Excellent food and authentic Italian experience. Don't be fooled by the English subtitles for the…read moremenu items the place is not a tourist trap.

We had a lovely dinner at Trattoria Giovanni. We loved how cozy, spacious, and genuinely local it…read morefelt, like eating at your grandma's house. It's close enough to the lively, bustling part of Firenze to feel connected, yet just far enough to escape the city's never-ending wave of tourists. The service was incredible, and the owner (I'm pretty sure it was the owner?) brought so much energy that he single-handedly turned the whole place into an eclectic little spot during the "rush hour" of the evening. The menu was solid, if a bit "generic" at times. While everything we ordered was delicious, nothing at Trattoria Giovanni felt like a dish you couldn't find elsewhere... and honestly, that's perfectly fine! It was traditional, comforting, and exactly what we were craving. The plate of cured meats and cheese was phenomenal, a great start to the meal. The pastas were really good as well, though one of the meat dishes had a slightly off texture, with the chunks of meat a bit overcooked. All in all, we loved our meal and would definitely recommend this spot if you're in Florence.

Wow, what a special place…read more Set inside a 14th-century tower near the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, this restaurant delivers an unforgettable dining experience from the moment you walk in. The atmosphere alone is worth a visit, but the food is what truly makes it exceptional. We ordered the ravioli, pappardelle with wild boar ragù, the Florentine steak, a mixed salad, affogato, and fresh strawberries with mascarpone cream. To drink, we shared a small carafe of red wine and a Pinot Grigio. Everything was spectacular. The Florentine steak was easily the best--and largest--I have ever had. Perfectly cooked, incredibly flavorful, and remarkably tender, it was the highlight of an already outstanding meal. The pappardelle with boar ragù was rich, hearty, and deeply satisfying, while the ravioli was beautifully prepared and full of flavor. Every dish felt authentic, carefully executed, and memorable. The wine was another pleasant surprise. Both selections were excellent and very reasonably priced, making the meal feel like an even better value. Our waiter was friendly, attentive, and incredibly helpful. He patiently answered questions, explained the menu, and guided us toward some fantastic choices. Although we thought we were too full for dessert, we're very glad we changed our minds. The affogato was fantastic, and the strawberries with mascarpone cream were absolutely delicious. One of the highlights of the evening was watching our four-year-old happily clutching two spoons and enthusiastically scooping fresh strawberries and mascarpone into his mouth. It was one of those memorable family travel moments that you don't forget. A terrific meal, a unique historic setting, excellent service, and a wonderful atmosphere. This was one of our favorite dining experiences in Florence, and I highly recommend it.

I literally can't say enough good things about this place. Main takeaway: make a reservation!! I…read morecalled day-of and they squeezed us in at 6:15 (which was perfect) but everything before 9:30 was booked up. We were welcomed warmly by the staff (he literally said "ah yes I remember you" ) and guided to our cozy little table in the corner. Were ordered a bottle of Chianti Classico to start, as well as a few pastas plus the steak and cod. I can safely say the spaghetti pomodoro with burrata was the best pasta dish I've had in Italy - the pasta was perfectly cooked and the cherry tomatoes was so sweet, the kind of thing that reminds you why you came to Italy in the first place. Overall: great service, great atmosphere, and fantastic food. Just be sure to make a reservation!!

I can't even fathom a spaghetti with tomato sauce being that good. Made in house was absolutely…read moresublime. The pork chop was okay and the mushroom pasta was fantastic but man everything got outdone by that tomato sauce. 100% need reservations as it's a small place.

Having been coming to Florence over 20 years this is definitely one of the best restaurants in all…read moreof Tuscany. The food, service and ambiance is beyond. I highly recommend a visit. You have to call to make a reservation but it is easy to do even if you speak little or no Italian.

friendlist service we have had in italy so far. both pastas…read morehad great noodle texture papperdelle with duck ragu was good, usually dont love duck but this sauce was nice pacherri with zucchini flowers and saffron was unique. light flavor.

Hole in the wall place with a ton of charm! You 100% need a res to be seated, they had to turn down…read morewalk-ins. The zucchini salad was underwhelming but my pasta with saffron and zucchini flowers was actually to die for. I kept saying "wow". Lamb chops were pretty good, a bit too fatty for my liking but the few and far between non-fatty parts were fantastic.

