The perfect Fiorentina steak must be well browned on the outside and rare inside.
What is Bistecca alla Fiorentina and Where Can You Find the Best in Florence?
Bistecca alla Fiorentina is a thickly cut porterhouse or generous T-bone steak grilled for a few minutes on each side and served rare. In the past a truly traditional steak was sourced from heritage Chianina cattle from Tuscany’s Val di Chiana. But today, many breeds are served and prioritized for quality.
To be authentic, the meat must be sourced from adult bovine, cut least three to four fingers thick, aged between 20-40 days (the best bites are aged even longer), grilled “sulla brace” over coals and served rare with minimal seasonings- ideally just a generous dash of salt finished with fragrant extra virgin olive oil.
While Florence’s steak has become a sort of tourist attraction with every other restaurant showcasing slabs of steak in the window, it has become increasingly more difficult to find restaurants in Florence serving quality steaks respecting local steak traditions.
Some of the best bistecca steaks are found on our Progressive Dining Crawl in Florence, family-run butcher-restaurants like Antica Macelleria Cecchini in Panzano or historic restaurants like Antico Ristoro de’ Cambi in Florence’s Oltrarno. Curious how to order it? Read this post for dining etiquette in Italy advice.
If you’re looking for the best steak in Florence, this post will detail
what you need to look for in a great steak
the proper way of serving la bistecca
the history behind the steak and why it became a symbol of Florentine cuisine
Chianina- is this truly the only heritage breed a steak can come from?
tell-tale signs of a tourist trap steak house
tips on the best restaurants in Florence for the Florentine steak
and info on our curated food tours in Florence
Every area of Italy has its iconic trophy dishes defining its regional cuisine. Rome has cacio e pepe and Florence has la bistecca. In my decade of leading food tours in Florence, I’ve seen this local favorite explode onto the international stage. But as a local expert, I’ve also seen the "reality" behind the dream. Too often, visitors are served personal sized steaks from young veals and/or tough, overcooked meat in tourist hotspots—a waste of both money and animal. To find a truly quality-sourced steak, you have to look beyond the chatter on social media and research articles like this written by local food experts.
Meaty figures: Who is Dario Cecchini, the "King of Steaks"?
You may recognize 8th-generation butcher Dario Cecchini from season six of Netflix’s Chef’s Table. Whether you’re making a beeline for his Antica Macelleria in Panzano or Cecchini in Città in the heart of Florence, understanding the former veterinarian student-turned-butcher is a rite of passage for any meat lover. Dario’s work is timeless and his "nose-to-tail" philosophy is more relevant today than ever, as travelers demand better traceability and ethics in their dining choices
This was taken some years ago at a butcher stand in Florence’s Sant’Ambrogio market- my how pricing times have changed!
So where do you find the best Bistecca alla Fiorentina in Florence?
In this post, we share our preferred spots as well as a little bit of history and background, so you walk into your chosen restaurant prepped and ready to throw down on a quality steak feast.
If you prefer to not read the whole digest (no pun intended), sign up for our Progressive dining crawl in Florence where one of the restaurants on this 4 hour social food tour serves up one of our favorite steaks in town. It’s also a favorite amongst locals and the most trustworthy of Italian palates.
Otherwise for more on the background and additional restaurant recommendations, read on!
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A Fiorentina is usually served simply with just olive oil, salt and pepper.
History of the Bistecca alla Fiorentina (Florentine Steak)
The word bistecca like a lot of things in Florence is said to trace its roots back to none other than the Medici family – one of Italy’s most prolific banking families and a political powerhouse in Florence for more than two centuries.
In the 16th century, at the height of the family’s power, the Duke of Florence Cosimo I celebrated the wedding of his daughter Isabella by roasting a whole ox in Piazza San Lorenzo. A handful of English knights just so happened to be among the hungry crowd and started shouting, “Beef steak! Beef steak!” and so the word bistecca was thought to have been born. Food legends are always questionable, if you think about the origins of the word “bistecca” it sounds more like 2 sides to a stake (bis + stecca).
While the legend sounds pretty fanciful, although the event did happen, the first painting of a rib-steak is from around this time, so maybe there’s some truth in it? Just make a beeline next time you’re in the Uffizi for the Dispensa by Jacopo Chimenti to see the steak in all its lucid naturalism.
As for the Florentine steak, it’s likely to have originated from Tuscan farms where the old cows or castrated calves were slaughtered. While originally held in high regard, Florence's guild of butchers was banished to the outskirts of the city by another Medici - Grand Duke Ferdinando I.
For centuries, they had enjoyed prime position on Ponte Vecchio, sweeping their scraps into the Arno as they worked. But Ferdinando hated the smell on his daily walk from his home in Palazzo Pitti to the bridge, so he sent the butchers away and replaced them with the goldsmiths we see today.
bistecca and its history in Florence goes back to 1565.
How to properly make and serve la Bistecca alla Fiorentina (Florentine Steak)
There is a saying in Florence that anything under four fingers is not steak but carpaccio. In reality, the traditional Bistecca alla Fiorentina should be around three stacked fingers in width or between 1-1.2kg in weight minimum. The average steak made with a quality cut will set you back 60-90eu
Paradoxically young meat is not what you what for your Fiorentina. An adult bovine is preferred, usually a castrated male known as a steer or vitellone. The cut is from the loin, just below the rib cage and above the rump.
Once cut, the steak has the classic T-bone shape and should be aged generally between 20-40 days and up to 90 days for a luxurious, buttery texture. This maturation process not only makes the meat more flavorful, but also helps break down the fibers of the meat, making it more tender.
