It's impossible to list all the excellent restaurants, trattorias, wine bars and street food vendors in Florence. I will try, however, to at least let you in on some of my personal favorites and give you an idea of what a night out drinking and dining in Florence is all about.
Italians love aperitif time, perfect for awakening their taste buds. Most bars and caffès lay out a spread of finger foods to accompany cocktails because italians don't like drinking without eating. It’s bad for the stomach. After ‘Italian Happy Hour’ around 7.30-8.30 p.m. you’re ready for dinner.
At first glance, you‘ll notice that the menu is divided into different sections. For a complete Italian meal, one starts off with an ‘antipasto’, which in Tuscany typically consists of salamis (I love the cinghiale-wild boar salami), crostini and small vegetable dishes. After antipasto, come ‘primi’, the first courses, which are pasta, rice, or soup dishes. On to the second course, ‘secondi’, which is generally meat or fish. To accompany your second course, there is a list of vegetable side dishes called ‘contorni’. If you still have room, indulge in a ‘dolci’ or dessert. Last, but certainly not least is an absolute necessity – coffee. After coffee, restaurants usually offer an 'ammazzacaffè, coffee killer' or digestivo which is an after dinner drink which helps digest all of the above.
Feel free to have just one course or the whole lot, choose the combination that suits your hunger. In many places you will be charged a ‘coperto’ – which covers the cost of bread and to some extent service. Tipping is not obligatory although a tip of 10-12% is welcome, and is sometimes added directly to your bill as ‘servizio’.
A special note on Italian coffee after meals . . I know you’re craving a steaming hot cappuccino after dinner but it's an Italian “no no!”.
The steamed milk in cappuccino is heavy after a big dinner and does not help with digestion. Try a nice, hot espresso instead.
If you absolutely can't do without the milk, try a 'caffè macchiato' which is an espresso with a spot of hot milk.
In the warmer months, the classic passeggiata (stroll) is a must after dinner and even more enjoyable with a gelato (ice cream) which is about the only thing that Italians eat while walking.
