A Taste of Florence : My Favorite Cafés, Restaurants, and Foods in Florence, Italy

Wandering, Wondering, and Eating My Way Through a City That Feeds the Soul

I’m currently writing this from the train between Florence and Venice, watching the Italian countryside glide past my window and reflecting on the days I just spent in a city that feels like a living work of art.

Florence gave me everything I hoped for and more.

I climbed towers and staircases until my legs questioned my judgment. I wandered through museum after museum, stood inches away from masterpieces that changed the course of human creativity, and walked down streets with no destination at all—simply allowing myself to get lost so I could see things I didn’t even know I needed to see.

This trip was meant to fill my heart and mind, and perhaps most importantly, to spend time with myself.

And I’m learning something wonderful.

I truly love traveling alone.

There is a freedom in it. A quiet joy in moving through the world at your own rhythm. In noticing details you might otherwise miss. In allowing curiosity to lead you rather than a schedule.

But today, instead of writing about art and architecture, I thought it would be fun to share something else Florence does exceptionally well.

Food.

Because Florence doesn’t just feed your curiosity—it feeds your soul.

The Italian Croissant Upgrade

I think it’s rather amusing that Italy looked at the French croissant and said, essentially:

“That’s lovely… but we can make it better.”

Enter the cornetto alla crema.

If you’ve never had one, imagine a croissant that decided to become slightly softer, slightly sweeter, and then generously filled with silky pastry cream.

It is… magnificent.

My favorites were from Caffè Scudieri and Rivoire, both of which also made cappuccinos so perfect they almost felt ceremonial.

Italian cappuccino is something special. No sugar needed. Just the perfect balance of strong espresso, warm creamy milk, and a thick, velvety foam that somehow tastes richer than anything we manage to make at home.

I’m not entirely convinced it’s possible to replicate outside of Italy—but I will certainly try.

Rivoire: Cappuccino, People Watching, and Biscotti Dreams

Of all the cafés I visited, Rivoire may have been my favorite.

Sitting there with a cappuccino in Piazza della Signoria, watching the world drift past, felt like one of those moments you wish you could bottle and save for later.

Their cornetto alla crema was dreamy, but what truly surprised me were their cantucci—small almond and pistachio biscotti.

Dipped into warm cappuccino, they were perfection.

And then there was the Schiacciata alla Fiorentina—light, slightly sweet, dusted with powdered sugar, and somehow both delicate and deeply satisfying at the same time.

Florence has a way of making simple things feel extraordinary.

The Schiacciata Sandwich That Ruined Me for All Other Sandwiches

If you go to Florence and do not have a schiacciata sandwich, you are doing Florence wrong.

My first was from I’ Girone De’ Ghiotti, and I’m not exaggerating when I say it may have been the best sandwich I’ve ever eaten.

The bread is airy but crisp, the fillings generous, and the flavors bold. Mine was stuffed with vegetables, olive oil, and artichoke cream—and so full that the ingredients had absolutely no intention of staying politely inside the bread.

The next day I tried another at Panetteria e Stuzzicheria de’ Neri, the La Pistachio, which was also excellent.

But that first schiacciata?

Unforgettable.

If you are in Florence and only have time to try one, I recommend going to I’ Girone De’ Ghiotti.

I will absolutely be experimenting with artichoke cream when I get home. And since I’ve been baking sourdough and focaccia lately, I now have a new goal: learning how to make bread that even begins to resemble what they do here in Florence.

Ribollita: A Dish I Will Be Making Forever

One of the most memorable dishes I had in Florence was ribollita, a traditional Tuscan soup made with bread, beans, vegetables, and olive oil.

The first time I tried it was at Osteria Pepò, and it was incredible.

But then I had it again at Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco.

And somehow… it was even better.

Ribollita is simple, hearty, and deeply comforting—the kind of dish that feels like it has been nourishing people for hundreds of years.

Which, of course, it has.

