The first thing that came to mind when I decided to study abroad in Florence was obviously the amount of pasta I would be eating for an entire semester. This is one of the only times in life where calories don’t count and “do it for the Insta” takes on a whole new meaning. Now that I’m two months in, I have a pretty solid list of restaurants where I make my weekly daily rounds.
Osteria Santo Spirito
Photo by Lexi Brenner
In my many pasta tastings, I have to say this is my ultimate favorite. The spaghetti with cherry tomatoes is essentially pure bliss in a dish. For those of you who read every Yelp and Trip Advisor review known to man, the gnocchi is probably the most Instagrammed dish at this restaurant. I definitely recommend, but prepare to feel your esophagus heat up as the steaming pasta and melted cheese slides down your throat. Once the initial burning sensation is through, you’ll enjoy the rest of your meal like a regular.
#SpoonTip: The half portion for any of these dishes is more than enough. Trust me.
Acqua Al 2
Photo courtesy of jacquelinechen.com
If you’re a fellow study abroader, you’ve probably heard of this in relation to their famous pasta sampler. The pasta sampler lets you try 5 different pasta dishes because it simply is impossible to choose just one. Depending on the night, the sampler can consist of rigatoni in red sauce, maceroni in vodka sauce, risotto and fussili in a pesto-like sauce. No matter the selection, you really can’t go wrong.
Zaza
Photo courtesy of burrnttoast.blogspot.com
Once you have a bite of the mouth-watering rigatoni in red sauce, you’ll totally understand why it’s called Zaza. Other dishes include ravioli, gnocchi, spaghetti and many more (seriously, the menu is huge).
La Giostra
Photo by Lexi Brenner
Giostra is the way to go if you want something a little more fancy. I suggest taking your parents here when they visit, if you know what I mean ($$$). The pear ravioli is an experience in itself, but the simple penne in red sauce is always my go-to.
Mercato Centrale
Photo by Jenny Oliver
The restaurants upstairs are amazing, but the downstairs market is the best of the best. Vendors come in every day from 10 am to 2 pm and set up stands. Anything from fruit and vegetables to homemade pasta is what you can find here. The prices are unbelievable for the high quality and fresh produce. I recommend the homemade ravioli. It cooks under three minutes and if served with tomato sauce from Eataly, your meal will cost a mere 5 euro.
You book your ticket to Florence and I’ll make the reservations.