Florentine food is probably the best in the world and I'm not exaggerating. Aside from the usual pizza, pasta and gelato that you can find in every corner, Florence boasts of some signature dishes that are oh so yummy and made of natural ingredients from the hillsides of Tuscany. If you find yourself at a loss on where to eat in this food-filled city, just follow the locals. They'll know where to go.
Here are a few places that were highly recommended.
Best Pizza: Gusto Leo
You can find a lot of pizzas in cafeterias and restaurants around the Duomo that look like this.
One slice is 3.50 Euros and is OK if you're on a very tight budget. They taste quite good and have fresh ingredients but somehow still lack the authentic feel.
That's why you need to go to Gusto Leo.
Recommended by one of the managers of our hotel, this restaurant is frequented by locals and tourists alike. A whole pizza is not too expensive, somewhere between 8 to 15 Euros depending on the toppings. Plus, they're heaven--as in melt-in-your mouth-I-want-another-slice-and-another-and-another heaven. Don't take my word for it. Go there and order one.
Gusto Leo also serves salads with nothing-can-be-fresher-than-these veggies
And the famous Florentine trippa (tripe) dish.
And let's not forget the dessert. If their pizza is heaven, their Tiramisu is divine.
And I cried with joy when I tasted their strawberry panna cotta.
Sigh...
Back to reality.
A meal for 4 (with dessert and wine) costs around 60 to 70 Euros which is not bad for a great meal. Gusto Leo is located in Via del Proconsolo in the historical center of Florence.
Best Sandwich: Nerbone
You can try sandwiches in shops around the Duomo but nothing comes close to Nerbone's boiled beef sandwich, the panino con bollito. The beef is dipped in meat juices and cooked to perfection.
Since the shop has been in business since 1874, eating this sandwich is like taking a bite out of Florentine history. Nerbone is located at the Mercato Centrale. Come early for lunch because it becomes really crowded and you almost have to fight in order to get a table. Otherwise you have to eat standing up like the old locals that frequent this shop.
The sandwich costs around 5 Euros.
Best in Local Cuisine: Trattoria le Mossace
This place is literally a hole-in-the-wall. If you walk fast in the Via del Proconsolo, you'll miss it. It's small, cozy and filled to the brim with locals. Managed by the Fantoni-Manucci family for 50 years, this small restaurant serves probably the best local food in Florence.
Their pezzatino fiorentino (beef drowned in some tomato sauce concoction) tastes great.
And I don't know what they did to the spinach but it sure is delicious.
We also ordered their ribollita (vegetable and bread soup) which I failed to take a picture of.
A meal for 4 with wine at Trattoria Le Mossacce costs around 50 Euros.
And lastly
The Best Gelato: Vivoli
There's a gelataria (ice cream shop) for every five steps you take in Florence. Some of them serve very good gelato, others are just OK, but they all pale in comparison (even the famous GROM) to Vivoli.
Since the best ice cream in the world is in Florence and the best ice cream in Florence is Vivoli, then Vivoli must be the best ice cream in the world. And I totally agree. There's nothing quite like it.
Located in a small alley (a bit hard to find), the Via Isola delle Stinche, close to my favourite church, the Sta. Croce (more on that in a later post), Vivoli has been making homemade gelato since 1930. They make it in the morning and try to sell everything (which probably they do) before they close. So the gelato that you get is as fresh as can be.
My favourites are the peach and dark chocolate flavours. And you should try the rice (yes, rice!) ice cream. It's quite yummy and not what you expect it to be.
And it's cheap, too! The smallest cup (with one, two or three flavours) costs 1.50 Euros.
It's been a month since I've been to Florence and I still crave for Vivoli gelato. Any gelato that I eat now will never be as good. You can ignore any of my food recommendations but please go to Vivoli. Otherwise, your Florence experience will never be complete.
On to the sights of Florence in my next post.
1 comment:
OMG! This is sinful! :D
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