Verrazzano (aw, it's like NYC!), a focacceria that makes insanely awesome sandwiches. We ate slices of stuffed focaccia on the benches by the bar one day, and another time we sat down in back and ordered a big selection. That was in early spring, so there were amazing combos like fresh peas with robiola cheese. It's not far from the Duomo: Via dei Tavolini 18/20
I hope it's still there; it seemed very well-established and the waitresses wore funny little mob caps.

Another place we went on that trip is a homely and great little place, Trattoria Le Mossacce, where according to my notes the classic white beans w/ tomato were the winners.
http://www.trattorialemossacce.it/i/enter.htm

Make sure you spend time in Oltarno, the other side of the river from the crazed madness that is downtown Florence.

Was there last September...we loved Procacci, via Tornabuoni 64/r, a café and wine bar, great for a midday break. They have great little finger sandwiches and a wide range of good local wines mainly from Antinori.

I love Cammillo Trattoria, Borgo San Jacopo 57r, for lunch. It's been heavily hyped in the NYT, etc., so you'll find lots of Americans there, but the food is still good.

For dinner, you can't go wrong with Cantinetta Antinori,
Piazza Antinori 3, which is owned by the Antinori family.

For gelato, there's a Grom near the Duomo, but we preferred Vestri, Borgo degli Aibizi 11/r, which is part of the Slow Food network. They also sold amazing chocolate.

Pictures, if you're interested...http://www.flickr.com/photos/kcweiss/sets/72157607733515246/

Go to Trattoria Quattro Leoni in Oltrarno......
I'm jealous!!!!

Florence is cool but here are some "at least once in a lifetime" recommendations that are in the countryside outside of Florence:

1. Lunch at Da Delfina restaurant in Artimino. Order a tasting menu then walk if off among the olive groves and a Medici villa.

2. Visit Alba during truffle season and eat at any of the local restaurants in town.

Here are a few images of the scenery:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/art_chel/sets/72157608214800649/

While if Florence, grab a snack at one of these places: "schiatteria." These places serve all different kinds of savory and sweet pizza type snacks.

All I remember about Florence, in addition to all the shopping I did, was how much gelato I ate - eat tons of gelato. As for food, every place we ate was great food - seriously. With all the walking you do around the city you burn it all off anyway. So eat everything and drink tons of Chianti (ZERO hangover!!!!).
Have a blast!

I second I Fratellini for sandwiches. Right in the center of Florence and these great sandwiches are around 2,50 euros. We had them for every lunch, I think. I chose without really looking once and ended up with raw sausages. Not the greatest. But fresh mozzarella... Mium !

I just got back from 10 days in Florence and Filigne a little over a week ago. If you can take a side trip to Filigne, I strongly recommend it! It's about 30 minutes away. My mom and I did a week there taking cooking classes from Chef Claudio. So amazing. He also has a restaurant, and does single classes. You can find more info on one day classes here: http://www.theinternationalkitchen.com/mod-htmlpages-display-pid-5.htm#Tuscany

For gelato - Vivoli's
For a great restaurant - Trattoria Anita's
For markets - the San Lorenzo markets indoors warehouses early in the morning.

When in Florence, try finding a place that serves lunch standing up, because that's how Florentines will do it (to save the coperto, the charge that's like a gratuity). There used to be one called Palle D'Oro near the San Lorenzo Market.

Absolutely EAT SOUP while you are there. Ribollita and Papa al Pomodoro are both amazing. We don't tend to think of Italy as a soup type of place, but it is!

I lived in an apartment above the restaurant Baldovino in Florence right by Santa Croce. It's very good.

San Ambrogio market is way more authentic than San Lorenzo... check it out!

http://www.margincomments.blogspot.com

I second a dinner at Quattro Leoni. It's fantastic and quite authentic.

You also must have schiacciata while in Florence. It's a type of flat bread. Nearly any Forno (bakery) will have it. My favorite was on Via Faenza between Giglio and Sant'Antonio.

