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    La Grotta Guelfa

    4.2 (113 reviews)
    ModerateTuscan
    Open 11:00 am - 10:30 pm

    La Grotta Guelfa Photos

    LA GROTTA GUELFA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

    Recommended Reviews - La Grotta Guelfa

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    Bistec alla Florentina
    Patty S.

    Excellent! The appetizers are a must if you are getting a Bistec alla Florentine (which is also a must) .... We ordered the steak for 3 when it was really four of us and it was just perfect! We were able to enjoy coffee and desert as well. The server was helpful, amicable and knowledgeable. She took the time to explain the different types of meat. It was DELICIOUS! The meat was cooked to perfection. The ambiance is cozy, simple and elegant. They do have outside seating, although I almost always prefer inside seating (given that it is December and it's 37 degrees F out there. ‍ However, I do mention.... Because I saw people seating outside thoroughly enjoying themselves, the ambiance and the good meal. Highly recommended.

    Theresa W.

    Our family of 4 enjoyed a Christmas Eve meal that was just perfect! The food was excellent, a helpful English menu so we could choose wisely. The service was so helpful, friendly and timely. We were seated upstairs which was cozy and inviting. Definitely recommend!

    Seafood pasta

    The service was so horrible that I started appreciating the tipping culture of my homeland (US, the land of the 18+% tip). They gave us bread with 1 wipe for the two of us and one plate, the wipe (lemon alcohol scented) on the plate, so we decided to use the plate for scraps. We ate our bread out of the bag. I poured olive oil down this paper bag they served us bread in like we were pouring butter into popcorn cups in the movie theaters. We got our food and they didn't take our plate away. Other tables did not have a plate with a lemon alcohol scented wipe wafting over their food. They didn't take it away until after the meal. They took like a whole 10 minutes to take our card we were the only table there left The steak, at some points was good. Like 3/5 bites would be very good but the other two... The seafood pasta could be skipped

    Front area where the most seating is
    Christina R.

    Definitely a tourist trap but we enjoyed most of this experience so I'd say it's worth a try. Make sure to make reservations. We did a same day one on a Saturday in June so it's not too hard to make one but I would recommend doing it because we did see some people get turned away. First impressions were bad. The person seating us, "the boss" was SUPER grumpy and almost mean. I get it though, I also work in hospitality, and working with annoying tourists all day can be tiresome but yikes she's real pill. I guess I pissed her off somehow by walking up and saying we had a reservation, she made it a point to seat people behind us first, at the larger seating area in the front. When she finally deemed it was our turn, we walked through the restaurant to the strip of tables in the back. I preferred this so ha! on her. I really like the ambiance of about 5 tables and watching people walk down the quieter street. I may have been a bit passive aggressive to her while we were walking through the restaurant and asked her if she was ok. And to be quite honest, after that, she was really nice to us. The menu, even though in English, doesn't really explain the cuts of meat well so be sure to ask your server. My only issue was that he never asked us how we wanted the steak cooked. I'm sure a steak with that price point, in a traditional restaurant, gets cooked how the chef wants it but when it came to us, literally blue, I was worried. We aren't complainers, or people who send back food, so we just dug in and let me tell you, it didn't matter. This meat was gorgeous and tasted tender and lovely, even very rare. We made sure to get one with the filet still on it. That was cooked medium rare and it was the best bite I had in all of Florence. The roasted potatoes are to die for and an excellent companion to steak. The torta della nonno (not nonna, the chocolate version), I will pine over for the rest of my life. I want that again everyday. The grilled vegetables were absolutely terrible, almost inedible. And the semifreddo was not one.

    Prosciutto Crudo Burrata E Pomodorini - so good!
    Marcie S.

    We made a reservation for dinner here and I'm so glad we did because the place was rather busy. One of the best meals we had in Florence, by far. The location was perfect, outdoor dining on a quieter street. Our server was a very helpful and friendly sommelier with a great sense of humor. He helped us pick the perfect wines for our meals. We started with the Prosciutto Crudo Burrata E Pomodorini and both ordered the Spaghettini Alla Carbonara - and I'm still dreaming of both. I'd recommend this place to anyone in the area!

    Outside/ sign

    Love the location, the menu was extensive, great atmosphere. We didn't have anything we didn't like. Would recommend. I would say service was standard.

    Ribeye
    Eduardo F.

