Restaurants in Florence

Absolutely! Trattoria Za Za!

Agree with Doug-ZaZA!

I like Trattoria Mario and return each trip at least once. The chunks of meat are impressive! Seriously though, it is cramped, busy, and always interesting. The food is worth it: hubby and I usually share one half-kilo (500gm) Florentine steak, one side of fresh-cut fries and one side of Tuscan white beans. We need a wheelbarrow after a lunch stop there. We once sat at a table with 3 businessmen who shared a 2 kilo bistecca fiorentina steak!

Remember that Trattoria Mario is only open for lunch. I think their food is very good and reasonably priced, and well worth a short wait when busy.

I just looked online and found that Za Za has a website that let's you reserve on it. http://www.trattoriazaza.it/index.html?Pagina=/news/primapagina.asp?idLingua=1&PrimaPagina=X&idSito=1 Reservations are essential in Florence. Even for lunch.

Thank you

Not to upset those who like it but Za Za is not a place I could honestly recommend. It is pretty much "diner" food as far as the authenticity of it being an "Italian" meal goes. Unfortunately that is true for many, many reasonably priced Trattorias in Florence - they aren't bad, but they really are not that good either.

Anthony, Are there any restaurants that you would recommend?

For a inexpensive lunch near the Duomo Cafeteria Self Service Leonardo is very good. 1 block from Duomo. However for a very good meal at a good price Trattoria Sabatino is off the touristy route. It is across the Ponte Vecchio Bridge and then north about 6 blocks. Excellent food and service at reasonable prices.

Good. Reasonable. Near the Central Market. Absent an alternative suggestion, I'll stick with my recommendation and express confusion about what "diner" food in Italy would be. Za Za is hardly the Autogrille...

La Burasca (Via Panicale 6) just around the corner from the Central Market. Fantastic, low key restaurant with a wonderful ambianceand reasonable prices. I had the bifteca and it melted in my mouth! English spoken.

When I tried to look up that last restaurant on Trip Advisor, it didn't show up.
A Google search turned up La Burrasca (Via Panicale 6), which seems to get rave reviews.

I have a long detailed response I am trying to post, but the system won't let me! And since this reply worked, it must be the length - even though it says I am under the limit. Anyway - you can find it here: http://www.florence-journal.com/florence/2011/03/on-restaurants-in-florence.html And Doug nothing personal I am not trying to get a rise out of you or anything!

Not far from the Central Market (about a 10-minute walk) is Mangiafuoco Bracerie (Via Guelfa, 24/R). It was previously mentioned by another contributor to this Helpline and also was recommended by the staff of our nearby hotel. I confirm that the food is great and reasonably priced, and that the owners (Barbara, Daniella, et al.) were very friendly and provided excellent service. It is a cozy place with a very nice atmosphere. We actually ate there twice during our recent 5-day stay in Florence (5 March to 10 March 2011)!

And Doug nothing personal I am not trying to get a rise out of you or anything! .
Quite clearly not, with the photo you posted just below! Good lord, man! Some people have kids looking over their shoulder! ;) So, thank you for posting some alternative suggestions. You make the good point that the tourist center of Florence may not be the best display of Florentine cuisine. But I have fond memories of Za Za going back to 1992. You listed places that sound very enticing.

In October we were told about ZaZa by a fellow Portlander on our train to Pisa. Loved their liter carafe of house red wine and the Tia 'somebody's' Antipasto Platter was amazing... addictive. The Bistecca Fiorentina was much better at Trebbio, though. We found that if we arrived early that reservations were unnecessary. We showed up around 4 had some wine and an Antipasto Platter and more wine. Snacking on samples in the Mercato Centrale is big fun too! Cin Cin!
-Libby