Great place! Food portions are generous. Food was delicious. You can add truffle to any dish for 10…read moreeuros. Husbands steak was super tender and better than any others we have had around Rome and Florence. Friendly service, good AC, big, clean bathroom. Would recommend.

I booked this restaurant through Google and arrived early for my 7:30 reservation, expecting the…read morecozy, atmospheric trattoria shown in the photos -- the one I had reserved. Instead, without even asking for my name or checking my reservation, a young host walked me out the door and across the street into a completely different dining area. The room I was placed in looked nothing like what was advertised: it was brightly lit, with paper napkins, cheap silverware, and visibly dirty walls. The whole place felt like a low-end lunch diner -- not a charming Florentine restaurant. They were blasting Highway to the Danger Zone and I Wanna Dance with Somebody while the main restaurant -- the one I thought I had booked -- played soft Italian music that actually fit the fine dining experience. The contrast was insulting. I was dressed in an upscale outfit appropriate for a refined dinner, yet I was treated as though I didn't belong. It felt discriminatory and dismissive. To make matters worse, at the end they tried to pressure me into tipping on the card machine -- in Italy, where tipping isn't even customary. The entire experience felt like a bait-and-switch, and I left feeling disrespected, singled out, and completely disappointed.

Osteria Santo Spirito is an intimate little Italian restaurant tucked away in a corner of Centro…read moreStorico in Florence and I cannot recommend it enough! We spent three days in Florence and ate here twice, and cut our tour of the Acedemia out of our schedule to make sure we could make it for lunch before heading on to Rome, that's how awesome the food was! The people running the restaurant are so amazing, they truly treat you like family while you are there. They were always attentive, but never lingering. Unlike restaurants in the US where you are expected to eat and leave as soon as possible, in Italy food is mean to be enjoyed over conversation and camaraderie, which means unless you wave someone over or your glasses are empty you are left to enjoy yourselves. Osteria Santo Spirito is no exception to this rule. You'll be warmly greeted and well cared for but never hovered over. You will absolutely want to make a reservation, a wait for a table inside can take a bit to get if you just plan to stroll in off the street, but the seating outside is just as beautiful and a bit more plentiful. If you visit Florence and are looking for a place that doesn't take advantage of the tourists, and serves up amazing food, this is your spot for

After seeing lines night after night at this lovely little corner gem, we managed to secure a…read morereservation for 5 people & let's just say, it did not disappoint! We each got a primi and shared the Florentine Steak which was divine!!! The corner establishment looks tiny but not only is there outdoor seating and a small first floor dining but a second floor dining room with domed ceilings! Quaint!

Wow, this place is amazing. Our waiter was very friendly and he was super hilarious. He made jokes…read moreand it enlightened the room. He provided us with excellent service. We ordered the 2.6 lb dry aged Florentine steak and gnocchi. The Florentine steak is a must try steak here. It was very juicy, tender, and it was bursting with flavor. The meat was nice and chewy. The steak was gigantic and it is bigger than my head. They first bring out the raw steak and weight it in front of you. The steak is enough to share for three people. The gnocchi was also very delicious. It was cheesy and rich. It was also in a way creamy and the cheese just melted in your mouth. One of the best things I've ever put in my mouth and eaten. The cheesecake is very famous in this restaurant. We tried it and understand why. The cheesecake was super creamy and soft. I had a great time and experience here. Definitely will be back sometime soon hopefully. This is a place I highly recommend to everyone. Come and try it out for yourselves.

Another excellent spot we tried in Florence. We were greeted as soon as we walked in and seated…read moreimmediately. The staff was very friendly and our waiter was Nugo. He was awesome and had us laughing the entire night. We peppered him with a lot of questions about the menu, he answered everything and also accommodated my father-in-law, who is GF. He had his own GF bread basket and was able to order almost anything on the menu. We ordered a nice bottle of Montepulciano red for the table that was $48. Others had the Hugo spritz. For app I had the anchovies with roasted red pepper, sea salt and oil over grilled crostini, very good. I skipped first course and ordered the ribeye steak for my main course. Bone in, medium rare, sprinkled with sea salt and a side of onion marmalade. The steak was very good and had way less fat than I expected. The waiter suggested a huge steak for the table, but I was the only one ordering steak that night. Maybe next time. Others ordered the fillet and it was cooked perfectly, the angels and demons gnocchi, and the veal scallopini. Everybody was pleased Really cool spot with a very good wine selection, drinks, excellent food and a fun atmosphere that you don't find at many places. Nugo was an A+ server.