    Food was delicious! My husband had the ribeye which he says was perfectly cooked to medium rare to rare with light salt and Smokey airomatic and the fat was rendered to a chicharrón.

    Citrus Salmon Tartare
    Araceli S.

    This place was recommended by a local. We were able to get a same day reservation for 7 people. The service was great. The food was great. I probably would pass on the citrus salmon tartare though. It wasn't as good/fresh as I thought it'd be. It was super fishy and no citrus flavor at all. I even added my own lemon and oil and I couldn't finish it. We ordered the steak that fed 3 and boy did that make up for the tartare. It was huge!! My sisters and I shared it (4 of us total) and we still had leftovers. So could've fed 5 depending how much someone eats. We ordered it medium, but they will cook a couple slices longer if you want. We also got salad and a couple orders of roasted potatoes to share. The potatoes were soooo good! Of course also had some Chianti wine to go with it. We were so stuffed there was no room for dessert, but definitely would come back and try next time.

    8 euro worth of vegetables!
    James M.

    Probably the most mediocre meal we had during our entire Italy trip. Maybe they were having an off day, but even if they were having an off day nothing can explain the side of vegetables I received with my meal. I felt like I had barely ate any vegetables over the past week so I ordered a side of grilled vegetables. I was expecting something rather hearty for the 8 euro price. What I got was a couple of incredibly thin slices of zucchini and eggplant, half a tomato, a small piece of bell pepper, and about a 1/32nd of a cabbage. Probably less than .25 cents worth of veggies.

    Wendy K.

    This was recommended by our travel advisor and did not disappoint. The best filet mignon I've ever had - rested upon a crusty slice of bread which soaked up all its juices and paired with a delicious pâté, topped with sliced black truffles. Our entire group was impressed with their meals. Easily the most tender filet I've ever tasted - cooked a perfect rare. Worth the wait. If we ever go back we will get the large steak to feed 3 people. A table beside us ordered this and it was a sight to behold. We've been in Italy 4 days and have eaten at 10+ restaurants between Rome & Florence and this has exceeded expectations for the trip - we'll be hard pressed to find better! Thank you for your patience and helpfulness - you've really made our trip!

    Regina pizza
    Shelley C.

    Came here for lunch while in our way to the Uffizi Gallery. The staff was very friendly, spoke English, and was very accommodating. We were seated right away inside. The restaurant is very unique, almost like a small house with an upstairs dining area with a narrow staircase. We ordered the Regina pizza and the wild boar ravioli. Both were very good! I wish the wild boar ravioli has more large chunks of braised meat, but otherwise it was very flavorful and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Good spot among locals and for tourists as well!

    Truffle pasta
    Melissa L.

    Great outdoor seating options. Their menu isn't huge, but everything on it is delicious. The service is great and very accommodating. Their prawns are a must try!!! Tasted just like the shrimp sauce my nana used to make.

    Pesto with homemade pasta.

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    A lasagna I will dream about forever. The Tuscan white bean soup felt like a warm hug after a long travel day.

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    4 years ago

    Loved the pici al ragu but the steak was tough with much gristle. Probably should have sent it back.

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    La Buchetta - Linguine in clam sauce

    La Buchetta

    4.8(312 reviews)
    0.6 kmDuomo
    €€€

    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.

    Fyi there are two locations, make sure you go to the correct one (only two blocks apart)…read more Wonderful, laid back but inviting ambiance. Waiter was super friendly, taking time to explain their wines in detail and food options. They even have a kids menu with sizeable portions for older kids. We all thoroughly enjoyed our meal, and it was definitely the best wine we had with meals in Florence. Gnocchi and wild boar taglietelle were outstanding. Had we had come earlier in our stay we might have come back again They also do a wine window which I wish I'd known about earlier because the other one we tried for fun was not good

    Photos
    La Buchetta - A gigantic cork arched walkway. All corks came from wine opened here.

    A gigantic cork arched walkway. All corks came from wine opened here.

