It is since XVIth century that beef is cooked on the grill in Florence, by now the Florentine steak has become part of the city, of its people and of the many tourists who do not want to miss this delicious atavic ritual, that characterizes our beautiful Florence. “where can you eat real Florentine steak? ” then becomes a question with perhaps too many anwers. If it’s indeed true that there are many steak houses in the city, where it is possible to eat a good Florentine T- Bone steak, unfortunately there are also many places where quality isn’t always excellent. Before choosing the restaurant you should bear in mind that a good Florentine T- Bone steak of Scottona (a female of about 36 months, which has never calved and which gives tender and succulent meats ) in the loin, that is with the characteristic T- Bone with the beef fillet, must not weigh less than 1,200kg and has a price that is between 45 euro per kg and 55 euro per kg. For a good certified Scottona, Chianina breed IGP, prices in the city are around 70/80 euro per kg. This is why you should avoid imitations or even restaurants offering complete menus at 15- 20 euro per person, which promise to seve excellent T- Bone steaks….we in Florence we say “better to lose them than to find them”. This is a list of ten restaurants in the city that we feel we can recommend :
BRACIERE MALATESTA: restaurant opened since 1954 run by the Baglioni family for three generations. High quality meats, only Scottone of the best Italian breeds and of course typical certified Chianina IGP. One of the few restaurants in town to have a beautiful characoal grill to cook the flesh according to tradition. The T- Bone steaks are properly portion out at the table. The spacious but confortable environment is renovated in a modern key and at the same time with a vintage look of the past years. The two inner gardens are beautiful places where you can have aromatic grills in summer and spring.
DARIO CECCHINI ”L’OFFICINA DELLA BISTECCA : when we speak about Florentine T- Bone steak, we can’t refrain from mentioning the butcher – poet Dario Cecchini. For this reason we recommend this restaurant/butcher’s shop although it’s not located in the city, but inthe wanderful Florentine countryside, in Panzano in Chianti. Dario Cecchini is the last of eight generations of a butchers’ family. He loves to recite Dante Alighieri while is cutting his T- Bone steaks famous all over the world. In his T- Bone steak workshop you can eat flesh of Spanish origin bred outdoors at fixed price, Florentine steak, Panzanesi, ribs and carpaccio di culo (thinly sliced raw meat from the back part of the beef with a dressing), the wine is brought from home.
DA BURDE: this restaurant opened since 1901 boasts four generations in the menagement of their activity. The last generation has been able to renew while maintaining the Tuscan culinary tradition in its dishes and in the Florentine T- Bone steak. Andrea Gori takes pleasure from the web and from the menagement of his restaurant. Award – winning sommelier, is a very influential figure on the web in the field of wine making. He organizes several and very requested monthly wine tastings, combining the Tuscan and world wine excellences with traditional recipes of the chef Paolo Gori.
BUCA LAPI: the oldest restaurant in the city, opened in 1880 in the cellars of the Antinori palace. Frescoes are still visible on the walls. The kitchen in opened to the sight of the guests, the aromas coming out from it are those of tradition. The Florentine T- Bone steak is the protagonista as usual.
DA MARIO: Great Mario loved by Florentines, tourists and also by other restaurants owners for his choice, to oppose the general trend working only when he has a good mind to! And he is willing to work from Monday to Saturday only for lunch. Family atmosphere, simple but good food, excellent florentine T- Bone steak since 1953.
I BRINDELLONE: this restauranti s located in San Frediano, one of the oldest district in the heart of Florence. it is a really tipical restaurant. Liking and tradition are the key features of this restaurant. Typical traditional recipes are cooked from appetizers to pasta and from fried artichokes to Florentine steak. You can get amusing answers in rude Florentine dialect if you decide to write a negative review about the restaurant on Tripadvisor.
13 GOBBI: this restauranti s known in town for its grilled meat and his simple but well cooked and savoury Tuscan recipes. It’s patronised by many Florentine residents in the hope of meeting some celebrities of their favourite football team sitting at the tables.
IL LATINI ANTICO RISTORANTE FIORENTINO: It’s a symbol in the city, famous for its Tuscan cuisine and for the Florentine T- Bone steak. It’s always packed especially with tourists. The furnishings still reflect the atmosphere of an old wine shop of the fifties.
PERSEUS: the beautiful showcase at the entrance full of steaks, grilled chickens, sausages, cheeses, stuffed artichokes and other temping delicacies offers an unforgettable view. At the table you are welcomed with the great “Pinzimonio” typical of the house. The speciality is the Florentine steak portioned out at the table with the vertical bone.
TRATTORIA DELL’OSTE: although this restauranti s run by a family from Campania, there you can find good quality meat and above all great care to details such as personalised knives and the flags on the Chianina meat served to the customers. This restaurant has been greatly appreciated in recent years especially by Korean and Asian tourists in general, who can often be seen queing up in the long lines in front of the restaurant door, to wait pastiently their turn to be seated.
I TUSCANI 2: young and sparkling restaurant where you can breathe a joyful Florentine atmosphere. Here they serve only steaks and chopping boards with typical Tuscan delicacies. The menus are fixed price and often the big portions are more than one person can eat.
