When spending a short time in a foreign country, you want to know that when it comes to food you are eating the best of the best. You don’t want to have any #regrets about missing out on any of the foods people come back raving about.
I spent a month living in the heart of Florence – down a side street from the Duomo. During that month, I took one for the team and gained some lbs by trying out all of the food I possibly could (you’re welcome). Since then, my fellow Florence lovers and I live vicariously through tagging each other in Florence food Instagrams.
Below are the seven foods in Florence that you MUST eat (and Insta), to make your friends and family at home jealous. Bonus points: they’re all vegetarian.
1. Pizza from Gusta Pizza
Photo by Hannah Mayblum
I promise this pizza will seriously steal your heart. Pictured above is the Gustapizza – cherry tomatoes, rucola, parmesan, and mozzarella. The heart shape makes for the perfect insta to be #different from all the other basic pizza posts because everyone NEEDS to know you’re eating Gusta Pizza and that it’s not just another slice of pizza.
2. Gelato from Gelateria Santa Trinita
Photo courtesy of @foodrageous on Instagram
You can’t go wrong with any of the flavors here. Gelateria Santa Trinita is in the PRIME location – right near the Ponte Santa Trinita. It is the perfect snack to grab and sit on the ledge of the bridge to take in the beauty of the city around you and of course people watch.
3. John Travolta from Ristorante Il Profeta
Photo courtesy of @halsmangs on Instagram
Go to Ristorante Il Profeta with a large group of friends. For some reason the waiters LOVE when a large group of American kids come in; they create a lively environment and give a great group discount. Above is the John Travolta, their most well-known dish. It is two large freshly made pieces of rigatoni doused in their secret sauce. YUM.
4. Waffle from A Bar
Photo by Hannah Mayblum
This was my breakfast one morning (okay, more than once). A homemade waffle (check out those sugar crystals) topped with stracciatella gelato, and because that’s not enough, it’s topped off with a drizzle of Nutella. This one doesn’t come up on the map but I promise it’s out there.
5. Pear Ravioli from La Giostra
Photo courtesy of @foodrageous on Instagram
These homemade raviolis are stuffed with poached pear and pecorino cheese. They are definitely not the prettiest meal to capture, but I promise it tastes A LOT better than it looks.
6. Crepe from La Milkeria
Photo by Hannah Mayblum
La Milkeria was directly down the street from where I stayed (miss you Albergo Fierenze). Captured was a strawberry, Nutella crepe. I got a smiley face on my crepe because La Milkeria was a daily stop for me, and one day when I ordered they thought I needed something to cheer me up. Not sure if I’m #blessed or should’ve done WAY less, but either way these crepes are dope.
7. Sandwich from Antico Noe
Photo courtesy of @anticonoe on Instagram
If you don’t go to Antico Noe while you are in Florence, you are doing it SO wrong. Maybe my vegetarian option, caprese sandwich hold the basil and add the secret spicy sauce, doesn’t sound appetizing to you, but you cannot go wrong with ordering anything from Antico Noe.
#SpoonTip: The one thing you MUST get from Antico Noe is the secret spicy sauce.
Well, now that I’m salivating and crying, hunched over my computer screen, I hope you take my advice. Feel free to tag me (@hmayblum) in your Florence food pictures to make me jealous.