It’s exactly the kind of food I love: rustic, nourishing, full of flavor, and made from humble ingredients treated with care.

I already know this will become a regular in my kitchen when I return home.

Pasta Worth Crossing an Ocean For

At Osteria Pepò, the spinach and ricotta ravioli with Parmigiano was outstanding.

I took my time eating it, savoring every bite and imagining how wonderful it would be to learn to make something like that from scratch.

At Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco, the tagliatelle with artichokes was equally unforgettable—especially with their rustic bread to soak up the olive oil and sauce.

Like many meals on this trip, I couldn’t finish it all.

But I’ve made peace with that.

My body isn’t a trash can, and when I’m full, I simply allow myself to appreciate the experience and leave the rest behind—even when it feels almost tragic to see such delicious food uneaten.

A Thought About Dining Alone

Interestingly, meals are perhaps the only time I occasionally find myself wishing I had a companion.

Someone to share the dishes with.

Someone to laugh with over how good the food is.

But then I look around and notice something else.

Couples sitting together—yet one or both are on their phones.

And it reminds me that being alone isn’t the same as being lonely.

I’m sitting in beautiful places, surrounded by life, sometimes chatting with strangers, sometimes exchanging smiles with the people at nearby tables.

But most of all, I’m alone with my thoughts.

And I find my thoughts to be quite fascinating company.

Pizza, Beans, and the Magic of Olive Oil

My pizza experience in Florence was at Lo Sprone, where I had a classic Margherita pizza.

The crust was slightly thicker than the Roman pizzas I tried earlier in the trip, but still wonderfully thin and crisp.

Delicious.

As an appetizer, I had cannellini beans with sage, which absolutely stunned me.

Simple ingredients. Extraordinary flavor.

And they served an olio al peperoncino—a spicy olive oil—that I drizzled over the pizza.

It was spectacular.

Gelato Worth Climbing a Hill For

Florence takes gelato very seriously.

At Gelateria dei Neri, the pistachio and yogurt gelato were both fantastic.

The best gelato I had in Florence was actually from a tiny shop I stumbled upon on my first evening, just before climbing up to Piazzale Michelangelo.

I ordered strawberry basil gelato at Gelateria Pintucci, and it was, without question, the best gelato I’ve ever tasted.

Sweet strawberries with just a hint of fresh basil—it sounded slightly unexpected, but the flavors were perfectly balanced and incredibly refreshing.

Sometimes the most magical discoveries while traveling are the ones you never planned.

Why Florentine Food Works

What I love most about food in Florence is how simple and honest it is.

Unlike some of the rich dishes I encountered in Paris, Tuscan food feels grounded.

It’s full of olive oil. Sometimes butter. But rarely excessive.

Herbs aren’t used as decoration—they’re part of the soul of the dish.

The flavors sometimes sound unexpected, yet when you taste them, they make perfect sense.

There is a kind of culinary wisdom here that feels both ancient and intuitive.

Walking It All Off

Thankfully, travel days in Italy seem to involve 25,000 steps or more, because I have certainly been eating my way through this country in ways I didn’t quite anticipate.

And loving every bite.

Now the train is getting closer to Venice, and I can’t help but wonder what flavors await me there.

If Florence taught me anything, it’s this:

Sometimes the best way to experience a place is simply to wander, stay curious, and say yes to the food.

Honey Note:

Sometimes we travel to see the world. But if we’re lucky, the journey also helps us see ourselves a little more clearly. Florence reminded me that joy can be found in the simplest moments—warm cappuccino, fresh bread, olive oil, and the freedom to wander wherever curiosity leads.

With a heart full of gratitude for the beauty of this world and the simple joys that remind us to slow down and savor it,

Honey (MaryNell) 🍯🐝

P.S. If you ever find yourself in Florence, order the cappuccino, dip the cantucci, wander without a map, and say yes to the schiacciata. Life is sweeter when you do.