Oh yes. Forget to mention lunch at the central market.

Tripe, tripe, tripe.

Porchetta, porchetta, porchetta.

I highly, highly recommend the gelato at Gelateria dei Neri on Via dei Neri 22r.

I also love the panino del carne at Nerbone, located in the Mercato Centrale. It gets pretty crazy around lunchtime with the locals and tourists, but it's definitely worth the wait!

There is a sandwich shop very close to the Duomo which my husband and I have not stopped talking about since we returned a year ago. It is called the Oil Shoppe and is a small place with AMAZING pesto. Serioulsy, don't miss it! Have fun!

Wow, you guys. These are great recommendations. Anyone IN Florence? Mini-meet-up?!

Acqua al Due is a great little spot with fresh pastas and bottles of house wine on the tables.

Also, La Giostra is a wonderful little romantic spot! Champagne upon arrival and delicious, authentic italian cuisine.

Vivoli for Gelato! it's the best!!

Side note - if you're looking for leather, go to David 2. They are super friendly and have soft and gorgeous leather jackets. They're willing to bargain, but you are definitely getting something that's lasting and good quality.

tragically much of Firenze has sucome to the tourists...its just no big enough to absorb everyone and many of the once great secrets have been discovered. However, a few remain....here's one i share with the kitchn family

San Domenico is a great pizzaria up in the hills of Fiesole, a must!

I second the recommendation on La Giostra-- fabulous place, amazing service, super convivial atmosphere and AMAZING Tuscan food. We had an array of fabulous things there, all very rustic and earthy, simple and delicious.

Enjoy the trip...

A little restaurant by Mercato Centrale, Trattoria Zaza has great ribolita and papa al pomodoro. I also HIGHLY recommend visiting a jewelry store named Falsi Gioelli (false jewels)- they make great jewlery out of plastic, etc. One of my favorite necklaces (that I happen to be wearing right now!) is from there. It's located at via dei ginori #34R. Have fun!

My favorite restaurant in Florence is E Que Che Che. (Yes, that is the name) . It is behind the Uffizzi gallery, tucked in a corner. I highly, highly recommend the salmon collar. Best salmon I've ever had anywhere.

My favorite gelato places are Perche No (why not?) and Carabe (near Academia). Both delicious. Perch No has the best Melon gelato- try the cocomero (watermelon) with it. Carabe has very refreshing granita in many flavors.

Personally, I think the pizza in Naples is the best pizza. L'Antica Pizzeria being the best humanly possible.

A day trip to Sienna would be great. I find Sienna to be incredibly charming and lovely. Much less crowded than Florence.

I third Trattoria Quattro Leoni...Get the Pear tortellini -- it is heaven sent and you can't find any like it in the world.

I have told people it would be my "last supper" if I ever had the choice. Seriously, it's that good!

Vivoli's for Gelato is a MUST!!!!!!!

I was just there! I wish this thread had come two weeks earlier, boo.

Haha, but definitely eat gelato whenever I can. Grom was my favorite, near the Duomo. Very fresh. I especially enjoyed the fruit ones, but the pistachio was great as well.

There's this restaurant called Del Fagioli near Santa Croce church that was the one best meal I had in Florence. Service was extremely helpful (he explained every single item on the menu to us) and the food was home-made deliciousness.
Corso Tintori 47/r, Florence, Italy

I went to Cammamino Trattoria as well; good, a little on the pricier side, with a good waiter who spoke Japanese and French as well as Italian and English. But I think I still preferred Del Fagioli.

Oh also, there's a place on the Piazza della Signoria called Rivoire that's great just to sit down in the afternoon and have a pastry. Their gelatos and other things are ridiculously overpriced (pastries are cheaper--pick a pastry from the selection inside the restaurant, and then go sit at a table), but it's a beautiful view of a beautiful square with an open air museum (if you've ever read A Room with A View, it's where the murder scene happens and George Harrison rushes in to catch Lucy as she faints).

