What To Eat in Florence, Italy — serial home cooking

One of my favorite things to do besides cooking and eating is to travel - and, more specifically - eat while traveling.

I tend to plan my trips around food, doing #alltheresearch about the culture and traditional dishes and finding the places with the best and most local versions. I hunt down the local markets and select a smorgasbord of the best vegetables, cheese and local meats, eaten with a bottle of wine on the beach or in a park. While traveling, my heart, stomach and soul are full. So I want to share with you some of my favorite experiences, restaurants and local spots from some of my travels around the world.

When I was in college, Florence was one of the cities listed for our study abroad program. Since I had never been to Italy I was tempted, but was consistently told that Florence was "very touristy" and "filled with Americans" so I passed. It wasn't until 2016, ten years after any thoughts of study abroad passed through my mind, that I hopped on a plan and made Florence my first top in my tour of Italy. And let me say - while yes, there were certain streets that were filled with tourists, the majority of my experience was filled with Italians, winding alleyways, quaint restaurants, and hardly an American in sight. I went to 3 different areas of Italy on my trip, and Florence was by far my favorite. Not only because of the beauty of the city, but the food. Oh, the food!

Florence was my first experience with "real" Italian food - not the breaded chicken with a side of pasta and red sauce served at the majority of Italian American restaurants. This Italian food was filled with fresh ingredients, light and flavorful sauces, and a uniqueness at each establishment with their own family recipe.

Chiesa di Santa Maria del Carmine

I stepped off the train in Florence after a hell of a travel day. Delayed trains, missed connections, and arriving after midnight instead of the anticipated 8 pm. The streets were dark. My brother and I had found an AirBnB south of the Arno River near Palazzo Pitti, aka the "non touristy area," which we also found to mean that everything closes earlier. Dragging our luggage through the dark streets we came across a nearby Palazzo, buzzing with music and - thank goodness! - an open-air restaurant in the middle of the square. We sat, exhausted, and ordered pasta, because we were in Italy. My plate was homemade spaghetti with plain pomodoro sauce (because it was September and I know my tomatoes well) with a dollop of pesto on top. It was the perfect Italian night and introduction to my first night in this amazing country.

Ristorante Il Bargello

Never underestimate the deliciousness of September tomatoes and fresh mozzarella

Of course we needed to check out the sites, so after seeing the Duomo (which is the most beautiful building I've ever seen and 100% worth it, despite what others might tell you) we stopped for a light Italian lunch. Even though we were in the most touristy square, Il Bargello was a lovely spot, with outdoor seating in the square and a great view of the Ponte Viejo. The spritzes were out of this world (and started the trend of us having at least one spritz a day...) and the spread of local charcuterie was perfect for so much flavor without an "I need a nap" feeling.

Il David

Having my favorite dessert in it's home country <3

After an afternoon of site seeing there was only one thing on my mind: tiramisu. My favorite dessert for my entire life (and I'm not much of a dessert person, so this is one of the few desserts I'll actually eat) I was finally in it's mother country and I just had to have some. A quick Yelp search lead us back to the same square where we enjoyed our lunch, to the restaurant right next door. Another seat outside, another spritz (duh) and this most joyful piece of heaven. It was...incredible. Creamy, rich, with Italian espresso. Better than I ever could have imagined.

Volume

One thing I wanted to experience in Italy was aperitivo, essentially Italian happy hour. Well before dinner, a cocktail and a spread of nuts, chips, dips and vegetables, it seemed like the time everyone came out every evening to connect, chat, and laugh. Again, Yelp helped us find the least touristy bar, not far from our AirBnB, a funky place with colorful tables outside and rock music inside. We sat outside to enjoy the weather and I ordered my first ever negroni (because, again, #wheninitaly) and I found myself just enjoying the breeze, the company and the atmosphere. Everyone was relaxed and happy, not working late or running around trying to get somewhere. Friends and families were purely enjoying their time together. I made a mental note that that's the way to live life.

Osteria Santo Spiritu

Looking for a traditional Italian dinner, we scoured the internet for the best place south of the Arno. And, while the majority of recommended restaurants were booked until 11 pm (though I loved the fact that there was an 11 pm sitting) after walking 40,000 steps we were tired and hungry. Osteria Santo Spiritu was recommended, however was the only place that we really encountered a lot of tourists (being sat next to some American college students who gossiped loudly for 3 hours didn't help). The food, however, was great! Big portions of our appetizers with delicious fresh bread and all of the September tomatoes I could eat left me almost full for my gnocchi main course, but it was too good to not keep taking bite after bite. Having grown up eating bolognese and being a part of a family who is constantly trying and tweaking different recipes, it was fun to try the "real stuff" and dissect it in a fun conversation with wine and laughter. Really living as the Italians do.

Trattoria Giovanni

Our last night in Florence and we'd spent the day eating and drinking our way through Tuscany, but that doesn't mean I would pass up a meal (aka, eating as much fresh Italian pasta as I could get). Down the street from our AirBnB was a lovely little bistro, Trattoria Giovanni, recommended by our host. Definitely a great date night spot, a fancier joint than the other places we'd eaten at over the past couple of days. A nice glass of wine and simple but super flavorful boar ragu with homemade pasta was rich and decadent despite its visual simplicity. Pure exhaustion kept us from spending the evening hanging out with the locals, but this meal was the perfect way to end my first trip in this magnificent city.