5 stars based on Tuscan cuisine and affordability! It's no joke that there's consistently a line to get in to this popular neighborhood spot! We came twice, the first time we showed up around 7:45, the second time we showed up about 6:40 and we were the second group in line. They open promptly at 7:15 BTW. Located in the Palazzo Pitti neighborhood, and has a mix of locals and tourists. We came cuz I'm a fan of A. Bourdain and he's been here. And also the quality of the dishes and price point makes it very affordable compared to the tourist areas. We weren't super hungry both times we came, but our goal was to grab Bistecca alla Fiorentina. We had it with the roasted potatoes both times and killed both! They warn you from the beginning that the steak will be rare, and it was just on the cusp of moo-ing (just kidding). It was very flavorful as were the potatoes. We also had the salad on the last visit - made simply and just drizzled with olive oil. Both times we had the homemade desserts - highly recommend it! And we also finished with digestives, limoncello for hubby and grappa for me. I would happily recommend a visit here - especially if you are a tourist on a budget. You'll get high quality meals with super affordable prices. Just pack your patience and remember they do not take reservations. read more

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Arrive a bit before opening, unless you're ok with a long wait. We came exactly when it opened, and there already was a line around the corner. We were seated about 45-50 minutes later. The menu itself is simple, and inexpensive. We were impressed by the quality for the price. The pastas were our favorites. We loved the white house wine. We would have gone back again, however they are closed on weekends. We will come back the next time we visit Florence! The menu changes daily, and they have it posted inside the restaurant. If you are solo or in a smaller party, you might be seated with 2-3 parties. read more

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What a great surprise!!! I did not plan on dining at Trattoria Sabatino but as we were walking we saw a long line of people waiting....tells me this is where I want to be. The lines moved pretty quick, about a 45 minute wait. The menu is simple and very inexpensive. Seating is communal, service is quick. Pasta with tomato sauce and pasta with Sugo meat sauce were both excellent and bargains at 5 euro. The star of the show was the Braciole Livornese smothered in their wonderful sauce. Perfectly breaded thin slice of beef, deep fried and sauced...I am dreaming about it 2 days later. The broccoli rabe was seasoned well and tasted delicious. The house wine was fine. Total bill with a liter of house red, 2 pasta, the beef, vegetable and 2 bottles of water came to $28 The restaurant is modest and clean. Has fun talking to others at our shared table. If you are in the area, check them out. read more

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We were supposed to go to another restaurant but they weren't open. I remember seeing this place on YouTube and the influencer raved about them. Just so happened we were super lucky, they open at 7:15PM for dinner service, and we walked up right at 7:10PM, first in line. The wait staff gestured to say they're slightly delayed.. we walked in at 7:45PM. We got chatting with the couple second in line and ended up getting seated together at a large table. Totally something I'm used to as I grew up in East Asia. Hey, don't block them from making money by serving more folks. I tried my best with my poor Italian to order food, and the lady was kind enough to allow me to entertain her. At the end, she blah blah blah many Italian words and was the headlight to this deer.... and then she said "my husband will come let you know the weight of the steak so you know the price." LOL. Thanks so much, I did not get that at all. We ordered a mixed salad, tagliatelle al sugo, Florentine steak, side of potatoes and some red wine/sparkling water. The steak probably could have been trimmed better and our table buddies ordered a pasta each and each had a main dish. I do think they do a stellar job with the home cooking so I would recommend going that route.. but I do think their steak was reasonably priced with great flavor (just a little more tendon/gristly)... actually, everything was so reasonably priced that it was totally worth the wait... The restaurant looks like I just stepped into some Nonna's house.... and all the wait staff was kind and speedy. Clean environment, big dining room... definitely give them a try if you are on this side of the river. Worth the wait for a slice of Italian home cooking, and maybe you'll get an Italian language lesson too. read more

