Love at First Bite: What to Eat in Florence, Italy

WHAT TO EAT IN FLORENCE ITALY: LOVE AT FIRST BITE

BY: Julia Marshall (Florence Spring 2018)

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When you think of Italy, you can’t help but think about the food. The melt in your mouth mozzarella, the creamiest gelato in the world, pizza cooked to perfection and pasta so good you’ll want to pull a Lady and the Tramp move with someone at your table (I did... not as easy as it looks)!

As an Italian-American, I have known this to be true my entire life simply from the meals my relatives, especially my mom, have cooked for me countless times. My favorite dish growing up was spaghetti with mounds of grated Pecorino Romano cheese and black pepper that my grandmother made. I mean what kid doesn’t want a whole bowl of pasta covered in cheese and pepper?

Growing up I had thought my grandmother made this dish every time I slept over because she wasn’t that complex of a cook. Come to find out, this is a traditional Italian dish called “cacio e pepe” which translates to “cheese and pepper.” It sounds odd, because there isn’t a sauce on it, but it is one of the tastiest meals.

I thought I had it made growing up with all this exposure to Italian food, but boy oh boy I had no idea that it could get even more delicious.

Studying abroad in Florence was a culinary experience to the max. If I ever have a memory loss disorder I will still remember the way the food tasted, looked, and smelled in Italy. Most of my camera roll still consists of pictures of my food from Florence and I left about one and a half years ago. Simply put: I’m obsessed.

There are many terms for restaurants in Italy that signify the type of food they serve and the price you will probably pay. An osteria is known for having simple food and good wine, a trattoria has local food (food particular to the region you of Italy you are in), and a ristorante has an elaborate menu and is usually more expensive and a bit more up-scale.

For anyone interested in studying abroad in Florence (highly recommended), I want to share some of the BEST food I consumed, including my favorite osteria and ristorante, and where it can be found so you can experience the euphoria I did.

Amorini: Panini e Vino

Located down the street from the Duomo, Amorino is the tiniest panini place, but it has the best sandwiches I have ever had. And I literally had one panini a day for 4 months, so I’m pretty much an expert in this area. I did go here the most, but I tried maaaaany other places. They have so many delicious, fresh fillings, but my go-to was a prosciutto crudo, mozzarella, basil, oregano, olive oil and balsamic vinegar panini lightly pressed. Amorini can be easily confused with Amorino, the gelateria, so make sure to double check the address if you type the name in Google maps.

Tip: A panin-o refers to one of these sandwiches and a panin-i refers to multiple. When ordering say “posso avere un panino per favore” which translates to “can I have a sandwich please?”

Gelateria La Carraia

Location: Piazza N. Sauro 25r or Piazza Serristori 14 (one on either side of the river) — **Location:** *Piazza N. Sauro 25r or Piazza Serristori 14* (one on either side of the river)

Gelateria La Carraia is the most inexpensive, high quality gelato I found while in Italy… and yes I also had about one gelato (or more) a day. Basically I did a food tour through Europe. Don’t hate.

You can get the smallest size gelato here for 1 euro, which would cost at least 2 euros at other gelaterias. An Italian “small” isn’t really that small. Also, there are many fresh baked desserts, including gelato cake (think ice cream cake, but better) available for purchase! This is the perfect gelateria for students on a tight budget.

Gelateria La Carraia is located on either side of the Arno river, because there are TWO locations! I always went to the location on my side of the river, which is a few streets over from Santa Croce, the HUGE church you absolutely cannot miss in a perfectly square piazza named after the basilica.

Gelateria dei Neri. Location: Via dei Neri, 9.

Another gelateria (not pictured) I loved is Gelateria dei Neri. This place has the most incredible gelato to ever touch a human’s mouth! I’m not exaggerating. I am an ice cream feen, so this was like the Godfather of all creamy frozen treats.

YOU MUST GO HERE. You might as well go on a gelato crawl because all you do is exit Gelateria La Carraia (on Via dei Benci), take a left, walk down the street, take your first right and Gelateria dei Neri is at the beginning of the street on the left!