We weren't in Florence for so long so really needed a solid place to try Florentine steak and this…read morewas a great option. The vibe itself is cool (automatic door walking in, dungeon-like walls with cute decorations). Walking to your table you walk by a huge wine selection, which can be overwhelming. We started with the asparagus and peas salad. This was pretty solid, simple but it worked. We grabbed the spaghetti with the cream of asparagus-normally wouldn't order so much asparagus but this was the pasta that sounded the most interesting to us and we did ultimately end up enjoying the sauce quite a bit and it was one of the better pasta dishes we had in Italy. Got a side of the white beans which we probably didn't need but didn't mind. The steak: first of all it's very sizable. The Florentine way is rarer than I would ever order a steak and while I'm glad I tried it, I probably wouldn't choose it again. It's an interesting ordering process as you're essentially given the sizes they have left there for the night so you never know walking exactly how much you'll pay. I do appreciate that they cut it for you but I did feel like some of the meat was still on the bone (not that we really needed MORE meat I just didn't want to waste any). The flavoring is pretty good but there are definitely bites that are better than the others. The service was a bit mixed. There were times they were interested in talking with us while others they didn't seem so interested and a bit aloof. This was especially true when we went to check out. Ultimately, served its purpose in introducing us to a style of steak we hadn't had before and did so in a way that we enjoyed.

Fantastic spot to try Tuscan regional specialties! Our fellow dining room companions were tourists…read more& locals alike so I feel like that was a good sign. It didn't start getting super busy until ~9pm - which is the usual Italian dining hour. We had the: *Prosciutto del Casentino - Le Selve di Vallolmo (Specialty Tuscan Ham of Free Range Grey Pork of Casentino, Tuscany (Slow Food Awarded Ingredients)) - MOVE OVER IBERICO. This was incredible - just melt in your mouth. You have to get this! *Ravioli di Peposo di Manzo al Burro e Timo (Ravioli Stuffed with Stewed Peppered Beef and Tossed in Butter and Thyme) - Peposo is a classic Tuscan dish that's usually tough cuts of meat cooked down in Chianti wine. Loved this 'twist' on a classic dish. They also so kindly split this portion for us which was perfect. The Peposo was perfection; if they just had Peposo as a dish, I'd order it! *Bistecca dell'Osteria (House Specialty Bone In Steak) - the star of the show!! While this isn't Chianni cattle or anything, this was fantastic piece of steak. Perfectly executed at medium rare. Love that the menu states "If you prefer your meat more so well done we would be happy to recommend another dish to you." Ha. Make sure you order a BOTTLE of wine! They have GREAT local options at super reasonable price points.

Real good bisteca my favorite place to have nice steak in Florence . I have a recommending this…read moreplace.

The steak was excellent, but the tiramisu was on another level -- absolutely bellissimoread more

Highly rated restaurant with many locals lined up at opening time! Would recommend making a…read morereservation online Florentine Steak - we got the classic Florentine steak here and we didn't really have a comparison but it was delicious! Medium rare was honestly still pretty rare -- most meat runs in the rarer side in Italy. Expensive but worth trying at least once in Florence! Ribollita - a traditional Tuscan heart stew that our tour guide from the other day recommended. Honestly it was just really nice to eat a veggie and it broke up flavors from eating lots of thick steak! Would recommend this dish! We got to sit outside which was really nice. The staff was very patient with our lack of Italian!

We tried to get an on line reservation and three hours later we were still waiting confirmation so…read morewe decided to take a chance based on advice and great reviews and arrive early and get in line. Big tip...if you do the same line up to the right side of the door to this restaurant. To the left is reservations only. Once they opened, we were first in line we were thrilled to get a table outdoors. Wait staff were very nice. We shared a large beer, enjoyed the complimentary croutons and bread. Our order was a delicious caprese. Ooooh the mozzarella so creamy, tomatoes delicious. Our mains were the creamy tortellini and the chicken with roasted potatoes. Total yum in each bite. Happy we ended our week in the lovely city of Florence at this establishment. Highly recommend.