Local Cuisine:

Florentine cuisine comes from a humble background, incorporating fresh ingredients easily acquired via the land or by wild game. Its rustic flair makes for simple, fresh, and tasty foods. Typical local products consist of produce, cheese, bread, beans, and meats.

Like Italian food? Check out our recommendations of places to eat and things to see while in Florence.

• Chianti! Enough said.
• Antipasta – typically served as a first course: bruschetta with many toppings (e.g., tomatoes, pates, olives)
• Bread – thick crust, no salt – used for sandwiches, soups, and salads
• Ribollita – soup made from black cabbage, beans, tomatoes, and other vegetables.

• Papa al Pomodoro – Papa al Pomodoro is a soup made with tomatoes, basil, garlic and served with bread and olive oil
• Panzanella – salad made from tomato, slightly stale bread cubes, onion, basil, olive oil, and vinegar
• Bistecca alla fiorentina: thick porterhouse cut of beef – well roasted on outside, rare on the inside
• Trippa alla fiorentina: dish with tripe, sautéed in olive oil, onions, tomatoes, and parmesan
• Lampredotto: thinly sliced tripe that has been cooked in broth. Served alone or in a sandwich. Typical street food. Top off with red sauce, green sauce, or gravy.

• Papperadelle sulla leper: thick noodle with a sauce made from rabbit or goose
• Cantuccini – almond biscuits. Here’s a quick and easy (tasty) recipe.

• Vin Santo – dessert wine made to go with biscotti
• Schiacciata alla fiorentina – pastry-like sponge cake, covered with vanilla and lemon scented sugar
• Affettati Misti (plate of cold cuts)
• Tonno e fagioli – tuna and bean salad. This is one of my favorites. Here’s my recipe.

• Stracotto –braised beef dish
• Frittata di Carciofi – Artichoke omelet – lunch starter or main course
• Tiramisu – delicious coffee-based dessert. Here’s the best recipe EVER, created and perfected by my local Italian friend, Laura.

Read more about our trip HERE.