La Buca dell'Orafo

Just steps from the Ponte Vecchio, La Buca dell’Orafo (it means goldsmith’s cave) attracts foreigners but is still considered a locals’ haunt. It’s called a cave because it’s in a below-ground space. The chef prepares Italian comfort food like spaghetti with peas that Italians will swear taste exactly as their grandmother used to make, but that you will never find on a restaurant menu. He also prepares some of the best steaks in the city.

Many places claim to serve bistecca Fiorentina (Florentine porterhouse), but only a handful are actually allotted the certified steaks, which come from regional cows that are slaughtered at a young age to guarantee tenderness. Don’t be shocked if they seem cooked only on the outside; that’s how you’re meant to enjoy them. This is a simple place with white tablecloths and kitchen-quality china, and at lunchtime, you may be able to walk in, but at dinner you must have a reservation; and even days in advance, one can be hard to secure, as locals have reserved tables.