Florence for Foodies: 10 Delicious Experiences You Can’t Miss

This Florence for foodies guide is written from personal experience—because the best way to explore Florence is by tasting it.

We adore eating our way through the city, from popping into a local forno for freshly baked panini, to admiring the pastry-filled windows of traditional pasticcerie, indulging in iconic schiacciata sandwiches, and dining at trattorias beloved by locals.

Getting lost in the lively Sant’Ambrogio Market and Central Market of Florence is one of our favorite things to do. Here, friendly vendors invite you to sample aged Pecorino cheese, spicy finocchiona salami, rich truffle spreads, and peppery extra-virgin olive oil straight from the Tuscan hills—making these markets a must-visit for anyone visiting Florence for food.

For truly memorable culinary experiences, we highly recommend joining a Florence food tour. These guided tastings allow you to chat with locals, discover hidden gems, and sample a variety of traditional Florentine dishes in just a few hours.

You can even take it a step further by learning how to make fresh pasta and cook authentic Tuscan sauces alongside a local chef.

Below, we’ve handpicked the 10 best things to do in Florence for foodies—our favourite culinary activities that we know you’ll love just as much as we do.

1. Grab freshly baked goods from a local forno

Follow the inviting scent of freshly baked bread to a local forno (bakery in Italian) — you’ll find one on almost every corner. It’s hard to choose what to take: from classic loaves and schiacciata glistening with olive oil to panini or a hot slice of pizza. Our favourite treat is a piece of schiacciata paired with slices of salami or prosciutto.

We love Forno Canapa, near Mercato Centrale, where you can try delicious little balls of deep-fried dough called coccoli. They’re wonderfully addictive — sweet and salty at the same time. We could nibble on them all day! Choose between plain coccoli or ones filled with prosciutto.

2. Join a walking food tour of Florence (for delicious food and good company)

Taking a guided food tour is one of the most wanted  Florentine food experience.

Those who join, will kill two birds with one stone, you'll get to know the city and taste amazing food. A friendly local will show you the best trattorias and eateries, you would normally miss.

We recommend these Florence food tours:

• Florence Food Tour with Truffle Pasta, Steak & Free Flowing Wine
• Florence Sunset Food & Wine Tour by Eating Europe

On these food tours of Florence, you'll eat a food you won't find anywhere else, such as lampredotto, schiacciata sandwich, Tuscan salami and cheeses, pasta with truffles, crostini neri, coccoli... Everyone is welcome to these Florence gourmet experiences!

3. Discover Florence’s best pastries: From brioche to panforte

We usually have a hard time choosing when we visit pastry shops in Florence — the selection is truly overwhelming. Their sweet treats range from croissant-like pastries, called brioche in Florence (known as cornetto in Rome), filled with vanilla cream, chocolate, or pistachio, to fruit tarts and cantucci cookies.

For something truly local, try schiacciata alla fiorentina, a soft flat cake dusted with icing sugar. During Carnival, you’ll find cenci and frittelle — irresistible fried sweets. We also loved panforte, a chewy treat made with nuts, dried fruit, and honey, easily recognizable by its triangular shape.

Our favourite sweet stop is Ballerini Pasticceria (Borgo Ognissanti 132; on our walking route from Casa di Chiara) — a charming caffè-pasticceria where you can find everything from fresh bread and pizza slices to exquisite pastries and artisanal chocolates. The vibe is cosy, and the staff couldn’t be friendlier!

4. Snack on schiacciata sandwiches (repeat every day!)

Schiacciata, a thin and chewy Tuscan-style focaccia, is a true Florentine specialty—delicious on its own or stuffed with prosciutto and Pecorino.

Every foodie visiting Florence should try a schiacciata sandwich, perfect for brunch or a light lunch, especially paired with a glass of wine.

Our favourite spot is I’ Girone De’ Ghiotti (Via de’ Cimatori, 23R), just off Piazza della Signoria. You’ll spot it by the long line of hungry people! With fillings starting at €6 and the option to create your own, these generously stuffed sandwiches are impossible to resist—and you’ll likely be back for more.

5. Enjoy authentic Tuscan cuisine at a local trattoria

A visit to a trattoria in Florence is the ultimate way to dive into genuine Tuscan flavours and culture.

These cosy, family-run spots serve up classic dishes like ribollita — a hearty vegetable soup, bistecca alla fiorentina — the famous juicy grilled steak paired with baked potatoes, and pappardelle al cinghiale — fresh pasta with wild boar ragù.

