Food Lover’s Guide to Florence
Longtime Tuscan resident and cookbook author Emiko Davies shares her favorite culinary stops in the storied city.
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October 02, 2025
This article was originally written by Emiko Davies for Departures and published on August 1, 2023. Departures was a publication owned by American Express, in circulation through 2023, when its publication ceased.
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October 02, 2025
Link copied!
This article was originally written by Emiko Davies for Departures and published on August 1, 2023. Departures was a publication owned by American Express, in circulation through 2023, when its publication ceased.
FLORENCE has been my home for almost 20 years. I was originally drawn to the city’s art and history but quickly fell in love with the food. In my career as a food writer and cookbook author, I’ve found that Florence’s proud, headstrong people have preserved the city’s favorite dishes and food traditions just as they have their famous buildings and art. Recipes don’t change, and trattoria menus are the same as what families cook at home. History weaves itself through every aspect of Florentine life, especially the food, which is as unfussy, humble, and rustic as it has been for centuries.
You can tell what time of the year it is by simply looking at a menu, bakery window, or market stall. April means broad beans, served in their pods with pecorino cheese; May brings the first cherries and the last artichokes. Summer is for tomatoes, tumbled into panzanella salad; September means wine harvest, the time for grape-studded schiacciata (a thin Tuscan focaccia), and autumn brings newly pressed olive oil and roasted chestnuts, perhaps dipped with vino novello, “new” wine.
Florence has the good fortune of being in the middle of fertile Tuscany, where excellent olive oil, delicious wine, and abundant fresh produce are always available. These are the fixtures of the Florentine table, along with bread — an unsalted, large loaf is never missing from any meal. Consider this guide a gateway to the region’s abundance.
Photography courtesy of Federica Masciullo
Ditta Artigianale
Traditional espresso drinks with a modern twist
Francesco Sanapo’s coffee shop was one of the first to offer flat whites and milk alternatives to Florentines, and it was so popular, Sanapo immediately opened three additional locations, which have since expanded to six. The Sant’Ambrogio location’s adjacent church cloister is a welcome oasis on a hot, chaotic day, while the trendy via dello Sprone location, with its large comfy chairs and back terrace, is an excellent place to relax or catch up on emails with a coffee near the Pitti Palace. In the warmer months, I can’t resist Ditta Artigianale’s caffè shakerato, an espresso shaken with ice until frothy.
S. Forno
Storied Tuscan breads and pastries
Customers come to this century-old bakery to buy bread and pastries to take home, such as schiacciata, chocolate tarts, pane toscano (the famous saltless bread), and pandiramerino (a sticky Tuscan bun with rosemary). The bakery’s main room offers a few cozy tables and stools to perch on, and the menu-of-the-day offers a a simple lunch of asparagus, ricotta, and lemon quiche, or panini made-to-order.
Cantinetta dei Verrazzano
Seasonal schiacciata and baked goods
Cantinetta dei Verrazzano is in the very center of Florence, right between Piazza della Signoria and Piazza del Duomo. The cafe, which is part of the historic Verrazzano winery, offers delicious wood-fired bread, schiacciata with seasonal vegetables, cecina (chickpea pancakes), cakes by the slice, fresh pastries, and classic Tuscan biscuits. Bring your treats home or enjoy them at the small coffee counter with a good espresso.
’Ino
Panini and wine with local pedigree
For a quick lunch, look no further than a panino, Florentines’ favorite meal on the go. Practically every street corner in the city has a good panino shop, but my pick is ’Ino, located on a side street next to the Uffizi Gallery. ’Ino owner Alessandro Frassica takes care to choose only the highest quality ingredients for his panini, which you can enjoy with a glass of wine at the intimate shop.
Sbrino
Inventive natural gelato
There’s an endless supply of excellent gelaterie in Florence, a city that claims to have invented the first iced desserts. But if you’re in the Oltrarno neighborhood (perhaps visiting S. Forno), don’t miss Sbrino for a delicious natural gelato with tantalizing and unique flavors, such as caramelized cinnamon cookie, amaretto, and pistachio. They have all the classics, too, and a good selection of vegan flavors.
Via dei Serragli, 32R, 50124 Firenze FI, Italy
A previously published version of this article said that Sbrino offered “licorice and pumpkin” flavors, but those have been swapped out with “caramelized cinnamon cookie and pistachio” due to seasonality.
La Ménagère
All-day bites and cocktails in a whimsical setting
La Ménagère is a picturesque, all-day meeting spot, complete with a florist, a homeware shop, and a dining area surrounded by roses. A recent renovation means it also has a vintage cocktail lounge and cigar room. It’s the kind of place where you can go for brunch, lunch, dinner, or cocktails, but my suggestion is to stick to the drinks; the space is ideal for a long coffee break or after-work aperitivo.
Le Volpi e l’Uva
Natural Italian wines by the glass and small plates
This is a tiny wine bar, tucked away in a quiet area near the Ponte Vecchio bridge. In the 30-something years it’s been open, it’s become an institution in Florence. You’ll find a selection of wines by the glass sourced directly from small producers. And while there is no kitchen, they offer a few wine pairings which are prepared behind the marble counter: little cheese plates, mixed salumi, finger buns with smoked goose breast and butter, or golden, cheesy crostini topped with speck and honey. If you want a table outside, reserve one; otherwise, grab a spot at the bar. To note: Le Volpi is a pre-dinner destination so it closes early, around 9 p.m.
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