They have normal flavors like other shops, but they have the best cheesecake flavors with mixed fruit in it. Oh! They also have two basically PURE caramel and PURE chocolate flavors (think of a piece of chewy caramel and if hot fudge could solidify- that’s what these gelato flavors are). For these two flavors they do add a splash of milk so they are technically not gelato, since gelato is mostly made up of milk. But who cares! You’re in heaven! Don’t question it.

Mercato Centrale

Mercato Centrale, meaning Central Market, is a huge, two-story building located in Piazza del Mercato Centrale. The first floor is full of food vendors who sell things ranging from meat to olive oil to dried fruit and more. There are a few places downstairs you can eat, including a pasta shop that makes the pasta fresh in a closed off room with glass windows for public viewing. You have to get there right when they open or the wait is 30-45 minutes (but well worth it).

If you really want to indulge, however, head upstairs to the “food court.” There are numerous places to satisfy your every craving. These places serve appetizers, full Italian courses, gelato, desserts, and more.

There are even international food stands, such as an amazing Chinese restaurant with the best homemade dumplings. You could definitely spend half a day walking around downstairs and then eating upstairs.

It’s also a great place to practice your Italian. Many of the people working the stalls speak English as well and are always happy to explain the Italian names for things and give customers a mini grammar lesson. Amazing food AND free tutoring! #winning

Simbiosi Organic

Location: Via de’ Ginori 56R (Pizzeria) & Via de’Ginori 58R/60R (Pasta/Restaurant) — **Location:** *Via de’ Ginori 56R* (Pizzeria) & *Via de’Ginori 58R/60R* (Pasta/Restaurant)

Simbiosi is split into two restaurants divided by a wall, so that you must walk outside to get from one part to the other. The pizzeria is on one side with their own kitchen. The pasta is on the other side with a separate kitchen. The pasta side also has meat and other entrees.

Before entering either side, they ask you if want pizza or pasta and explain the situation that everyone needs to agree where to go since you can’t get pizza in the pasta side or vice versa. It’s really a super unique concept.

Now, I only tried the pizzeria side, and here’s why.

It was hands down the best pizza in the world. I went there randomly with my friend when we were studying for midterms in a cafe down the street, and it was the best unexpected gem. For clarification, I am not a pizza person unless I am in the mood, so for me to shrug my shoulders and say “let’s try here” while not craving pizza and then leaving with my life changed forever means something. On the other hand, my mom’s favorite food is pizza and she is SO picky with it, which meant I HAD to bring her here when she came to visit with my dad.

Thankfully, she agreed that Simbiosi pizza is the best to exist on the face of this planet. Now she always says “well that didn’t fill my soul like Simbiosi” whenever we have pizza and it’s disappointing.

Italy really does make people food snobs.

The pizza pictured above is called “Burrata e ‘nduja” which is organic tomato, burrata cheese, and spicy salami...and is the most delicious thing you will ever taste.

Just a short three minute walk from Simbiosi is the Galleria dell’Accademia, the home of the famous sculpture of David. After you’ve stuffed yourself with pizza at Simbiosi, head to the Galleria to see David’s perfectly sculpted body.

Tuscan Cooking Class

My mom signed us up for this Tuscan cooking class, and it was probably my favorite thing I did abroad. The class was held in the Tuscan countryside, 15-20 minutes outside of the city center of Florence. You could still see the Duomo from where we were up on a hill overlooking the city, which was breathtaking.

It was so cool to be able to use the cooking skills I adopted from my two culinary courses I took as electives at Florence University of the Arts and share my knowledge with my parents. It was also great to see my dad finally cook something after 22 years!

The participants in the cooking class consisted of people from all over the world and some from Italy too. There was a Sicilian woman in the class and she made it clear that there IS a difference between being Italian and Sicilian, so word of advice: don’t ever call a Sicilian an Italian.

The cooking class was taught by two chefs: an American chef who cooks in Italy now and a local Italian chef who had more energy in her pinky than everyone in that class combined. The cooking class began in Mercato Centrale where we selected meats, vegetables, and other ingredients to use for our four course meal.

