Florence is a city full of scrumptious food. Tuscan specialties, from the mighty Florentine steak all the way down to the humble lampredotto sandwich, fill the restaurants and street stands pleasing tourists and locals alike. Florence however, is not a city inundated with food innovation.
In a world where restaurants have become like theater, and diners have come to expect something new and exciting from every meal, Florence seems to have been left behind. Most of the top cities in Europe are filled with top level restaurants competing for Michelin stars, or places on San Pelligrino’s list of best restaurants in the world. Whether it is because Florentines hold fast to their traditions, or because tourists seek out tradition as well, upscale innovative restaurants struggle and often fail in Florence.
It has been my dream, as an aspiring chef, to work in creative and interesting restaurants and to learn as much as possible before heading back to the States to open my very own restaurant. I try to work, and eat in places that change the menu often, and have something new to say with their dishes. For me food is art, the chef the artist. Sometimes it has been frustrating trying to follow this dream in Florence. There are not tons of options.
These days, in the city that birthed the Renaissance, just a handful of modern restaurants are hanging on for dear life. If you are in Florence, and you are interested in food that is outside of tradition, I recommend the following restaurants. Most of them are expensive, but sometimes the memory of a beautiful dinner can be just as valuable as an antique souvenir or a case of wine; takes up less space in the house too.
Enoteca Pinchiorri
If fancy Florentine restaurants have a grandmother, Enoteca Pinchiorri is it. Indisputably the most fancy, and famous restaurant of Florence, this incredibly expensive, three star Michelin restaurant is still the queen when it comes to upscale dining. Entoeca Pinchiorri is the brain child of Annie Feolde and Giorgio Pinchiorri, who have been running the elegant, luxury restaurant for the past thrity five years. With a kitchen staff of over twenty people and a special climate controlled room for assembling deserts you know you are in good hands. If you are really interested in wine, than this is also the place for you. The cantina may very well be the largest in Europe. Recently the food has been getting very good reviews, and though I’ve never been, I have begun saving up.
Onice (Villa la Vedetta)
Set in a picturesque hotel next to Piazza Michelangelo with a terrace and a fabulous view of the city, this modern, sleek interior, restaurant has been gaining fame in the last few years. The chef, Massimo Blasone, uses inspiration from all over Italy and rarely plays by traditional rules. He often combines fish and meat in dishes like scallops with Asian style pork belly or sweetbread risotto with squid and figs
Ora d’aria
With a beautiful kitchen, open to the diners, one can’t help but feel like the night is really a show. The grey walls with white moldings offer a modern elegance which is immediately relaxing. Marco Stablie, a young Tuscan chef, with a quiet manner is the conducter of the show. His creations inspired by both traditional and new techniques can be hit and miss, but when it’s a hit, it’s magic. The slow cooked, crispy skin pork over a bed of sautéed spinach with creamy lavender sauce is plate licking good, and the ossobuco risotto with marrow foam is just sinful. One of the only restaurants in Florence with a good selection of beer, there is even a paring to accompany the tasting menu if the mood should strike.
Cenacolo del Pescatore
The simple quiet atmosphere and soft candle light may make this the most romantic of all the restaurants. The menu is all seafood, which is unusual for Florence, and it is all done with a dash of something new. Chef Daniele Pescatore, originally from Naples, updates specialties from all over Italy in dishes such as panzanella, a traditional Tuscan bread salad, to which he adds his own twist with shrimp, squid, clams, and a light bottarga sauce, or the traditional octopus and potatoes from Naples which he keeps simple in terms of ingredients, but varies the technique by serving a trio of the octopus steamed, fried, and grilled over a delicate potato puree. This is the restaurant I currently work in. I try to eat there whenever I get a night off.
Il Palagio (Four Seasons)
Sitting in the luxurious dining room of the four seasons makes you feel pampered, the staff dances, and the elegance of the room seems to slide off the walls and onto the table. Regional inspired food prepared by Chef Vito Mollica is both traditional and modern. The garden is spectacular, possibly the most beautiful in all of Florence. The Sunday brunch is famous throughout Florence for it decadence and deliciousness; a true treat.
All of the restaurants I have mentioned serve both a la carte and tasting menus. The menus also all change seasonally. If you are lucky enough to be able to treat yourself to one of these restaurants do take advantage of a chance to soak up the new food culture of Florence. Buon Appetito!
Fiona Lapham - Fiona Lapham is currently working as a cook in Florence, Italy. She loves everything involving food, travel, and adventure.
Join the Conversation