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A very well known spot, and lines out the door, no reservations, 10's of thousands of reviews on G, but I didn;t think it was all that great. We got here at 7, and the line was already around the corner, but luckily, we were seated in the first wave of diners. We had minetrone, the taglitelle soup, the florentine steak, and something. It was OK.. it was bland. The florentine steak was meh. It should have been trimmed better. For the effort, the lines, and all the wait, I did not think this place lived up to the hype. read more

My standards were maybe a little elevated given the hype I found in the foodie community but I tried to level with myself beforehand thinking "don't get your hopes up, it's so cheap that you can't expect the food to be that great". I mean we're talking McDonald's prices. €5 for pasta, €7 for mains. Add on the free bread and dirt cheap contorni, and wine at €1.5 for 1/4 litre and you can leave buzzed and stuffed for €20. I know this because I just did. Now the food? Absolutely excellent. Again I didn't have super high hopes at the price point but they absolutely nailed it. The roast beef with potatoes is to die for - you must get this dish. Service was excellent as well, pacing couldn't have been better and they spoke English despite it being a very local place. Very buzzy with communal seating and a lot of locals. Toilets are cleaner than I've found in most other places. For the $-$$ price range it's definitely a top 5 meal. read more

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Before you line up at Trattoria Sabatino for an old school dining experience, walk across the street for apertivi at Fuor di Porta. They have an amazing selection of vino sfuso (unbottled wine on tap). You will find amazing wine and you will struggle to find a glass for more than $4. Francesca and Cristiano will take great care of you and hook you up with an amazing selection of charcuterie. It's THE best deal in Florence. read more

Service was ok but the food was not worth the wait. The meatballs tasted like dried falafel and the pork chop was thin and nothing special as well as the chicken and pastas. $40 for two with over an hour wait is a one and done. read more

As I roamed around Florence, I wanted to find food spots that were more on the affordable side. To my amazement, I got a couple of dishes for a fraction of the cost of what I was paying around Italy! This is a no-frills, straight from home cooking kind of establishment. There was quite a wait as I got here right when it happened, but who doesn't want an affordable meal? Their menu is fairly simple, but pretty much has everything you need in an Italian comfort meal. I ordered the roast beef and tortellini. Both were very filling and comforting to eat. You pay at the comfort and it's a whole honor system, because they just ask you what you ordered and calculate from there. My entire meal turned out to be less than 15 euros, including the beverages I had with it! read more

Trattoria Sabatino - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

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Delicious restaurant located in a local neighbourhood. Traditional Italian feel - not a tourist hub. Food was fantastic, service very friendly, and prices more than fair. We enjoyed everything we ate - and cannot recommend this place enough. We enjoyed spaghetti, zucchini, chicken, and prosciutto. We would love to come back! read more

This local Tuscan restaurant in Florence has a huge local following. It is classic, family style and inexpensive. Don't come here looking for gourmet. Good experience in a warm setting. Opens at 7:15P and there will be a line. No reservations! read more

Trattoria Sabatino - Outside - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

As I sat down and looked at the menu, I felt like I had just robbed a bank. €5 for a pasta? €5,60 for a 1/4 chicken? €1,50 for 1/4L of wine? I cautiously drew my gaze down as my eyes darted back and forth across the room anxiously. Had I time traveled to the 1990s? I look to the big-boned German woman to my right and ask who the President of the United States is... jk why would she know lol. But no it was still 2023, this is just a Super Saiyan Inflation Buster. Also, this was another place Bourdain filmed at in his unaired Parts Unknown episode set in Florence. After taking in this authentic italian-homestyle setting, I decided to have a feast. I got the Proscuitto, Spaghetti al pomodoro, 1/2L of red wine, the Ferri steak, and a side of potatoes. And a sparkling water obviously. All my homies hate still water. The quality of food was fresh and fantastic. The highlight of the meal ended up being the potatoes and steak. They were to die for. All in all, this meal ran me $33.66 cents. I attached a picture of my Chase statement because I know you weasels wont believe me. After finally having left Florence, this may have surpassed Nugolo as my favorite meal I had. But please don't tell Nugolo, that news should come from me. read more

