RESTAURANTS, CAFES AND BARS - Florence and Tuscany - page 263

CITY CENTRE WEST Cantinetta Antinori

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Piazza Antinori 3, 50123 Tel [phone] Map 5 C2
More than just a wine bar, yet not a full-blown restaurant, this room on the ground floor of one of Florence's finest
Renaissance palaces makes a lovely place to eat. There are traditional Florentine dishes such as tripe and pasta with
duck sauce, and a fine selection of Antinori wines.
CITY CENTRE WEST Obika

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Via de Tornabuoni 16, 50123 Tel [phone] Map 5 C2
This mozzarella bar, part of a small chain, serves fantastic fresh buffalo mozzarella and great salads, and has a stun-
ning setting in the inner courtyard of the Palazzo Tornabuoni in the heart of town. You can taste three different
hand-made mozzarellas, or there are light meals such as aubergine parmigiana, and aubergine and smoked rice tart.
CITY CENTRE WEST Colle Bereto

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Piazza Strozzi 4-6, 50123 Tel [phone] Map 5 C3
Florence's most fashionable bar is also a popular lunch spot with a great terrace, right opposite Palazzo Strozzi. Light
meals are the order of the day, with gourmet hamburgers, pastas and grilled succulent cuts of beef. Dinners are
more elaborate. Good wine list and a buzzing atmosphere in a lounge setting.
CITY CENTRE WEST I Latini

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Via dei Palchetti 6r, 50123 Tel [phone] Map 5 B3
There is always a crowd of both foreigners and locals clamouring for a table outside I Latini's large, noisy trattoria,
where huge hams hang from the ceiling. The food is traditional and portions are enormous. Bypass the pasta and
try the succulent grilled and roasted meats; bistecca alla fiorentina (broiled T-bone steak) is an experience.
CITY CENTRE WEST Garga

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Via del Moro 48r, 50123 Tel [phone] Map 5 B2
A Florentine classic presided over by Giuliano, one of the city's great characters, Garga is fun and often full. The walls
are daubed in garish frescoes and you eat in one of a series of cosy rooms. Some dishes are better than others but
taglierini del Magnifico (pasta with a creamy orange-and-mint flavoured sauce) is superb.
CITY CENTRE WEST Osteria Tornabuoni

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Via de Corsi 5, 50123 Tel [phone] Map 5 C2
This chic osteria is frequented by Florence's VIP crowd and features modern Tuscan food cooked with flair, an
extensive wine list and a chic, modern decor comprising clean lines and row upon row of wine bottles. The Chianina
beef melts in the mouth and the peposa , a slow-cooked stew, is divine. Book ahead.
CITY CENTRE WEST Oliviero

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Via delle Terme 51r, 50123 Tel [phone] Map 5 C3
A vaguely retro atmosphere prevails at this elegant restaurant in the centre of town, but the food is up-to-the-
minute creative Tuscan and delicious too. Choose between interesting fish and meat dishes - try galantine of
rabbit or seared tuna steak with ginger and white beans. Service is professional and there's an excellent wine list.
OLTRARNO Antica Porta

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Via Senese 23, 50124 Map 3 A5
Possibly the best pizzeria in the city, Antica Porta is always crowded, so be prepared to queue. The pizzas are thin
and absolutely perfect, with dollops of melting mozzarella, cooked in a huge wood oven. There are some shared
tables at the front. Try to get a table at the back to avoid the crowds.
OLTRARNO Al Tramvai

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Piazza T Tasso 14r, 50124 Tel [phone] Map 3 A1
A typically Florentine place, styled as the interior of the old trams, with long bench seats. There is also a cosy back
room. The traditional Tuscan food is always excellently cooked - the fried artichokes and zucchini are crisp, never
greasy or heavy. The rabbit is extremely good, and this is the place to try fried brain - it's light, fluffy and delicious.
OLTRARNO Fuori Porta

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Via Monte alle Croci 10r, 50125 Tel [phone] Map 4 E3
One of Florence's classic enoteche , this is a popular place where you can go for a glass of wine or settle down
to something more substantial. Choose wine from a list featuring over 600 labels. The crostini (toasted open
sandwiches) make a particularly good accompaniment, but there are also excellent pastas and salads.
OLTRARNO La Casalinga

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Via del Michelozzo 9r, 50125 Tel [phone] Map 5 B5
In spite of the high numbers of tourists that flock to this no-frills trattoria, it is still very much a family-run eatery
where the food is wholesome and plentiful. Go for the local dishes - ribollita (bread and vegetable soup), arista
(roast pork) or bollito misto (mixed, boiled meats), served with a tangy salsa verde . Try the home-made tiramisù .
OLTRARNO Da Ruggero

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Via Senese 89, 50124 Tel [phone] Map 3 A5
A very popular family trattoria beloved by locals south of the river. There are always queues to get in, so do book
ahead. The fantastic hearty cooking is straight from mamma's kitchen, with Florentine favourites such as bread soup
(ribollita) and large ravioli with butter and sage. It's an unfussy place, full of people who have been coming for years.