    La Buchetta
    La Buchetta

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    Trattoria Zà Zà

    Trattoria Zà Zà

    4.2(1.7k reviews)
    0.7 kmSanta Maria Novella
    €€

    Looking for a place to eat, found this gem and realized I wanted to try it. Everyone had told us…read moredinner reservations were a MUST here, but didn't think about it. Not many places actually have yelp reviews, but this one had so many with great feedback. The food looked amazing. When we arrived we thought they were closed, but that is because they moved to a bigger restaurant a few doors down. When we arrived at the front, the gentleman asked if we had reservations, which we didn't. He directed us to the line with no reservations. The line was a bit long, but doubled in size almost immediately. It also started pouring rain during this time and we were ALL getting drenched even with an umbrella. The non reservation line was not really moving unless people left the line. We waited a good hour. As we inched closer and closer, the lines were now both outrageous and getting seated seemed like a distant memory. The staff came out and gave out Sangria and Bread bites to help those in line feel welcome. We did finally get seated and we were so glad we waited, it was worth it! We ordered the Spaghetti Carbonara, the lobster spaghettini and the chicken breast with roasted potatoes. We also ordered sangria. Everything was so good and our total was 83 €. Prices were unbelievable! We were amazed at the quality, the service and how large the restaurant they relocated to was. It was like a well oiled machine. The food coming out quickly and efficiently. I will 100% be back if I return to Florence!

    What a maze of a restaurant, super interesting decor and set up. Such a cute restaurant with so…read moremany "rooms". Definitely can tell the old building and maybe they had expanded over the years. The service was amazing and the food delicious. This is one of the places that friends recommended and it's also on the list of many influencers. Tourist trappy, maybe. But the food was totally worth it. We were in the area around 4:30PM and decided to stop in, totally not expecting much as we didn't make a reservation but figured if they're open and not busy, why not give them a try. The most memorable dish we had was the appetizer we order - fried polenta with mushrooms and chicken liver pate, the polenta fried crispy, the mushrooms creamy and the chicken liver pate so smooth and savory. We also ordered 2 pasta dishes - wild boar sauce pappardelle and spaghetti alla carbonara. So tasty and with depth of flavors. Paired well with the house white wine we ordered as well. Definitely a spot you don't want to miss when in Florence.

    Photos
    Trattoria Zà Zà - The African zoo room

    The African zoo room

    Trattoria Zà Zà - His and hers

    His and hers

    Trattoria Zà Zà - Boccalona style Spaghettini

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    Boccalona style Spaghettini

    Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco - Steak Florentine

    Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco

    4.6(368 reviews)
    0.3 kmPalazzo Pitti
    €€

    Beautiful inside, about of twists and turns and we were in the patio , at the back of the…read morerestaurant. Amazing experience ! I highly recommend this restaurant as a stop in Florence . As recommended by Stanley Tucci , we had to stop here and enjoy their amazing delicious dishes. Reservations are highly required! The staff goes out of their way to make sure you have the opportunity to enjoy your meal in Florence . Everything was delicious from the veal lombatina to the pappardelle cing, to the onion flan , to the filetto Chianti ....just delicious . Of all of Florence this was my favorite restaurant.

    Believe the hype. And trust me, I was incredibly doubtful at first, afraid it would be overrated…read moregiven the absolute fandom around this being one of Stanley Tucci's go-to. On top of the pain of securing a reservation (they only take these over the phone; no online system), the only slot I could secure even as a solo diner was as soon as they opened, at 6pm, and via a bar seat. When I arrived, I was immediately greeted by several of the staff, all warm/kind. One of them offered me a table, even though I humbly mentioned I'd be fine with whatever was convenient to them. I looked around and saw what seemed to be majority American tourists so I had very standard expectations. Well, what commenced...my god. I'm getting chills now thinking about the entire experience. Just the absolute perfect dinner my first night in Florence. Everything on the menu looked fantastic and I was even tempted to order 2 Primi (pastas) but my server discouraged it, said they were quite large. Instead she guided towards the "must" appetizer, the "onion flan with pecorino cheese and truffle" followed by their signature pasta, "pappardelle with wild boar ragù" The appetizer literally brought me to tears as soon as I took a bite. I didn't think I liked truffle but this was life-changing. And the pasta was served piping hot and also to die for. I complemented the meal with a delicious glass of white and red and ended with the utterly divine tiramisu. I will be dreaming about this meal for years to come. So epic.

