There’s an impressive list of panini here (5-8 euros, glass of wine included), featuring all manner of local, gourmet ingredients. But when you walk in the door and that fog bank of truffle aroma hits you, it’s hard to think about ordering anything else. Popular and casual, you can either take your sandwich away or try to find seating in...

A rather dreary location on far-flung Piazza Tasso hasn’t stopped this place from getting a nod from the Michelin folks and the New York Times, so count on being rewarded for the excursion. Also, get cash before heading out here, because they don’t take credit cards and there isn’t an ATM anywhere in sight if you come up short when...

This cramped, basement space is so close to the Ponte Vecchio you can smell it. Despite its tenuous tourist trap location, it’s loved by locals for well-prepared Florentine dishes like linguine with tuna, ravioli in cream and black pepper, and a secondo plate of fried chicken and rabbit with artichokes. Their pride and joy is the stracotto (t-bone steak) with...

A discriminating local sent me here, on the strength of their long list of primi and secondi that, despite the usual red flag of long menus, are extremely well done. And they should be, with some of the secondi priced upwards of 30 euros. The restaurant, tucked into a cramped basement space on the corner of Via del Trebbio, has...

Panini, focaccia, cookies, coffee, cakes – and benches to sit on while you inhale the fumes from the stuff you were too full to buy.

This much-loved place recently moved a few doors down the street into a larger space with more seating and vaulted ceilings. Though some of the intimacy may be gone, it’s still a winner with its wine selection (300 wines!) and a menu of snacks that quickly become a meal. The bruscetta and salads are generous, so be wary of ruining...

Sharing space with Rome’s Colosseum and Pisa’s Leaning Tower, Florence’s Duomo is one of Italy’s defining sights. Construction began in 1296 and ensued for nearly 150 years, though its eye-widening neo-Gothic white, green and pink marble facade wasn’t put into place until the 19th century. Entering the cathedral itself is free and wholly worthwhile, though in truth it probably won’t...

This enoteca (wine bar), unsurprisingly, has a massive wine list and generous pours, with the added perk of a short, but impressively varied menu, offering cold platters, a few pasta plates, and dishes like duck breast in Vin Santo sauce or squid and calamari sautéed with cous cous. The menu varies from month to month, so expect changes. The welcome...

If you have perhaps become bored with the typical gelato flavors in most shops and are thinking “Why hasn’t anyone made gelato out of papaya, green melon, amaretto, tartufo (truffle) and other totally unexpected things like that?” Then you need to double-time it to this place.

There’s old photos and art work on the walls and a decent menu here. Newspapers are provided for reading, verily inviting one to linger for hours.

Students, quick eaters and people serious about wood-fire pizza are all equally satisfied at this busy place. The frequently changing white board menu hanging on the wall features a mere seven or eight pizzas on most days, ranging in price from 4.50 to 8 euros. The limited seating consists of upturned wine barrels with glass tabletops. Cash only.

This 31-room hotel, only about a minute from the Ponte Vecchio, is housed in a genuine palazzo. As advertised, the defining feature of the hotel is its 720 year old torre (tower) – said to be the tallest privately owned tower in Florence – topped with a double terraced bar. Rooms are surprisingly large for the moderate price, filled with...

Reopen in December 2010 after a meticulous, four year renovation, this is the hotel of the moment. Tourism people all over Florence were chattering about it during my last visit and for good reason. Built in 1860, the opulent, Neo-Renaissance mansion comes with common areas done in eclectic, rotating themes like the Moorish Room and the eye-widening Hall of Mirrors...

Literally a hole in the wall on Via dei Cimatori, this stand-up place serves sandwiches starting at 2.50 euros. The sandwiches are basic, slapped together in about 10 seconds each, though there’s the unusual matter of the wine selection. A small glass goes for as little as 1 euro, though one can secure what is probably the cheapest glass of...

A small, out of the way place filled with farm house wooden furniture. The menu is split into three sections: “Typical,” “National” and “My Cooking.” I recommend the latter, which is one of the most adventurous and creative menus I’ve seen in Florence. Plates include “pumpkin and smoked scamorza little pudding with fig mousse” and paccheri filled with cinta senese...

This tiny sandwich place caters to neighborhood characters, but visitors are enthusiastically welcome by the jovial, English-speaking guy behind the counter. Sandwiches start at 3 euros. “Mama” can be seen working the kitchen through a small window, constructing sandwiches such as the “Lampredotto,” a typical Floretine peasant sandwich made with cow stomach. Indeed, tripe comes in many forms here. Vegetarians...

This popular place features super thick cookies and cakes. A bottle of vin santo sits on the counter for people wanting to enjoy their biscotti on the spot. Arrive early in the day and catch the action in the kitchen through the giant picture windows in the shop.

I would have loved to have been here on the day that the interior decoration team were debating their options, because evidence suggests much wine consumption and disagreement. Still, it’s a highly recommended mid-range eatery. If you don’t read Italian, forget about the menu and just trust that your server knows what’s best for you. Basics like bread soup and...

Their wood-fire, Neapolitan pizza list is the main selling point, but they also produce an impressive array of pasta dishes (6.50 to 12 euros) and seafood. The locals are equally enthralled, so arrive early or reserve for dinner.

No luck getting in at Il Santo Bevitore? You could do a lot worse than this consolation prize, just a few doors east. Although, you may have trouble getting into this closet of a place too in bad weather. Assuming good weather, you’ll do fine, idly enjoying wine and snacks out on the street with plenty of company. There’s no...