We made bruschetta, ribeye and potatoes, pasta Bolognese, pesto pasta, and tiramisu, some of which is pictured above. Every single thing was made from scratch using local ingredients, which once again, is why I love Italy and their cuisine. I don’t even like tomatoes, but because of this class I enjoy giving into my bruschetta cravings once in a while.

I definitely recommend booking an activity like this with friends or family when you go to Florence. We found this course through Viator, and our experience and views of Florence were well worth the cost!

Osteria La Vinaina

Osteria La Vinaina makes me so ecstatic yet so angry… It was literally one street over from my apartment in Florence and I didn’t go there until I only had three weeks left in Italy. And dare I say it? Yes, I will because it is the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

This is the best restaurant I have been to in my entire life on any continent in any country and any city.

BOOM.

Side note: I very strongly dislike tiramisu and this was one of the best desserts I’ve ever had. I honestly ordered it for the Instagram post after I saw it being brought over to the table next to us, but once I tried it, I fell in love. American tiramisu has an overbearing coffee flavor, but Italian tiramisu balances every flavor perfectly. What can’t the Italians do?

Please go here. You won’t regret it. I was so mad that I passed by this on day one and assumed it to be street art on a garage-door that led nowhere (clearly I can’t read signs or I’m just oblivious). It’s located in a residential area on a side street a few minutes away from Santa Croce via walking!

During my last three weeks in Italy I was only in Florence for a little under 2 weeks and I went three times. Once with a few friends. Once with our ENTIRE friend group (13 of us- there was only one free table after we sat down) and the last time was with my parents.

The owner of the place, a middle-aged Italian woman who spoke no English (literally none), knew me VERY well by the end of those two weeks. I became her translator for all of the Americans that couldn’t read the menu, and I even met her mom and she met mine!

My favorite memory abroad happened during my last trip there. I walked in to the osteria and from across the room the owner yelled “JULIA” with her Italian accent and arms in the air with the excitement of an aunt who knew me as a child but hadn’t seen me in years, and we introduced each other to our mothers who both happened to be there. Yet another reason why Italians are my kind of people.

Osteria La Vinaina is seriously the most authentic Italian restaurant I have ever and probably will ever dine in. It feels like you are in your grandmother’s house.

It is suuuuuper tiny.

The entire menu is in Italian, nobody speaks English (hence my translation services being requested by the owner), and they only serve wine from a barrel from a vineyard a few towns over. The food is the most delicious food your mouth will ever touch.

I literally shed a tear when I left on my last visit. And when I go back to Florence, I am going here immediately. I sent my friends and their parents here and they absolutely loved it, and so will you!

Ristorante PesceRosso

Location: Piazza della Repubblica, 11 — **Location:** *Piazza della Repubblica, 11*

Next on our food tour of Florence, we’re heading to what the locals consider the “Upper East Side” - a Gossip Girl reference for any fans. Piazza della Repubblica is the most boujee neighborhood in the city. Walking around here, you will see many high-end stores, such as Michael Kors, Coach, and Armani, plus fancy sports cars parked by high-end clubs and bars.

While Ristorante PesceRosso, which means red fish, was definitely up-scale in appearance, it wasn’t very pricey thankfully. The portion sizes were huge, just look at my chunk of lasagna... and you could get a three course meal for around $30 a person, which is VERY reasonable.

There is outdoor and indoor seating. I sat outside each time because the seating is completely surrounded by glass walls, as are the other restaurants outside in Piazza della Repubblica.

It’s a great place to people watch for sure! There are also heat lanterns for chilly nights, which made it super cozy.

I hope you get the opportunity to visit the birthplace of the Renaissance and taste the out-of-this-world food prepared with all the love and kindness of the Italian people. Italy truly was love at first bite for me, and I guarantee it will be for you too. Buon appetito!

Ready to have your own Italian food adventure? Learn more about our ASA study abroad programs in Italy. We have summer and semester abroad programs in Florence, Rome, and Sorrento!

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