    Photos
    Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco - 6pm (1st seating upon opening was only reservation I could secure)

    6pm (1st seating upon opening was only reservation I could secure)

    Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco - Pappardelle with wild boar ragu

    Pappardelle with wild boar ragu

    Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco - Delicious Vermentino wine

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    Delicious Vermentino wine

    Vini e Vecchi Sapori - Paccheri with with zucchini flower & saffron

    Vini e Vecchi Sapori

    4.6(326 reviews)
    0.3 kmDuomo
    €€

    This was, without question, one of the best meals of our entire life--possibly the best of the…read moretrip! We ate here on our first night in Florence and spent the rest of our trip talking about it. In fact, we came back to Florence a night early from Cortona and tried our luck at getting another table. They were completely packed and couldn't fit us in, which honestly tells you everything you need to know. If you want to eat here, make a reservation. You might get lucky if you show up right when they open, but Florence seems to get busier every year and I wouldn't count on it. The atmosphere is exactly what you hope for when you picture a fun night in Florence--great music, laughter, conversation, shared tables, excellent wine, and people genuinely enjoying themselves. It's lively without feeling touristy and somehow manages to feel both energetic and intimate at the same time. Our server, Lorenzo, was phenomenal. He helped us select a bottle of 2021 Vigna del Sorbo Chianti Classico, which ended up being my favorite wine of the entire trip. We started with buttered toast and anchovies. It sounds incredibly simple, but it was one of the most memorable bites we had in Italy. We shared the duck ragù pasta, lasagna, osso buco, and lamb chop. Every dish was excellent, but the duck ragù and lamb were standouts. We finished with a raspberry tiramisu that was the perfect ending to the meal. The food was fantastic, the wine was fantastic, the service was fantastic, and the ambiance was everything you could want. P.S. If you can't get in, don't panic--the restaurant across the street is also very good. But if you can get a table here, do it.

    One of the best dining experiences I've ever had. No wonder it's always fully booked here!!The…read moreowner is so welcoming and kind, taking the time to introduce himself, the menu, and provide personal recommendations. The servers check in frequently and are quick to help with anything you need. The ambiance is lively with popular music, laughter, and conversation. We chatted with the table next to us on the way out and met some fellow Texans! On our way out, the owner also remembered my name and started introducing me to other tables to make friends. What a fun place to be! The food was absolutely amazing. When we saw them slicing the salami right in front of us, we decided to order the salami plate and we were so glad we did! The zucchini flower and saffron pasta was bursting with flavor and the pasta was so perfectly cooked. I couldn't get enough! The duck ragu pasta was also hearty, rich, and delicious. The sauce was so good, my family soaked up every last bit with our bread. The ricotta spinach ravioli was also amazing!! Again the sauce was such a standout. The ravioli was so fresh with the perfect amount of bite. The green pepper sauce steak was soooo good. Cooked perfectly, with such a unique sauce that the whole peppercorns added perfectly to in texture and spice. Finally, the raspberry tiramisu. We were so full, but when they set these down our dessert stomachs were ready. They were amazing! Not the strongest raspberry flavor, but still such a delicious end to the meal. Side note, you MUST have a reservation to eat here, and they only take reservations by call. Because I didn't have a way to call them, I asked my Airbnb hosts who did it for me (also amazing people). While we were eating, there was a crowd forming outside of people waiting to get in but unable to. It's so worth it to visit Vini e Vecchi Sappori! I'll definitely have to come back next time I'm in Florence.

    Photos
    Vini e Vecchi Sapori
    Vini e Vecchi Sapori - Pappardelle with duck ragu

    Pappardelle with duck ragu

    Vini e Vecchi Sapori - Peposo

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    Peposo

    Trattoria Mario - Pasta bolognese

    Trattoria Mario

    4.5(252 reviews)
    0.7 kmSanta Maria Novella
    €€

    I won't lie....I couldn't wait to get to Firenze.... yes....the "cradle of cradle of the…read moreRenaissance" ....but as a carnivorous..... getting back to Trattoria Mario , one of Florence staples for the famous " Bisteca a la Florentina "....and being able to reserve a table in this "mecca " of meat.....wow......like the soup nazi..... no ketchup lol....no "medium well" or whatever...just one way.....rare.... and why? Cause this is all Uber fresh super quality meat from the ranch 10 minutes away....salt, rate... that's it! And the taste? ..... pure unbelievable pleasure!

