The best Florence restaurants: a local’s picks for 2025

Just over the Arno river in Florence’s bohemian Santo Spirito quarter, Trattoria Cammillo is a Florentine stalwart that’s hardly changed since it opened in 1945. In fact, the grandchildren of Cammillo himself are still at the helm, and you’ll find Chiara, the matriarch of the family, in here most days. The vibe is loud and delightfully chaotic, but the seasonal specials never fail to deliver: go for persimmon tiramisu in autumn, lightly fried courgette flowers in spring, and whatever pasta dish is on the daily-changing list of ‘piatti del giorno.’

Time Out tip: Book Cammillo a couple of days in advance, and ask for a table in the atmospheric main dining room – rather than one of the quieter side rooms – for the best local experience.

Address: Borgo San Jacopo 57R, 50125 Florence, Italy

Opening hours: Monday and Thursday-Sunday 12-2.30pm, 7.30-10.30pm, closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays

Il Santo Bevitore is one of Florence’s most romantic restaurants, especially on summer evenings, when streetside tables spill out onto the street and couples stroll by arm in arm. The food at Il Santo Bevitore is excellent, but it’s as much about the wine here, with a strong natural wine offering and hundreds of bottles to choose from. Flickering candles and exposed stone walls make this place at once rustic and elegant. Founded by three childhood friends who are passionate about ingredients and provenance, the interiors are simple enough to let the food shine.

Time Out tip: After dinner, continue the vibe just next door at Santino, the restaurant’s wine bar spin-off, where you can settle in to sample yet more of their delicious selection of Tuscan bottles.

Address: Via di Santo Spirito 64/66, 50125 Florence, Italy

Opening hours: Monday to Sunday 12.30-2.30pm, 7.30-11.30pm

Tucked away in a corner of the Sant’Ambrogio neighbourhood, Cibrèo championed nose-to-tail cooking decades before it became cool. Since the late seventies, visionary chef Fabio Picci brought so-called ‘peasant food’ (cucina povera) from the home kitchen to the restaurant scene, serving chicken heads, tripe and stale bread soup (ribollita) without apology. Gradually his restaurant empire grew into a cafe, an organic supermarket and an asian-fusion restaurant, transforming this unpolished market square into Florence’s culinary epicentre.

Time Out tip: Cibrèo is split in two, so be sure to specify which part you want to book when calling up: the restaurant for a more upmarket, white tablecloth celebration, or the trattoria for a casual and rustic affair.

Address: Via dei Macci 122r, 50122 Florence, Italy

Opening hours: Monday to Sunday 12.30-2.30pm, 7-10.30pm

Hidden in plain sight in the super-central Piazza della Signoria – slap bang between the Uffizi Galleries and the Duomo – this old timer proudly refuses to adapt to tourist demands. Pizza, ice, spritz and ketchup are just some of the things outlawed on a handwritten sign at the entrance, so don’t say you weren't warned. Instead, you’ll feast on platters of cured Tuscan meats and cheeses, slow-cooked ragu, Florentine steak, and Vini e Vecchi Sapori’s famous courgette flower and saffron paccheri. For dessert, nothing beats their house raspberry tiramisu, washed down with a glass of amaro (a herbal digestif). 

Time Out tip: On hot summer evenings, opt for one of the scarce outdoor tables for a gentle breeze and views over the Fountain of Neptune. Book a couple of days in advance if you want to be sure of bagging a table.

Address: Via dei Magazzini 3R, 50122 Florence, Italy

Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 12-2.30pm, 7-11.30pm, closed on Sundays

With four generations of Florentine restaurant legacy behind her (her great grandfather founded the iconic Trattoria Cammillo in 1945), chef Matilde Pettini still manages to be a breath of fresh air. Dalla Lola’s menu is cheeky and irreverent, written by hand each day and explained at the table by her right hand man Paolo. There are no traditional carafes of chianti wine plonked on the table here, either - try a natural orange wine from a tiny unknown Tuscan vineyard instead, and prepare to be delighted. 

