Florence Restaurants

1. 'ino

Serving arguably the best panini in town, proprietor Alessandro Frassica sources only the very best ingredients. Located right behind the Uffizi, 'ino is a perfect place to grab a tasty sandwich and glass of wine before forging on to the next museum.

2. 'ino

This is the perfect place to grab a bite and/or a glass of wine after a visit to the nearby Uffizi. Only the very best ingredients go into owner Alessandro Frassica's delectable panini.

3. Baroni

The cheese collection at Baroni may be the most comprehensive in Florence. They also have high-quality truffle products, vinegars, and other delicacies.

4. Casa del Vino

Come here for creative panini, such as sgrombri e carciofini sott'olio (mackerel and marinated baby artichokes), and an ever-changing list of significant wines by the glass. It also has a good selection of bottles to go.

5. da Nerbone

This tavola calda (cafeteria) in the middle of the covered Mercato Centrale has been serving Florentines since 1872. Tasty primi and secondi are always available, as are bollitos (boiled beef sandwiches), but the cognoscenti come for the panino con il lampredotto (tripe sandwich)—best when it's prepared bagnato (with the bread quickly dipped in the tripe cooking liquid) and served slathered with the green and/or spicier red sauce.

6. da Sergio

This restaurant just across the way from the Basilica of San Lorenzo and run by the Gozzi family since 1915 serves food that's as delicious as it is affordable. The menu short menu changes daily, though the lombatina alla griglia (grilled veal T-bone steak) is almost always available, and meat eaters should not miss it. Pastas are equally terrific. Dessert, in true Florentine fashion, is usually limited to biscotti with vin santo. Reservations are absolutely essential—even in low season.

7. Fuori Porta

What is, perhaps, the oldest and best wine bar in Florence serves cured meats and cheeses, as well as daily specials. Crostini and crostoni—grilled breads topped with a mélange of cheeses and meats—are the house specialty, but the verdure sott'olio are divine, too. The lengthy wine list offers great options by the glass and terrific bottles from all over Italy and beyond. All this can be enjoyed at rustic wooden tables and seated outdoors when weather allows.

8. I Fratellini

A hop, skip, and a jump from Orsanmichele in the centro storico and in existence since 1875, I Fratellini sells wines by the glass and has a lengthy list of panini, including pecorino with sundried tomatoes and spicy wild-boar salami with goat cheese. There are no tables: this is strictly a sandwich counter.

9. Il Santino

Though it has only four tables and four small stools at an equally small bar, Il Santino is blessed with a big wine list and superior cheeses, cured meats, and other delicacies. It's the perfect place to have a snack or a light lunch.

10. Il Santo Bevitore

Florentines and other lovers of good food flock to "The Holy Drinker" for tasty, well-priced dishes. Unpretentious white walls, dark wood furniture, and paper place mats provide the simple decor; start with the exceptional verdure sott'olio (vegetables in oil) or the terrina di fegatini (a creamy chicken-liver spread) before sampling any of the divine pastas. Count yourself lucky if the extraordinary potato gratin, served in compact triangular wedges, is on the menu. The extensive wine list is well priced.

11. La Casalinga

Casalinga means "housewife," and this place, which has been around since 1963, has the nostalgic charm of a midcentury kitchen with Tuscan comfort food to match. If you eat ribollita anywhere in Florence, eat it here—it couldn't be more authentic. Paintings clutter the semi-paneled walls, tables are set close together, and the place is usually jammed. The menu is long, portions are plentiful, and service is prompt and friendly. For dessert, the lemon sorbet perfectly caps off the meal.

12. La Trippaia

13. Le Volpi e l'Uva

An oenophile's dream, this spot—whose name translates as "the foxes and the grape" and is based on one of Aesop's fables—is off Piazza Santa Felicita. Here, affable, knowledgeable "volpi" (foxes), pour wines by the glass and serve equally impressive cheeses and bite-size sandwiches.

14. Mario

Florentines flock to this narrow, family-run trattoria near San Lorenzo to feast on Tuscan favorites served at simple tables under a wooden ceiling dating from 1536. A distinct cafeteria feel and genuine Florentine hospitality prevail: you'll be seated wherever there's room, which often means with strangers. Yes, there's a bit of extra oil in most dishes, which imparts calories as well as taste, but aren't you on vacation in Italy? Worth the caloric splurge is riso al ragù (rice with ground beef and tomatoes).

15. Nerbone

16. Perché No!

What many consider the best gelateria in the centro storico embodies the "practice makes perfect" adage. It's been making ice cream since 1939.

17. Alfio e Beppe

Watch chickens roast over high flames while you decide which of the delightful side dishes you'd like to enjoy as well. Although this place is strictly takeout (there are no tables), it's open on Sunday when most places are not.

18. Alfio e Beppe

Watch chickens roast over high flames as you decide which of the other delightful things you're going to eat with it. The beauty of this place is that it's open on Sunday when most things are not.

19. Alla Vecchia Bettola

The name doesn't exactly mean "old dive," but it comes pretty close. The recipes here come from "wise grandmothers" and celebrate Tuscan food in its glorious simplicity—prosciutto is sliced with a knife, grilled meats are tender, service is friendly, and the wine list is well priced and good. This lively trattoria has been around only since 1979, but it feels as if it's been much longer.

20. Amblé

Hidden in a little cul-de-sac just down the street from the Ponte Vecchio, this colorful eatery has a variety of sandwiches (both hot and cold, most of which are served on five-grain bread), crostini, salads, and various tartares. Vegetarian and vegan options abound, but the kitchen also has a way with Italian cured meats. The cocktail list is impressive and includes a lengthy list of variations on the Venetian spritz, served here in Mason jars.