    I've been to Florence before but didn't get a chance to try a Florentine steak. My husband and I…read moremade it a point to definitely get one for dinner on our first night in the city. I went to the internet for the best Florentine steak and Trattoria Mario consistently popped up as highly rated. I reached out to the restaurant via email to make a reservation for a Friday. I wanted to get the earliest reservation possible, so the restaurant reserved me for 7:30pm, which was when they open. I was advised to show up on time - even a 2 minute delay would make me miss my reservation. I can see why Trattoria Mario was strict on reservations. They open on the dot, and then a staff member calls out each reservation at 7:30pm like a roll call. Seemed to me that if you don't have a reservation then you're out of luck, because there was no waitlist and the restaurant small and space was limited. Service was great. Our waitress was highly attentive and got us in/out of the restaurant quickly, which was what we were going for. Food came out in a timely manner. We ordered the penne al ragu, salad misto, and a Florentine steak to share. The penne was perfectly al dente, and I liked the meat sauce. I did find the pasta sauce salty, but it could've came from the grated parmesan. The saltiness was not a fluke. The Florentine steak was just pure beef and a ton of salt... too much salt for my liking. I also decided that I'm not a fan of Florentine steak in general.

    Photos
    Trattoria Mario
    Trattoria Mario
    Trattoria Mario

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    La Giostra - My steak cooked perfectly and flavored just enough to be fabulous.

    La Giostra

    4.2(801 reviews)
    0.7 kmDuomo
    €€€€

    By far one of the most highly recommended restaurants when we were making our plans for Florence…read more Highly recommend making a reservation because the wait without one would have been quite long. This restaurant is such a VIBE. Cozy, romantic and a total scene. Service was great as was the food. It was tough because there was so much on the menu that I wanted to try but we couldn't not order the pear ravioli and the Florentine steak. If I went back I would want to try the ossobuco which I saw at the table next to us and looked dynamite. If you only had one night in Florence this is the restaurant I would recommend.

    Food was good but not necessarily the best we had in Florence. Given the reviews and the price I…read morewas hoping for a supreme experience. I shared two pasta dishes with my daughter (the handmade Pappardelle with Maremman Wild Boar Ragu and the Carbonara). Both were very good but not the best we've had. Appetizers were good: Salad with pecorino cheese, oranges, pine nuts and walnuts. We ordered the Octopus appetizer as well. The Octopus was beautifully prepared and presented, but didn't have much flavor. They nailed the Espresso Martini! One of the best I've ever had! We ordered the huge Florentine steak to share between 4 of us and it was more than enough. Ultimately what knocked this review down to 3 stars and what was really disappointing was how they targeted us as tourists with the note at the bottom of the bill (see picture). It read "GRATUITY NOT INCLUDED" in all CAPITAL LETTERS. Also note it was the only thing in English on the entire bill. If it had been our first meal in Florence we might have fallen for this tactic, however it was our last. There's definitely some hostility towards tourists in Florence. Don't get me wrong, some of the people and restaurants we've visited have been very welcoming and friendly. However we recently saw tourist taxes go up significantly, and then you see tricks like this on the bill at La Giostra. This was the ONLY restaurant in Florence where we encountered this. Once jet fuel prices make flying a relic of the past I would argue that some Europeans who depend on tourists for their livelihood may not miss our presence but will certainly miss our spending. Save your money and go research the many other places to eat while in Florence.

    Photos
    La Giostra - Vibes

    Vibes

    La Giostra - Steak

    Steak

    La Giostra - Interior

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    Interior

    Trattoria Giovanni - Tiramisu

    Trattoria Giovanni

    4.6(219 reviews)
    0.7 kmPalazzo Pitti
    €€

    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 wow wow!! Dined ar Giovanni's 4 out of 7 nights while in Florence. Hands down the best…read morecarpaccio in Florence!!! The prosciutto & Melone also amazing! Tender and tasty ossobucco. To top it off the tiramisu was just as spectacular as every other dish. The manager is super nice, cool and welcoming jamming out with an amazing playlist of aid & hard rock, dance & classic tunes. Definitely recommend the walk over the Arno to visit and enjoy the flavors and friendly staff.

    Photos
    Trattoria Giovanni - Exceptional service with great music selection! Every moment in this restaurant felt like being with a party of friends.

    Exceptional service with great music selection! Every moment in this restaurant felt like being with a party of friends.

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    Bistecca alla Fiorentina Chianina

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    Bisetecca Florentino YUM!!

    La Grotta Guelfa - tuscan - Updated June 2026

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