Trattorias are popular with both locals and visitors, so it’s a good idea to book your table a couple of days in advance, either in person or by email.

What makes dining at a Florentine trattoria truly special is the casual, welcoming atmosphere — the perfect place to savour traditional Tuscan cuisine.

👌 For an authentic local experience, consider joining a 3-hour evening foodie tour in Oltrarno, where you’ll discover trattorias beloved by Florentines themselves!

6. Soaking up the buzz at Mercato Centrale and Sant’Ambrogio Market

For travellers discovering Florence for foodies, Mercato Centrale and Sant’Ambrogio Market are essential stops.

We love heading to both with no agenda at all—just wandering, snacking, and following whatever smells good. One minute you’re tasting a bite of Pecorino or finocchiona offered by a friendly vendor, the next you’re admiring mountains of fresh produce or chatting with locals doing their daily shopping.

Mercato Centrale buzzes with energy, while Sant’Ambrogio feels wonderfully local and lived-in. These markets aren’t just places to eat—they’re where you slow down, taste a little of everything, and feel part of Florence’s everyday food scene.

7. Treat yourself to a scoop of rich and creamy gelato

Gelato, mmmm! Our favorite Italian treat! With countless gelato shops around every corner, grabbing a cone is a must-do sweet experience in Florence.

We enjoyed many cones and cups of gelato in Florence, and here are our favourites:

• Perche No! - it's this amazing family-run spot that's been making gelato for 70 years! You'll find it tucked away in the street between the Duomo and Piazza Della Signoria. They've got some really cool flavours to try. Love trying something different? Go for lavender, rose, or fresh mint. More traditional? Their pistachio and stracciatella are fantastic! You absolutely must try their crema Buontalenti (locals call it 'cream fiorentina') - it's THE most Florentine flavour you can get, made with fresh eggs and sugar.
• Venchi - You'll find them on two locations and there are always lines to get inside. Their gelato is super rich, creamy and they also sell quality chocolates!
• Strega Nocciola Gelateria - You'll find them near the Duomo and Ponte Vecchio (gelateria overlooks the Uffizi Gallery). Their staff is super friendly, and they store their gelato in special steel containers called pozzetti.
• Gelateria La Carraia - Cross the Ponte alla Carraia from historic centre to get there.Their orange chocolate flavour is to die for! Plus, they've got outdoor seating where you can sit and enjoy your gelato while watching the world go by.

8. Have an aperitivo

Come late afternoon, apertivo time begins. A great Italian tradition (and standard at most bars), the aperitivo happy hour involves paying a slightly elevated price for your drink in exchange for a heaving buffet of chips, panini, pasta, snacks, olives and salad – almost negating the need to have dinner at all. 

For some of the best views over the city's red roof tiles (if you want to avoid the claustrophobic climb up Giotto's tower), head to one of the hotels with rooftop bars for a sunset aperitivo.

Our favourite include: 

• Angel Roofbar (Hotel Calimala) 
• Panoramic Bar (Antica Torre Tornabuoni 1)
• La Terrazza (Hotel Continentale)
• the Butterfly Terrace (Hotel Il Tornabuoni) and the wonderful loggia of Palazzo Guadagni.

Or take the lift to the fifth floor terrace of the Caffè del Verone at the Museo degli Innocenti (open daily until 9.30pm) for your Campari Spritz-with-a-view.

9. Take a hands-on cooking class in Florence

Learning to make pasta might be just what you need to make your gastronomic experience complete. With this Small Group Pasta Class you’ll learn a few tricks and tips from a from a professional chef.

Learn to make a few different kinds of pasta – ravioli, tagliatelle, and spaghetti. Then, try your hand at some authentic Italian sauces and taste some wines for the perfect pairings. Class size is limited to eight for personalised attention from the instructor.

Choose from many cooking classes available in Florence! Join Francy's cooking class in Florentine hills and learn how to make fresh pasta and gnocchi.

👌 See our picked cooking classes across Italy!

10. Experience wine tasting in historic Tuscan cellars

If you’re in Florence for foodies, tasting wine in historic Tuscan cellars is an experience not to miss. Descend beneath the cobblestone streets into centuries-old cellars, filled with the rich aroma of aging Chianti and Brunello. Guided tastings let you enjoy a variety of local wines, paired with artisanal cheeses, cured meats, and fresh bread. It’s not just about the flavours—it’s a chance to connect with Tuscany’s winemaking traditions and its culinary history.

Love Italy? You’ll enjoy these too:

Best Rome food tours

Why we love I Dolci di Nonna Vicenza

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