Beyond the typical Florentine dishes like Bistecca alla Fiorentina and Lampredotto, the Renaissance city has an authentic pasta scene that goes unheard of in the travel community.
When I think of pasta in Florence, it’s a world beyond the familiar spaghetti and lasagne that the everyday person is used to; it’s all about hearty servings of pici, tortellini, tagliolini, and pappardelle!
If you want to try some seriously authentic pasta dishes when you’re in the Tuscan capital, you can veer off the tourist path like we do on our Eating Europe Florence food tours and pull up a seat at one of these fabulous pasta restaurants.
Photo credit: Osteria Pastella
Down the street from the Piazza di Santa Maria Novella, you can find Osteria Pastella. All the dishes here are whipped up using traditional Tuscan methods, and the fresh pasta is freshly prepared each morning to bring out the flavors.
Offering seating options inside and out front, Osteria Pastella showcases a true authentic Italian dining setting with a gorgeous little wine bar and areas where you can watch the pasta prepared right in front you.
They make delightful pici pasta here with a mouthwatering smoked butter sauce, complemented by Mediterranean shrimp tartare, which I’ve been hooked on ever since trying it.
I found this to be a delectable blend of flavors with the thick, chewy pasta covered in a smoky caramelized buttery sauce and a refreshing kick with the addition of lemon. Of course, there’s a salty oceanic element to it, too, due to the shrimp tartare, but it’s not too overpowering.
Osteria Pastella (€€) – Via della Scala, 17 R, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy – Open everyday, 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm and 7:00 pm to 10:30 pm
Photo credit: Osteria del Proconsolo
Coming up next, we have a much-loved eatery of mine that has been serving irresistible pasta dishes since the 1970s, the great Osteria del Proconsolo. Finding this spot will be easy for you as it’s a short walk from the Museo delle illusioni.
The inside of the building is pretty cool; they’ve got an expansive area filled with little wooden tables dressed in chequered tablecloths; it feels like you’re settling down for dinner with your family.
You can’t knock Osteria del Proconsolo for the number of pasta offerings on their menu. They’ve got some fusilli with pesto and cherry tomato sauce, pappardelle in a wild boar ragu drizzle, and my favorite, the hand-rolled pasta with garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, cherry tomatoes, chili pepper, and basil.
When I ordered this for the first time, I initially thought the serving was quite small, but boy, I was in for a surprise. The hand-rolled pasta was quite thick and made even heavier with the sweet, garlicky sauce with a spicy edge from the chili and a light mintiness from the basil.
Osteria del Proconsolo (€€) – Via del Proconsolo, 59, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy – Open every day, 11:00 am to 10:30 pm
Photo credit: Ristorante Romantico il Paiolo
Ristorante Romantico il Paiolo specializes in some of the finest pasta dishes from the Tuscan cuisine. It’s located on Via del Corse, just keep an eye out for the red carpet at the front door step and you’ll know you’re at the right place.
I was enamored with Ristorante Romantico il Paiolo’s interiors from the first moment I saw them. This timeless elegance you feel when you walk inside is hard to put into words. You’ll understand what I mean when you see the sparkling chandeliers and rows of wine bottles on the shelves.
It’s easy to get lost in the menu at Ristorante Romantico il Paiolo because there’s so much on there. But, listen up, there’s one dish here that I and all my Florentine buddies come here for: the Pappardelle al ragu di Cinghiale.
I had never heard about this dish until I visited this restaurant all those years ago when I first got to Italy. My server pointed out that it was the chef’s recommendation, so I said to myself, what could go wrong?
If you’ve never heard of Pappardelle al ragu di Cinghiale, it’s a Tuscan specialty made with flat noodles and wild boar meat sauce. When the dish was dropped on my table, I noticed some similarities to bolognese, but this far topped any bolognese I’ve ever had in the past.
The sauce had a strong, gamey flavor, but it wasn’t too overpowering because the sauce had a tinge of garlic and onions, which gave it a nice balance. Additionally, the pasta was deliciously chewy with some wheaty notes, which I enjoyed.
