Ah! Food in Florence. This city knows good food. When it comes to Florentine specialties, there are many fantastic classic Tuscan restaurants to be found throughout the city. Now, before we go any farther the must be one disclaimer. In many Italian restaurants, there is a surcharge called a coperto, this is usually a 1.50 or 2.00 charge for eating in at a restaurant, so expect this when calculating your costs. Many of these restaurants will provide you with Tuscan style bread at your table along with olive oil, but, warning, this is not always free nor is it made with salt in it. Traditional starters are dishes like Affettati Misti, essentially a plate of cold sliced meats like salami, ham and the like, and Crostini misti, toasted bread topped with various sauces, pates or bruschetta. Not to be forgotten, try out the traditional Tuscan soup, Pappa al pomodoro, which is a thick tomato and bread soup. For the carnivores among us, you will not be disappointed by the Bistecca alla Fiorentina, a sizable T-bone style steak grilled over a wood fire (oftentimes) and seasoned with a hint of salt and olive oil. As for sweet, there are many worth mentioning, but I will focus on a specific specialty that you should not miss if you visit in the fall. Around the month of September, you will find a regional specialty called Schiacciata con l’uva. This regional sweet bread is prepped with crushed grapes and is tied to the regional wine harvest. Sticky and sweet, it is only around for a very short time, so do not miss the opportunity.
Now, no description of food in Florence would be worth reading if it did not tell you about Apertivo: essentially the Italian Happy Hour. Some would take issue with this description, but it is a relatively accurate comparison for Americans. By way of explanation, apertivo was originally meant to be a before dinner light snack and drink, which makes more sense once you realize that Italians eat far later in the evening than Americans. This cultural icon has slowly shifted over time but can be found all over the city. Between the hours of 6:30 PM and 9:30 PM, you can get a buffet and a beverage for a very reasonable price.
This is a great time to try out two of Italy’s signature cocktails: the negroni and the Aperol spritz. The negroni involves gin, vermouth rosso, Campari and an orange peel, so it’s a tad bitter, but delicious. The Spritz is far lighter, involving prosecco, Aperol and soda water.
Now, let’s get back to apertivo. An average aperitivo place will run you between 9 and 12 euros and generally serves all-you-can eat light fare. Buyer beware: the tourist heavy locations tend to charge more than the meal is worth, and the drinks are not all that great. I heartily encourage you to search out the many small apertivos frequented by locals that offer a light meal and drink for much cheaper prices (I have seen them as cheap as 7 euros), but you will not find them on the average tourist thoroughfares. After meeting Italians and becoming friends with many of them, I learned that there is another heartier version. See, there is a variation of Apertivo called ‘apericena.' To give you an idea, I have found them offering everything from lasagna and chicken kabobs to vegetables and seafood pastas. Better yet, the prices are essentially identical. If you want more than a simple string of appetizers, I recommend searching out an apericena place such as Soul Kitchen and Kitsch.
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