Tourist information - Florence
Tuscan cuisine, and also Florentine food in particular is essentially based on simple, natural ingredients. It hails from the traditions of peasant food along with is wholesome as well as tasty.
Extra virgin olive oil is held in pride of place in Florence, and also it is never missing from the Florentine table. Olive oil from Tuscany is cold-pressed, green and also pungent or even 'pizzichino' (sometimes having a slightly bitter after-taste) as well as is eaten within a year and a half of harvesting the olives. Olive oil is used being a dip for foods like celery, artichokes and pinzimonio (an array of fresh vegetables). It is as well used in cooking, along with as the condiment for salads as well as mouth watering bruschette (seasoned toasts). Amongst the bruschette there is one that is king, along with must be tasted to be believed! It is created using red cabbage and also beans and then seasoned with pepe macinato (ground pepper) and Frantoio oil.
If you want to indulge in Florentine bread you should remember that in general, bread in Tuscany doesn't use salt. Try schiacciata if you want a more flavoursome bread - this is a crusty focaccia salted and also drizzled with olive oil. A typical Florentine antipasto dish is a recipe called crostini di fegato, pieces of Florentine bread which have been baked as well as dunked in soup, and also then garnished with chicken liver paté, capers and also anchovies.
Another traditional Florentine speciality is the well-known bistecca alla fiorentina steak. The steak originates from chianina stock; it is thick cut, weighs no less than 800gm and also is cooked within the grill. A Fiorentina can satisfy two individuals, but there are brave man mountains who will attempt to eat one all by themselves! Unfortunately, because of the recent beef scares, it may be more difficult for you to get your teeth into one of Italy's most well-known steaks.
The soups along with minestre are well worth trying as well as they are derived from peasant traditions. The most delicious, popular Florentine soup is ribollita, made with a mixture of bread, vegetables as well as a kind of red cabbage that is mainly grown in Tuscany. Ribollita derives its curious name from the fact that the peasant women would usually cook the soup in large quantities that would be boiled repeatedly (ribollita), and also then eaten for many days. As with many leftovers, ribollita always tastes better the day after! Other tasty soups are pappa con il pomodoro and minestra di farro.
Do you have a sweet tooth? Schiacciata alla Fiorentina is a special Florentine treat: a sponge cake covered with icing or even sometimes filled with whipped cream (N.B. this is not to be confused with a savoury dish called schiacciata salata all'olio). Cantuccini di Prato is dry almond biscuits that are dipped in Vin Santo, a sweet, aromatic dessert wine.
These specialities can be found in nearly all Florence's restaurants. A number of the more popular, traditional restaurants include: Il Latini, Da Mario, Coco Lezzone and also La Casalinga, there are also a number of others, so don't feel dismayed if you don't get into the places above.
If you fancy something more refined, or even if you want to celebrate a really special occasion, then it is really worth spending that little bit extra as well as going to L'Enoteca Pinchiorri, or even Cibreo, you could also try Cammillo, although you will definitely need to book in advance.
There are also several enoteche or even wine bars in Florence: here you can drop in; relax along with have a glass or two of good Chianti having a sandwich (panino). Within the most elegant places e.g. l'Enoteca de'Giraldi, as well as La Sosta Del Rossellino, you can try scrumptious wines accompanied by scrumptious bruschette along with delicate appetizers. La Barrique wine bar also is very popular and has an extensive wine list.
Italy is well-known for its pizza and pizzerias can be found in almost every nook as well as cranny of Florence. Each pizzeria makes its have pizza and also Florentine crusts tend to be thin and also crispy, cooked in a wood fuelled oven. If you want the "traditional" Neapolitan pizza, it is almost always possible to ask for a pizza with doppia pasta (double crust), which means you'll get a softer, thicker crust.
Recent years have seen a big growth around the amount of ethnic restaurants, ranging from the Chinese restaurants (which are the most common) to Caribbean e.g. La Bodeguita, from Mexican (Cafè Caracol), to Indian (Ashoka), to Japanese (Momoyama) along with there are also various other restaurants in different areas of the city, including Kasher Ruth's, which is near the synagogue. This restaurant sells traditional Jewish fare at reasonable prices. Vegetarian cuisine has also made an impression on Florence! Il Vegetariano serves wonderful meat-free dishes as well as is a huge success at the city.
Florence Entertainment
Although Florence is quite a small city, it is inundated with visitors, ex-pats and students; this is great news if you are looking for an evening of raucous fun, or if you prefer to follow more cultural pursuits. Visitors and also Florentines alike are impressed by the wealth of entertainment that they find on offer here.