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Easy 5. But only if you want to eat where locals eat, family run, dedicated owners, and an unimaginable quality for the price. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When in Florence, come here for a great and easy lunch. There will be a line for about 20 minutes before opening. A few tables outside and a surprising number inside. We were here on Independence Day and the owner greeted the line with an obligatory singing of Bella Ciao! read more

Favorite restaurant so far and I loved the atmosphere here! The food here was amazing, traditional and authentic! The servers were efficient and kind. I loved that when I looked around I saw a lot of locals and not tourists! Highly recommend coming for the tasty food that was reasonably priced and even cheap!! read more

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Waited about an hour as they don't accept reservations. With that being said, I can't recommend this place enough. Tastes like a home cooked meal straight from Nonna herself. Just go, you won't be disappointed. read more

If you are visiting Italy and want to experience a reasonable, local restaurant run by a sweet family with the grandma making yummy desserts.. this is your place. We waited an hour to eat here and while the experience was fun, the food wasn't as good as we hoped it would be. We started with several cheeses that were good but the bread needed salt and was pretty dry so we ate the cheeses plain. I enjoyed the flavor of my steak but it was very thin and the potatoes were just ok. My husband enjoyed his stuffed chicken dish. The tomato sauce was a little runny for our taste, nice pasta but the strawberry tart dessert and cappuccino we shared made the whole trip worth it. read more

This place has a ton of character. It feels like sitting down in someone's house and eating what grandma cooked. Don't get me wrong, that's fantastic, but it's getting 4 stars from me because...well, in a city like Florence, where there are so many exceptional restaurants that offer an even more personal experiences, the food doesn't quite hold up. It's great for the price, but I would still rank it as the least impressive of the 8 meals I had out in Florence. Unfortunately it was also not the best value-for-money place, which seems to be one of its central selling points. That said, the prices are a great, and the vibe is great. If I was still in college this would be 5 stars. read more

This is one of the best meal experiences I've had in Italy!! My friends and I went there the other night for dinner and we were so happy with our experience that we will be returning. As broke college students, we really appreciated the affordable prices and felt we could actually have a full meal. All of our pastas were delicious and we even got dessert. It's a very home cooked meal vibe and simple, so keep that in mind. The staff were so kind and accommodating! Just be prepared to wait in a line for a table when you get there. We love this place!! read more

You want to beat all the tourist traps....go here. Long line but worth it for the price. All the good reviews are accurate

Fire. super cheap super gas, chicken is best chicken i've had. The wine was cheap. Must get there early. Very simple menu, but was happy that I was basically forced into my order. read more

This is my favorite place for lunch in the San Freddiano zone. I have been 5 times in 10 days and loved it every time. Authentic, unpretentious, home cooked slow food; in business since 1956, and family owned and operated . They have a good menu of popular Tuscan favorites at great prices. I enjoy the staff and customers who dine here and feel comfortable sitting alone. The service is friendly and attentive, and the locals eat here for good reason. I am welcomed there now, too, as the only foreign guest, but I do speak Italian and I was first taken by an Italian friend. Consistent quality and service, but slow food, so take your time. Save room for dessert; there are several delicious choices. You can walk home through the park and burn off those calories . read more

My train into Firenze arrived over an hour late and I was STARVING. My airbnb host recommended a few local spots and my boyfriend & I decided to come here for lunch. We were warmly welcomed after the usual lunch hour, maybe around 2 ish, and were told to sit anywhere. While the menu was completely in Italian, our waiter was fully fluent in English and took the time to translate EVERY item on the menu for us. I ordered a rice/cabbage soup which was amazing on the cold gloomy day I arrived, and my boyfriend ordered a tasty meat ravioli. While both items were delicious, we decided to order a half roast chicken since you're apparently supposed to eat multiple courses! Unfortunately... the chicken was dry and I really didn't feel like finishing it off. If we had stopped before the chicken, lunch would have been incredibly affordable. If you have limited euros on hand, be sure to remember that some places will add a table tax to your bill even if it's not stated on the menu! Whether it's legal or not is a whole other story, but it happens so what can you do? Summary: rainy days call for hearty soup from Sabatino. read more