Ristorante Romantico il Paiolo (€€) – Via del Corso, 42, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy – Open every day, 12:00 pm to 11:00 pm
Photo credit: Le Cappelle Medicee Restorante
As far as nice pasta goes, Le Cappelle Medicee Restorante, across the street from Basilica di San Lorenzo, should be at the top of everyone’s list in terms of affordability and quality.
When you visit Le Cappelle Medicee Restorante, you get the whole package: a cozy ambiance with a buzzing atmosphere, superb wines, and a knowledgeable team of staff who know their stuff when it comes to pasta.
If you’re looking to try something authentic at Le Cappelle Medicee Restorante, branch out and order the Ravioli “maremmani” like I did a couple of months back. It’s a type of ravioli stuffed with ricotta cheese and spinach and smothered in a delightful creamy truffle sauce.
The indulgent creamy truffle sauce soaked up the ravioli and added a mushroom-like element to each bite. When it was paired with the spinach and ricotta, the flavor profile completely transformed, with the spinach adding an earthy element and the ricotta adding a sweet element.
Le Cappelle Medicee Restorante (€€) – Via del Canto dei Nelli, 30/r, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy – Open every day, 11:00 am to 12:00 am
Photo credit: Il Vezzo
Just a short stroll from the University of Florence is Il Vezzo, a lively and inviting spot with pasta as gorgeous as its stylish interior. When I saw the lengthy line outside, I initially wrote this place off as a tourist magnet, but it turns out the Italian food here is absolutely fantastic.
Both the main dining area and the stone-clad courtyard are a fabulous blend of old and new. I was in awe of the sophisticated yet slightly rustic furnishings and the hanging green plants that add so much color to the interior.
I’m usually more drawn toward the spacious patio, as you can usually watch the chefs at work if you snag the right seat! When I see these guys preparing their dishes, I can’t help but wonder how they haven’t earned a Michelin star yet!
The menu features an extensive selection of Florentine specialties and Italian favorites, so deciding what to order here is always a challenge. Most recently, I’ve been going for the casoncello with pink chickpeas and marrow foam, though any pasta dish I’ve had here has been top-tier.
I had a bit of a wait to get a table, but the service was super speedy, and the waitress arrived with my piping hot pasta much faster than I’d anticipated. Even though the turnover of tables was pretty quick, it never felt like I was being rushed, which is somewhat of a rarity in spots as busy as this.
It was a rather generous portion of homemade casoncello, but the gentle nuttiness of the Valdarno chickpeas and the beefy marrow foam meant that I couldn’t bear to leave anything behind. The pasta was cooked in a steaming mussel and shell broth, which added incredibly salted flavors.
Il Vezzo (€€) – Via Guelfa, 58/R, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy – Open every day, 7:00 pm to 10:30 pm
Photo credit: Trattoria Zà Zà
If you happen to be ambling around the Basilica di San Lorenzo area and starting to feel a little peckish, swing by Trattoria Zà Zà; you can thank me later.
Between the glass-covered patio, dimly-lit, bricked dining room, and quaint, fresco-filled nooks, choosing where to sit at Trattoria Zà Zà is an exciting event in itself. Though, in all honesty, this place is beloved by Florentines and visitors alike, you’ll often be lucky to get a table at all.
Many people flock here for the Florentine steak, but it’s the gorgonzola gnocchi that earns this place a spot in my list of the best restaurants in Florence.
The serving size can look a little small when you first see it coming, but believe me, the richness of this dish makes it rather difficult to finish!
Between the soft, slightly firm texture of the gnocchi and the robust, savory flavors of the gorgonzola, I can’t recommend this decadent dish enough.
Trattoria Zà Zà (€€) – Piazza del Mercato Centrale, 26r, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy – Open every day, 11:00 am to 11:00 pm
Sure, you can try all authentic Tuscan dishes in Florence, but one part of this charming city that can’t be missed is its delightful range of pasta recipes. Get out into the Renaissance city and dine in one of these pasta restaurants; you won’t leave the capital of Tuscany unsatisfied!
The post The 6 Best Pasta Restaurants in Florence appeared first on Eating Europe.