Time Out tip: The menu changes regularly, but don’t miss the trippa finta (fake tripe, a wartime riff on the Tuscan classic when meat was hard to come by) or the spago burro e acciughe (anchovy and butter spaghetti). 

Address: Via della Chiesa 16R, 50125 Florence, Italy

Opening hours: Tuesday and Wednesday 12-2.30pm and 7.30-10.30pm, Thursday to Saturday 7.30-10.30pm, closed Sundays and Mondays

This little trattoria offers family-style seating (you can learn some Italian while here!) at low tables. Join usual diners in ordering carafes of red wine to go along with the rich Tuscan dishes. Trattoria Mario oozes pure Florentine cooking, serving traditional favourites that have been around for centuries. The menu changes daily, but make sure you get whatever’s got the ragù in or with it.

Time Out tip: Snagging a table at this sought-after blue-collar restaurant is an effort – not least because they only answer the phones from 7-11am, but it’s well worth the effort.

Address: Via Rosina 2R, 50123 Florence, Italy

Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 12-3.30pm, closed on Sundays

You might assume somewhere with such prime views of the Pitti Palace would compromise on quality. Not so with Enoteca Pitti Gola e Cantina, where you’ll find a top notch wine list accompanied by grazing boards of silky-smooth chicken liver pate, burrata caprese salads and elevated pasta dishes. After a stroll around the Boboli Gardens and Pitti Palace, this is the place to refresh with a delicious lunch and a glass of wine from their cellar (you’ll have over 3000 bottles to choose from). It’s equally delightful on summer evenings, when you can add lashings of shaved truffle to pretty much anything on the menu.

Time Out tip: Bag a table on the outside terrace in the late afternoon before the bar gets busy, and enjoy people watching in the piazza as you sip wine and snack on crostini. 

Address: Piazza de' Pitti 16, 50125 Florence, Italy

Opening hours: Monday-Sunday 12-3pm and 7-10.30pm

This osteria sits right at the corner of one of the friendliest piazzas in all of Florence and one that many tourists miss because they don’t venture far enough into the other side of the river. Osteria Santo Spirito is worth the walk, trust us: the portions are larger than most (half-portions are also available...why would you want that?), the ambience is purely magical, and, most importantly, the sizzling truffle and cheese gnocchi is to die for.

Time Out tip: Portions are pretty generous here, but you can order most of the pasta dishes in half portions if you’re not overly hungry or want to try a few different plates.

Address: Piazza Santo Spirito 16R, 50125 Florence, Italy

Opening hours: Monday-Friday 12-11.30pm, Saturday-Sunday 6.30-11.30pm

Dress to impress for a meal at the impossibly glam Gucci Osteria, launched by Massimo Bottura (of three-Michelin-star Osteria Francescana fame). A maximalist dream, the menu is bold and colourful, served on Gucci Garden crockery with all the smoke and mirrors you could wish for. The tasting menu will set you back 220 euros, taking you on a journey through the culinary travels of head chef duo Karime López and Takahiko Kondo. After eating, do some window shopping in the adjacent House of Gucci flagship store, or stroll through to the Gucci Museum to see some of the fashion powerhouse’s most iconic pieces from the last 100 years.

Time Out tip: For a more affordable and laid-back experience, head to all-day cafe and cocktail bar Gucci Giardino just over the square.

Address: Piazza della Signoria 10, 50122 Florence, Italy

Opening hours: Monday-Sunday 12.30-3pm and 7.30-10pm

I Fratellini is a hole-in-the-wall eatery, and an epitome of Italian food culture. Open since 1875, this tiny sandwich shop specializes in bread filled with a combination of local ingredients. Try the prosciutto and truffle, the bresaola, the mozzarella and some of the best tomatoes you will ever taste. You’re handed your order in a paper wrapper, so devour it while hanging out on the sidewalk with a glass of wine in hand – there are even wooden shelves on the street to hold your glass as you eat.

Time Out tip: You’re handed your order in a paper wrapper, so devour it while hanging out on the pavement with a glass of wine in hand – there are even wooden shelves on the street to hold your glass as you eat.

Address: Via dei Cimatori 38R, 50122 Florence, Italy

Opening hours: Monday-Sunday 10am-7pm