Real authentic Tuscan cuisine for a low price. The fettuccine was very fresh in a light pomodoro sauce that was cooked to perfection. My wife had a soup with rice and cabbage that she loved. The ambiance feels rustic with a family owned and ran feel. Very patient with foreigners and their fare is fresh. The place was packed by 8pm so I know the locals love this place too. So far the best meal in terms of taste and value that I've had in Italy so far. You won't regret your visit and will pass on the recommendation to others! read more

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I had heard so much about this family owned business it was on a must do list and I couldn't have been more disappointed. I wanted so much to give this little hidden gem at least 4 stars and a 30 min walk from hotel but I could not. When I arrived with one guest we were ignored and guest that came in behind us were sat first. I thought maybe they had reservations and was regular. We sat at a community table which looked like the making of a great evening. Upon getting the Menu all was in Italian and the prices amazing ! All under 6.00 euros! Wow right ? No! There's a reason I'll come back to that. We order water and bread. The bread was hard and tasted stale. Unusual from my other experiences here. 3 times I asked the waiter for olive oil and Parmesan. 3 times he ignores me like I never asked then sent another waiter to the table to take our order 20 mins after we arrived. Each item had to be explained it was in Italian but they acted irritated like why should he have to explain just hurry up and order. We we finally decided on an item for an appetizer and a main course I was almost shot when they brought the individual all a cart items out. For example I ordered mozzarella now and any other restaurant in Italy that would be mozzarella balsamic olive oil some kind of basil lettuce maybe even tomato it literally came out as a ball of mozzarella on a plate. For dinner I ordered the garlic steak and it came out as overcooked hard paper thin slices of beef with four pieces on a plate. Are you kidding me??? Then my guest ordered ravioli which came out with five pieces of ravioli on a plate I looked over at the guest on the table who ordered stuff chicken that came out as four slices of chicken on a plate we were all laughing his sterically because we could not believe that this restaurant had gained such claim to fame with tasteless boring under presented food. The meats were tough the sauce has no flavor at all! Again, I haven't given a one star rating on any of my ratings but between the poor service being ignored when we walked in and then this simple bland food this was a major major disappointment. Again the history of this place is much greater than the dinning experience and I would not recommend it nor would I return we clearly were not welcome. read more

Trattoria Sabatino - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

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I had a terrible experience at this highly rated trattoria. We ordered the appraised "steak fiorentina" and frankly we were deeply disappointed. The steak came out looking great. However, first bite in the steak was chewy and hard to swallow. Coming from the Midwest and having tasted some of the best steaks in the world, I would give this steak the lowest score possible on my scale. My wife and I barely ate two pieces out of a total of 7-8 pieces (total 1.3 kg including the bone). Also unfortunately the waiting staff did not mention a single word before taking our leftovers away. One of the more costly dinners in Florence, unfortunately the worst of all. read more

This was probably our most authentic and one of our cheapest meals in Florence. I want to rate it higher for authenticity alone and the fact that their sauce tastes like the sauce my grandmother and her sisters made, with a recipe handed down from their immigrant mother, but we felt kinda unwelcome here and were sort of ignored, especially at the beginning of our meal. I felt like we were imposing just by being there. I did absolutely LOVE the food, just would have liked to feel a little more welcome. The food was really, really good though, just no frills. And their desserts were some of my favorite that we had in all of Italy, actually! read more

Trattoria Sabatino - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

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Best restaurant in Florence and I've tired almost everywhere. Really affordable and super authentic old type of tuscan food.

