10 Best Local Dishes From Florence

Fagioli all’uccelletto (Tuscan-style baked beans) holds a special place in Florentine folklore as a simple yet hearty vegetarian dish, with roots dating back centuries. The Tuscan region of Italy produces beans in abundance, with many of Florence’s local dishes including legumes in some form.

Italian borlotti beans stewed in a hearty tomato sauce base, infused with unmistakable notes of sage and garlic make for a moreish treat. This comforting dish is usually served with thick slices of crispy Tuscan bread so that diners can enjoy the Italian custom of scarpetta, which is a tradition of mopping up the leftover sauce so that not a morsel remains on the plate.

Schiacciata is a traditional Florentine flatbread which contains liberal amounts of salt and oil to give it a crisp and chewy texture. The basic schiacciata recipe contains only 5 ingredients – salt, olive oil, water, flour and yeast.

Schiacciata takes different forms; sometimes served alone as an afternoon snack; occasionally topped with cheese and herbs; and during the grape harvest, is served with a fruit filling as a sweet treat. There are few things more comforting than freshly baked bread, and Florentine locals have perfected the art of creating the perfect oven-fired flatbread.

The humble lampredotto (Florentine offal sandwich) is a throwback to a time when peasants simply could not afford to let any of the remains go to waste. Much of Florence’s culinary culture is derived from what is known as cucina povera (cuisine of the poor), so this sandwich falls squarely into this category as it uses the lining of the cow's stomach.

The stomach lining is usually slow-cooked in a broth and served in a panini, topped with either a spice or herby sauce. The lampredotto is a Florentian street food staple that has stood the test of time and continues to delight travellers visiting this food-lover's paradise.

The Florentine steak is arguably Florence's most famous local dish, with very strict requirements to garner the prestigious label of bistecca alla Fiorentina. To qualify as a Florentine steak, it needs to be a T-bone cut weighing no more than 2 kg and no less than 1 kg, taken from grass-fed Chianina cows raised on the farms of neighbouring Siena.

The bistecca alla Fiorentina is cooked rare (and good luck trying to convince the chef otherwise), with nothing more than salt and pepper for seasoning. The charred exterior and rare-cooked meat might divide opinion among eager carnivores, but one thing is for sure – the bistecca alla Fiorentina is an Italian culinary experience that you won’t soon forget.

Like many other local dishes found in Florence, the beauty of coniglio arrosto morto lies in its distinct simplicity. Travellers may be slightly taken aback by the fact that this dish involves rabbits, but the slow cooking process renders the meat tender and flavourful with a texture resembling chicken – only slightly sweeter.

Despite the paucity of ingredients, you'll uncover a medley of flavours when you savour this dish. This Florentine novelty is best enjoyed in the cooler months, as the hearty vegetables and rich white wine sauce warm you from the inside.

Tuscan bread soup is a Florentine dish dating back to the 19th century, yet continues to be a favourite with both locals and travellers to this region of Italy to this day. Traditionally served cool during summer months as a starter, pappa al pomodoro uses passata (thick tomato paste), with olive oil, basil and garlic to give it flavour, while the texture comes from unsalted Tuscan bread left to simmer in the soup.

During medieval times, pappa al pomodoro helps ensure that stale bread didn't go to waste. This comfort food is a testament to just how adept Florentine farmers and peasants became at reusing seemingly simple ingredients to create satisfying dishes.

Locally grown porcini mushrooms and flavorful Tuscan truffles take centre stage in this famous Florentine dish. The earthy flavours of the truffle shavings meld with the meaty texture of the porcini mushrooms to create a delicious pasta that all travellers to Florence should savour.

Longer than and flatter than fettuccine, tagliatelle ribbons are tossed in a creamy mushroom sauce and garnished with generous amounts of parsley to complement the flavours of the fungi. Given that mushroom production peaks between August and October, the freshest truffle and porcini mushroom tagliatelle can be found in Florence around the mid-autumn season. This is a combination which will have you craving more.

Pappardelle al cinghiale (wild boar pasta) is a signature dish that visitors to Florence should sample. To Italians, wild boar is an extremely versatile game meat which can be prepared in many ways, whether it be cured or cooked. It is typically marinated in red wine overnight, stewed in a tomato sauce, and then served atop thick pasta strips known as pappardelle.

Not only is wild boar a healthier alternative to pork, but it is also more sustainable – more than 150,000 of these hogs roam the national parks in the Tuscan region. While most foodies compare the texture of boar to venison or pork, marinating and slow cooking the wild boar renders the meat more tender and flavourful.

Fried squash blossoms are some of the tastiest appetisers you'll ever come across and a must-try when visiting Florence. Popular not just in the Tuscan region but across Italy at large, these squash blossoms are lightly battered in rice flour and either pan-fried or deep-fried until golden and crispy.

The real treat lies inside the squash, as they are stuffed with a decadent ricotta cheese filling. Other parts of Italy substitute it for anchovy and mozzarella. This local dish is addictively scrumptious and an excellent entree for your main course.

Crostini di fegatini (chicken liver crostini) is a wonderfully versatile Florentine appetiser that has its roots in the Tuscan farming community. The crostini usually resemble toasted baguette slices (but can also take the form of bruschetta), which is then topped with a buttery chicken pate.

Rather than stopping at just chicken liver pate, we recommend loading up on other toppings like capers, anchovy paste or salsa, as all pair well with the golden crispy crostini. You can find many different variations of this Florentine staple, so be sure to sample as many as you can on your hunt for Florence’s best local dishes.