I’m a food enthusiast, nothing can make me happy more than a good, large meal that satisfies my stomach.
And of course, nothing is more satisfying than real Italian food. And I’m not speaking about some fake Italian food that we eat daily all over the world, I’m talking about the real deal.
So I thought I should make a list of my favourite restaurants/trattorias in Florence since I’ve been here for 3 months, eating at a different place everyday.
(Here they are in no specific order.)
1. Osteria Santo Spirito:
Simply the best Gnocchi I have ever had in Florence! Located at Santa Spirito (from the name obviously) I went there with a friend who highly recommended the gnocchi, and damn he was right!
It was drowned in cheese, hot out of the oven and straight to my table, I ordered it as an appetizer next to my meat and vegetables, but I was so full from the gnocchi that I couldn’t even finish it first. (And trust me, a girl like me doesn’t get full that easy)
If you ever go to Florence, you must pass by that warm, little place and indulge yourself in that cheesy heaven.
2. Pizza Man:
This was actually recommended to me by an Italian friend who said it was the “best pizza in Florence” and if an Italian local tells you that, then the pizza there must be hard core! I had to try it for myself, so I went there and ordered a pizza, and it was like my taste buds just opened up to a whole new level of pizza. I think after eating there, I set the bar very high for myself when it comes to pizza. I certainly agree, it’s the best Pizza in Florence, don’t even bother going anywhere else.
3. Buca Lapi:
Of course! Florentine steak. The large, heavy piece of heavenly pure beef. I have been to several places trying to find the best place for a good steak (Well, at least to me.) And I have finally come to the decision that Buca Lapi serves my favourite steak so far. The prices are great, the atmosphere is amazing, and the steak is beyond my comprehension.
4. Il Procopio:
I will certainly not forget my favourite Gelato..I mean, it’s Italy after all! My favourite place is a little store near my house called Il Procopio, which happens to be the winner of best gelato in Florence 2011. And it surely deserves that title, I tried many flavours but my favourite has to be Sacher.
Imagine sponge cake mixed with rich chocolate mixed with chocolate ice-cream and cocoa and cream in one cone.
5. The Diner:
Italian food is beyond great, but come on, I can’t eat it everyday for the rest of my life! My stomach requires some change. It’s difficult to find good, affordable foreign food in Florence, well at least that’s what I told myself that until I went to The Diner.
The Diner serves American food, and one of the best burgers I’ve tried! The homemade, thick burger meat is served in anyway you like it, along with homemade wedges and different dips, that will make you feel like your stomach is going to explode with satisfaction. It is safe to say that they serve the best carrot cake I’ve ever tried, and some nice pancakes too.
Florence is not all about art and beauty, there’s much more to it, and I’m discovering new things everyday.