Proper ageing is what makes a bistecca al sangue (rare steak!) possible! The minimum aging is 10 days and this results in a tougher steak. So it’s no wonder if tourists visit a trap restaurant with prices too good to be true, leave feeling the steak wasn’t all that great.
Cooking a Florentine steak is definitely an art. The room temperature meat is most traditionally grilled over an open flame for no more than 3-5 minutes. The temperature of the pan should be piping hot, so the exterior looks almost charred with clear grill lines.
The inside is very rare and just warm. If you’re not a fan of rare meat, the Fiorentina is not for you. A well-done or even medium steak will be as tough as old boots and not enjoyable at all.
More tourists are becoming interested in Florence’s steak but are trying to change tradition by asking for higher cooks. If the meat is intentionally sourced for quality and carefully aged (and you’re willing to pay a little more), there is a huge delicious reward in taking the plunge to eat bistecca alla Fiorentina as it’s traditionally cooked- it’s truly a rare treat!
There is some debate whether it should be served with the bone or not. It comes down to personal preference and personally I prefer the bone as that’s the best part. But just because a place serves a steak without it doesn’t exclude its validity.
Definitely avoid places that serve on hot plates where the meats continue to cook (that’s a tourist gimmick) and don’t be scared if your steak is sliced and served alongside its juices. It shouldn’t be too dry but not a huge puddle of bloody juices, somewhere in the middle. Locals like to use Tuscan bread to soak up the flavorful juices.
Gnawing on the bone is considered quite the treat and is usually reserved for the guest of honor!
What breed of cow is used for a Bistecca alla Fiorentina?
For a PAT certified steak (PAT is the list of traditional Italian food products set up by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Policies in collaboration with the regions), your Fiorentina should come from a Tuscan breed - Chianina, Calvana or Maremmana or a non-Tuscan breed born and bred in Tuscany.
Chianina is the local historic favorite. It’s an ancient breed of cattle and one of the world’s largest, raised in Tuscany’s Val di Chiana countryside about an hour’s drive from Florence. These big and tall cows were originally used as draft animals but are now prized for their lean meat.
For more succulent marbling, you will probably find breeds from elsewhere around Italy. There’s nothing wrong with a steak that isn’t PAT certified or is not Chianina- as long as it was sourced and aged with care and quality intention.
What other foods pair well with the Florentine steak?
Traditionally, Florentines pair Bistecca alla Fiorentina with roast potatoes, sautéed garlicky spinach, white cannellini beans and Tuscan bread. The meat is so delicious that it does not need a sauce - simply eat it with salt, pepper and a little olive oil. Given the large amount of meat, we suggest sharing with a group of friends or on a food tour which brings a small group together over seasonal sides, pasta and wine without any waste.
In Florence, it is now common knowledge that a cut under four fingers it is not a steak but carpaccio.
Where to get an excellent Bistecca alla Fiorentina in Florence
Osteria dell’Enoteca (Via Romana, 70): The perfect mix of food centric wine loving diners in an elegant old style exposed brick dining room. Beyond steaks from a handful of breeds which the menu details, the menu serves up modern takes on Tuscan classics and the wine list pairs beautifully with all the perfectly executed meats.
All’Antico Ristoro di Cambi (Via Sant'Onofrio, 1): Opened in the ’50s as a simple fiaschetteria (wine shop), the Cambi family started with a small kitchen which served honest food to go along with the straw-covered bottles of Chianti. The Fiorentina steak here is delicious, well-priced and there are a variety of sides we love like the baked onions with a parmigiano fondue or a plate of red sauce pici pasta to twirl with friends.
I'Tuscani (Piazza di S. Pancrazio, 2): A self-declared steakhouse, I’Tuscani has two spots in the city. The S.Pancrazio address is the O.G. The service is extremely nice while being passionate to the point of geeky for meat cuts, breeds, aging and serving. It straddles the line of gimmicky (occasional Renaissance poetry readings in costume) and a simple steak house without pretension.
Terrazza Menoni (inside the Mercato di Sant’Ambrogio): If you can’t make it to Panzano or the countryside, Florence’s first butcher/restaurant is a legit compromise. this local favorite butcher stand has been kicking around since the 1920s. They added the terrace restaurant on top of their stand in the Sant’Ambrogio market and is one of the smartest ways to get a proper steak straight from the source and paying the best price possible. Only drawback is Menoni’s Terrazza is open at lunch during the market’s hours and during the summer months it can get quite warm. But in cooler months, this makes for a great steak lunch pitstop.
Trattoria Mario- This is a classic bustling trattoria in Florence’s San Lorenzo neighborhood. It’s a small space that’s been around for decades and is well-known while still maintaining exceptional quality and Tuscan vibes.
Regina Bistecca (Via Ricasoli, 14): Great steak in an elegant setting. It’s not extremely traditionally Florentine as the design is more contemporary compared to most Tuscan steakhouses. Here the quality and table side theatrics wins, the vibe gives a sort of swanky NYC steakhouse with Renaissance antiquity details. Finished with stiff martinis and a old school big red wine list. Expect to pay top tier prices here, more of a splashy splurge when the occasion fits. The post meal stroll around the nearby Duomo is the cherry on the cake for dining here.
Our Progressive Tuscan Dining Crawl of Florence! Let us take the mystery and stress out of ordering a Florentine steak while mitigating food waste as the steak is shared in this unique group tour (as its meant to be)– we take you to one of the city’s best restaurants, serving carefully aged cuts and ensure its cooked to perfection. We also share a rundown on the cuts used in today’s restaurants along with wine pairing hacks.
Spoiler alert on bistecca’s ideal wine pairings: It’s not the perennial Tuscan red, Brunello di Montalcino, and on the tour you’ll taste (and learn) why from sommelier guides & local experts.
