Italy – the birthplace of pasta, gelato, and so much more!

This country boasts beautiful scenery, rich culture, and most importantly, AMAZING FOOD.

Every traveler has a different reason for visiting Italy, but food is something that is common amongst all travelers.

Like other places however, Italy has many regions that offer different flavours and types of food.

On my recent trip to Italy, I visited Florence – a popular tourist destination nestled in the centre of Tuscany.

I was excited to visit this city because of all the historical insight it has to offer but I was doubly excited for the food – I really couldn’t wait to try everything!

Pizza and pasta are Italian classics that one HAS to try when in Italy. I promise you that if you are coming from another country that offers really good pizza and pasta, there is something about the Italian offerings of these dishes that transcends the taste of the foods. You can take a bite of pasta and say, “wow, I really just ate pasta in Italy”.

With that being said, I wanted to focus on Florence since this is where I stayed for my trip. While there were plenty of places offering really good pizza, pasta, and pastries, this city offers much more than that.

Below are three foods that you HAVE to try in Florence!

Lampredotto

By far my favourite food in Florence!

Lampredotto is a Florentine delicacy that is made from the fourth stomach of a cow (if you’re surprised that a cow has 4 stomachs, welcome to the club).

I won’t go into details of the cow’s stomach because I’m frankly not the person to talk about that, but I can explain to you how it tasted and why this was so good.

I heard about Lampredotto in a Youtube video and after seeing it, I knew that was something I needed to try. I’m a curious eater, so the idea of eating beef stomach did not put me off. 

I can acknowledge that the idea of eating cow stomach sounds disgusting to some. However, when travelling, I feel it is good to keep an open mind especially when it comes to food. 

In the specific case of Lampredotto though, I’d tell you to get over yourself and try the damn thing! 

I ate this in a sandwich and this, from what I saw, was the typical way to eat it. You can also order plates of it and I heard you can find it in other dishes such as lasagna.

For the sandwich, it was a warm bun with both pieces of bread dipped in a sort of green gravy and a whole pile of beef stomach in it. It’s a simple sandwich yet it packed a really good flavour that was not too overbearing.

The sandwich itself is a warm sandwich. It was the perfect temperature and when I took my first bites, it gave me a warm feeling inside, like this sandwich was giving my (human) stomach a light hug.

I can go on and on about this dish, but you just have to try it yourself.

There are many places that offer Lampredotto within the city, but the one I went to and would highly recommend is Trippaio del Porcellino – Nencioni. This cart is a short walk west of the Piazza della Signoria and right beside the Fontana del Porcellino (bronze boar statue).

Fiorentina Steak (Bistecca alla Fiorentina)

This dish is another Florence speciality. Bistecca alla Fiorentina is exactly what it’s named – it is a steak from Florence.

I am a huge steak eater so this was something I knew I wanted to try.

You may be wondering what separates this steak from other steaks around the world. After all, it looks like a T-Bone steak (but much thicker).

There are three differentiating factors: the aging time, where the cow is from, and the way in which it is cooked and served.

The steak has to be aged at least two weeks. As you can see in the photo below, the steak I got was definitely aged for that amount of time.

For the real deal, a cut of Bistecca alla Fiorentina should come from a Chianina Cow. This cow is native to Tuscany. You can typically get the Fiorentina cut from different cow breeds, but the Chianina cow is the original Bistecca alla Fiorentina.

As for the cook, it is cooked over charcoal at a high heat for 3-5 minutes on each side. 

The steak we ordered was served on a hot plate. Since the steak comes out quite rare, the hot plate helped cook it a bit more – although I do prefer rare steak.

While the steak I got was served on a hot plate, I’m not too certain if this is the original method of serving. Nonetheless, seeing and hearing a giant steak on a sizzling hot plate is an absolute thing of beauty.

If you take a walk around Florence, you’re bound to come upon a restaurant that sells the Bistecca alla Fiorentina. There are plenty of well reviewed restaurants that specialize in this dish such as any Trattoria Dall’Oste location and I’Tuscani 2.

While going to a well-reviewed restaurant like the ones above is a good option, you can also wander the city and let your senses take you to a restaurant of your choosing. Either way, you’ll have a great time with the Bistecca alla Fiorentina.

Gelato

While it can be found in any Italian city, gelato in Florence was something I was greatly looking forward to.

I feel that similar to ice cream, gelato is a subjective topic. Someone may like the flavour of one gelato while another person may prefer the gelato down the street.

I didn’t know what my gelato experience was going to be like, but I tried my best to try as many different places as I could. This is something I would recommend if you’re anywhere in Italy.

Florence’s gelato offerings were competitive with each other. I tried a couple places and different flavours, but one gelato shop stood out.

Out of the places I went to, La Strega Nocciola Gelateria Artigianale was my favourite gelato shop in Florence. This is located in one of the streets right next to the Duomo – around a 2 minute walk away.

I got the coffee-flavoured gelato here and it was sensational.

Despite having a preference, most gelato places serve really tasty, high-quality product. It is up to you, the traveler, to decide where to get this perfect treat.

One piece of advice I heard a ton about when it comes to gelato was the presentation. If you see a shop that has heaping mountains of gelato overflowing from its tub, it is typical a sign that it’s a tourist trap.

Instead, opt for gelato shops that keep their gelato covered in round, metal containers. This is apparently an indicator of good quality. 

I only ate at shops that kept their gelato in this way, so I can’t compare the two. However, each shop with the covered, metal containers was great!

If you are interested in more travel and food content, follow me on Instagram! @drotravels