4 Best Restaurants in Santa Maria Novella, Florence

At this classy Florentine institution dating from 1885, try one of the minitruffle panini and swish it down with a glass of prosecco.

Hidden in a piazzetta just down the street from the Ponte Vecchio, this colorful eatery has a variety of sandwiches (both hot and cold, most of which are served on five-grain bread), crostini, salads, and various tartares. Vegetarian and vegan options abound, but the kitchen also has a way with Italian cured meats. The cocktail list is impressive and includes a lengthy list of variations on the Spritz, served here in Mason jars.

The Antinori family started selling wine from their palace's basement in the 15th century, and, 600 years later, this buca (hole) is a lively, subterranean spot filled with Florentine aristocrats chowing down on what might be the best—and the most expensive—bistecca alla fiorentina (flavorful, lightly seasoned beef) in town. The classic Tuscan menu has the usual suspects: crostini di cavolo nero (black cabbage on toasted garlic bread), along with ribollita (vegetable, bean, and bread soup) and pappa al pomodoro (tomato and bread soup).

Near Santa Maria Novella is La Spada. Walk in and inhale the fragrant aromas of meats cooking in the wood-burning oven. You can either eat in or take it away.