Where to eat in Florence, according to a local chef

Where must everyone eat in Florence?

The centre is getting a bit commercial, but there are a few original places that have stayed as they’ve always been. Trattoria Da Ruggero is one of the most traditional — it’s very simple and feels like you’re eating at home. They make dishes you don’t find everywhere, like beef liver with sage and spaghetti alla carrettiera, which is a simple pasta with garlic and tomato, and slightly spicy. They have a shepherd who sometimes brings them ricotta, but only when he feels like it. You never know if they’ll have it, but it’s the best ricotta I’ve ever had.

After a busy shift at Locale Firenze, where do you unwind with a drink?

I’m really into natural wine. I like Meno [in the San Frediano neighbourhood], which focuses on wines with zero sulphites and no added sugars. The owner Massimo is a real nice guy — if it’s your first time there, he’ll sit and chat with you. Another one is Enoteca Spontanea [in the Oltrarno district], which a bit more formal and very close to Piazza Pitti. It’s a beautiful place, and the feel is more like a French bistro — they do food as well but the focus is on wine. Art.17 Birreria is where I go for beer. It’s always busy with people standing outside and quite a few chefs go there. It’s a nice place to share ideas and spend your evenings.

Where do you go for street food?

Panino lampredotto [a sandwich of slow-cooked cow stomach in a Tuscan roll] is a must for lunch in Florence. I recommend trying it at the Pollini stall in the Sant’Ambrogio neighbourhood. Another suggestion in that area is Semel, a little street-food place where the owner serves only sandwiches and small glasses of wine. The fillings are whatever he has in mind: from the likes of ravioli, horse or even donkey to simple ingredients like pear, honey and radicchio. Whatever he does, it’s always great.

Where would you recommend for a special meal?

The Michelin-starred Gucci Osteria in Piazza della Signoria is unmissable. I can’t recommend just one dish — eating there is a journey, an experience. Another one is Ristorante Serrae Villa Fiesole, on the outskirts of the centre, which also has a Michelin star. It has the best view of Florence — you can see the whole city while you eat. I recently had the nine-course tasting menu and it was so memorable — I absolutely loved the risotto with snail ragu.

Describe your ideal day in Florence.

I live in the countryside, so on my days off I usually rest. If I do go into the city, I wake myself up with a speciality coffee from Coffee Mantra — it’s not like the coffee we drink everywhere, it’s very acidic. I also like Ditta Artigianale, in a little square in Sant’Ambrogio, for brunch and coffee. Then I’d leave the city centre and go to Piazzale Michelangelo. Boboli Gardens is near there, so I’d go and lay down on the grass and rest. Then I’d have some wine and a nice dinner — at Trattoria Da Ruggero, perhaps.