Teatro del Sale for dinner. Run by the chef from Cibreo, it is a supper club (you can become a member for 5 euro) that serves a large buffet of Tuscan food followed by a musical/theater/poetry etc. performance. Delicious food and a great evening.

Buca Mario!!!! One of the most delish restaurants ever. It used to be a castle and they have been making their own wine since the 1800s (but I guess that's the story for most of Italy :) ) Oh, and their amazing biscotti like cookies! They give you a pack to take home with you. Soooo good.

Yes, Trattoria Anita is great! Tucked in a corner away from the Duomo, heading towards the Arno. There's a great lunch trattoria in a corner by a parking lot near the Mercato Centrale...only a menu on a board and small white tables...went with my dad in 97 and we still talk about the chicken and spinach we had there! There's a sandwich spot in the "tunnel" by the Lion's Fountain Pub near Sante Croce...it's called Antico Noe, and you must, must have a sandwich with veal and the spicy sauce...oh, I'm drooling! There's no shortage of street carts with tripe and porchetta either!

Antico Noe address:
http://www.florence-on-line.com/food-drink/antico-noe.html

Oooh, ooh! You must of get gelato at "Grom". Is off of a side street right next to the Duomo. I had pear and caramel. It still makes me weep. My husband and I spent our third anniversary there and ate at the most delightful little hole in the wall, down a side street, mostly known to locals restaurant called Coquinarius (just around the corner from Grom). Heavenly. A "wine bar" with great local wines, interesting takes on modern/classic Italian food and about 10 tables. But when it doubt, wander side streets and stop where ever the smell floating out the door draws you in.

I spent a semester in Florence in 2006. Here are some of my favorites.

- The Oil Shoppe! Has the best sandwiches ever. Try the smoked tuna! It's east of the Duomo, near the hospital.

- Dante's Pizza. Just a block south of the Arno when you cross Ponte alla Carraia, on the right. There's also a great gelato place (can't remember the name) on the right as soon as you get off the bridge.

- The Mercato Centrale (just north of San Lorenzo) is a wonderful farmer's market.

I echo the praise of Vivoli's and Trattoria Anita. (I thought Anita was a secret gem!)

I spent a summer studying in Florence a few years ago. Love love love the place.

Whatever you do, avoid any place near the Duomo (or any other spot highly saturated with tourists...hard to avoid in Florence, I know). My first meal in Italy was a pizza at a place steps from the Duomo. When it arrived adorned with CANNED mushrooms, I was sooooo disappointed. I felt like I was at the Olive Garden or something!

Do eat at il latini with as many people as possible. They give you a variety of dishes based on your party's size and if you bring lots of people you get to try everything.

Also, visit the Pharmacia Santa Maria Novella, an ancient perfumery. Not directly food related but worth a visit. NY Times Article

My husband and I leave for Florence this Thursday and I can't wait. I studied in Florence during college, but as it has been a few years I'm dying to know what has changed and what hasn't!

You should definitely eat at Mario's for lunch. Its a tiny place next to ZaZa's near the Mercato Centrale. You sit at communal tables and order daily specials from either the menu board or by pointing at others' dishes!

Not food related but nice to do... take an afternoon/evening trip up to Fiesole to stroll, enjoy the views, and take in a sunset over Florence. You can take the #7 bus, if I remember correctly. The Boboli Gardens is beautiful for a stroll, or for a show. I saw an evening outdoor ballet there and it was fabulous. And you should definitely go up to Piazza Michelangelo to watch the sunset. Go up early, I think around 5, to hear the monks chant at San Miniato al Monte, a Romanesque cathedral a bit past the Piazza.

It's not hard to have a lovely time!

Oh goodness....Get a bus map first thing. Or any map with all the street names!

I lived in the suburbs of Florence for about six weeks. Beyond our street was a campground. As a result of being far away from all the tourists, prices for everything were much lower. It was definitely local.