Wonderful family restaurant. Food is good and staff is welcoming. I would recommend the cold cuts, pasta and roast beef. Best culinary value we found Florence. read more

The young female waitress was extremely rude. The steak was tough to eat. Our group of 7 did not feel welcome from the very minute we walked in the restaurant even though we had a reservation. The other food was handed to us at random times. We were shocked to see a panhandler trying to sell a shiny globe to each table. Wth? read more

Cover charge of 1.40euro per person and when you add in side dishes you expect comes with dishes the total comes out more than way more than 10 euros per person. We felt tourists were tolerated and definitely not the focus of their business - steer clear unless you live here and eat here every week (maybe - Im trying to be positive). We are still waiting for olive oil (or any to dip) for the very dry bread! Menu was sparse - we got there at 8pm and they had no spaggetti left (it opened at 7.30pm). V. Disappointed - can't recommend it at all - is there a zero star? read more

We really do love Sabatino's! The whole family is so nice and accommodating. The food is very simple, and always good! We have lived in Florence for several months for work, and this is just the best regular family Restaurant. We have eaten there approximately once a week. Priced perfectly! Get a reservation. We take our small children there. read more

This is where I take friends who are visiting to have no-nonsense home style Tuscan food. Nothing pretentious, super blue collar and traditional Tuscan pastas and mains. Rivers of cheap yet palatable house wine, fresh sliced charcuterie, local cheeses and momma style baked desserts- you can't get any better for value and quality. read more

Unexpectedly good food..i am a vegetarian so i tried the simple potato pasta and i was prepared to be disappointed but it was wholesome and yummy. Dessert too. read more

Traditional, casual, rustic, authentic... This place is perfect! Each dish I ordered was simple, yet delicious. I write 'simple,' yet suspect that the methods and recipes employed evolved from generations of discriminating Sabatino palates. Local families outnumber visitors and the flavors outweigh the very modest prices. read more

I really enjoyed this place. We were the only tourists. The owner explained the menu to US and was very personable. The waiters we're extremely nice as well. I had the soup and everyone else had pasta for a first course. 3 of us had the roasted mackerel, 1 the pork chop. Very tasty. We split a salad and roasted potatoes. Finished off by sharing coffee and desert. I would revisit. read more

This was the perfect spot for a quick lunch. The feel is very local. All of the people in the dining area were speaking Italian and there was no tourist facade. The food was great. I had a lovely smooth minestrone with rice and my boyfriend had a tagliatelle with meat sauce. It is affordable and tasty :) read more

Oh my was this place great! The ravioli al sugo was so good we had to order a second! My husband had to try lardo(seasoned fat) and it was way better than I expected, almost like a flavored butter. The prices are also ridiculously low for the quality. Good wine that's also super cheap. Definitely family run, very efficient, as always (as we've found so far in Italy) be polite but if you need something firmly ask for assistance. read more

Best gem in Florence. My 4 day visit had a trip here each day. The pastas, salads, and wines are perfect. The prices are very inexpensive for the quality. The staff there was very patient with my boyfriend and I as we both don't speak Italian. I love this place! read more

Sabatino was recommended to me by my cooking teacher, who made sure we knew how to find the place. Since it's small and tucked away, I'm glad that she did. Trattoria Sabatino has the best bistecca fiorentina (steak Florentine) that I had while I was in Florence. Thick, rare, delicious. It was amazing. Bring a friend or two, since the minimum was 1.4 kg (roughly 3 lbs), and settle in with a bottle of chianti and enjoy a really good steak. read more

Best experience eating while in Florence last week. This is an intimate, family run trattoria. The food is delicious, wine good and prices reasonable. Best part is that it hasn't been tarted up like many of the older restaurants in Florence. It is a slightly hard to find spot, immediately west of the city wall on the north side of the street, tucked into a little niche, about a 20 minute walk from the south side of the Ponte Vecchio. We ate there on the way to the opera. read more