Perché No!
$ | Duomo
Fodor's choice
What many consider the best gelateria in the centro storico embodies the "practice makes perfect" adage. It's been making ice cream since 1939.
6 Best Restaurants in Florence, Italy
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Florence's popularity with tourists means that, unfortunately, there's a higher percentage of mediocre restaurants here than you'll find in most Italian towns (Venice, perhaps, might win the prize). Some restaurant owners cut corners and let standards slip, knowing that a customer today is unlikely to return tomorrow, regardless of the quality of the meal. So, if you're looking to eat well, it pays to do some research, starting with the recommendations here. Dining hours start at around 1 for lunch and 8 for dinner. Many of Florence's restaurants are small, so reservations are a must. You can sample such specialties as creamy fegatini (a chicken-liver spread) and ribollita (minestrone thickened with bread and beans and swirled with extra-virgin olive oil) in a bustling, convivial trattoria, where you share long wooden tables set with paper place mats, or in an upscale ristorante with linen tablecloths and napkins.
Those with a sense of culinary adventure should not miss the tripe sandwich, served from stands throughout town. This Florentine favorite comes with a fragrant salsa verde (green sauce) or a piquant red hot sauce—or both. Follow the Florentines' lead and take a break at an enoteca (wine bar) during the day and discover some excellent Chiantis and Super Tuscans from small producers who rarely export.
International cuisine in Florence is a hit-or-miss affair. Although numerous Asian restaurants have sprung up since the 1990s, only a select few are worth a visit. Still, if you need a break from Italian, some relief is available.
Pizzas in Florence can't compete with their counterparts in Rome or Naples, but you can sample a few good approximations.
Cafés in Italy serve not only coffee concoctions and pastries but also sweets, drinks, and panini, and some have hot pasta and lunch dishes. They usually open from early in the morning to late at night, and are often closed Sunday.
Gelateria Carabe
$ | San Marco
Specializing in things Sicilian, this shop is known for its tart and flavorful granità (granular flavored ices), which are great thirst-quenchers.
Gelateria Carabe
$ | San Marco
Specializing in things Sicilian, this shop is known for its tart and flavorful granitàs (flavored ices), which are great thirst-quenchers. It's also a great place to grab a gelato after seeing Michelangelo's David.
Recommended Fodor's Video
Gelateria la Carraia
$ | Santo Spirito
Although it's a bit of a haul to get here (it's at the foot of Ponte Carraia, two bridges down from the Ponte Vecchio), you'll be well rewarded for doing so, with standard gelato flavors or creative options such as limone con biscotti (lemon sorbet with cookies).
La Spada
$ | Santa Maria Novella
Near Santa Maria Novella is La Spada. Walk in and inhale the fragrant aromas of meats cooking in the wood-burning oven. You can either eat in or take it away.
Pugi
$ | San Marco
Conveniently across the piazza from San Marco, Pugi sells the popular pizza a taglio (by the slice) as well as delicious focaccie. It's a great place to grab a quick lunch or snack.