On Via Centostelle, just past the futbol (soccer) stadium, there is an EXCELLENT gelateria. I can't remember the name, but I had to get at least one gelato a day because there was no air conditioning (living in FL now). Take the number 17 bus for a long ways.....past the church of the seven saints, and you will find it.

I had the best pizza in a little ristorante close to the Duomo. Prices also reasonable (I was a student!). It was called Cafe Leone, or something. There is a lion on the business card and it is on Via del Proconsolo, near Via Ghibellina.

There is a great small sandwich shop near Via Pandolfini/Borgo degli Albiri area. Look for American university students, as they go there. It is like subway in function/design, but the ingredients are all Italian wonderfulness. It's 3 Euros, and you pick your bread (focaccia, ciabatta, etc.) pick your meat (chianti-cured beef for me), your cheese (real mozzarella, pecorino), and other ingredients such as pesto, vegetables and such. It is excellent and filling.

I will re-emphasize the Mercato Centrale. They have all sorts of stuff, and I do remember seeing lots of tripe, as well as many other selections of meat. Don't forget to go upstairs! There's a second floor! I found lots of vegetables, fruit and nuts. If you wander around the suburbs (if you go for that far off gelatteria I recommend), you will find lots of small grocery shops: one for veggies/fruit, one for milk/dairy, one for meats. They all seem to have excellent wine in stock too.

For wine, pick up a bottle from the Castello di Verazzano vineyard, which is based in Greve in Chianti, and makes a once-in-a-lifetime TOUR AND WINE TASTING WITH SALAMI, PROSCIUTTO & CHEESE. I highly, highly, recommend this place. You will love it and feel you must tell others about it. It would make a great story!...plus my pictures are all gone, bummer. The man in charge speaks excellent English and is a true wine lover.

For quality paper for dinner invitations, placecards, or anything else, check out Il Papiro. It's in Florence, close to the Duomo (you can find their address in many tourist guides). The paper is really pretty.

Hope this gives you ideas!

I was in Florence last summer and had one of the best meals of my life at Trattoria Sostanza (25r Via Porcellana; 055-212-691) near Santa Maria Novella. It's very small, and always packed, so reservations are a must. It's also crowded, so you may be seated with strangers. BUT the food is GREAT- simple, traditional, and perfectly prepared. The owner is very friendly too.

I would also second the many suggestions for getting a sandwich in the Mercato Centrale. There is a great little place in one of the corners called Nerbone that was mostly filled with locals when we were there and had the most amazing pannino con bolito, served with red or green dipping sauce. Cheap, messy and SOOOO GOOOD!

Other than that- and I recommend this above anything else- take a day trip to Bologna if you have time. It's only an hour by train, and it is one of the best (and most overlooked) food destinations in all of Italy. Trattoria Belfiore (Via Marsala, 11/A) was one of our favorite places there- the best tortelloni with sage butter you'll ever eat. Bologna is also much cheaper than Florence, and almost every enoteca offers free antipasti buffets around the cocktail hour- cin cin!

i am currently working in florence and will be here until july. i highly recommend the sant'ambrogio market not far from santa croce. the local producers are at one of the corners of the market and tend to have less variety but also the best produce.
ive also tried numerous gelaterias and my favorite is carraia off of ponte carraia. this is one of the only places in the city where you can still get a gelato for a euro and is not as sweet as a few of the other ones. its on the same street as dantes where the food is inexpensive and quite good.
santa spirito has a green\organic market the last sunday or the month.
check out the leather shop behind santa croce where monks make a variety of leather goods. also hidden in this area is a pizzeria where a man from naples makes authentic neopolitan pizza. there is no sign and only a few tables but there will be people lining up.
in general, make sure to check out the oltrarno side of the city where it is not as touristy with artisan and vintage shops scattered throughout.

wow. thanks for all of this everyone. We definitely don't have time to eat all of this food, but we'll do our best.. :-)

Sara and I will be taking notes and pics and will be posting them if you're curious to see where we ended up.

Best, M