Steak

We loved Birreria Centrale. Excellent steak to share. Also try the white beans simmered with garlic and sage.

Two restaurants to consider. One is on the Pitti Palace side of the river and is called Olio & Convivium Gastronomia Restaurant. Excellent food and atmosphere. Another is Giglio Rosso. I can get to them but don't remember the street names. You should be able to google them and get the addresses.

Buca Lapi
Brindellone
Perseus
Antico Ristori di Cambi
Zaza'
Buca dell'Orafo
Ristorante Latini
Trattoria Sergio Gozzi
Trattoria da Mario
Mamma Gina

Any of the above will do a good job. They are the top 10 choice for the steak among us Florentines.
Just Google the names for the address/map/website

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll have to try the white beans, they sound delicious.

I don't know if you're American, but the Italian beef is superior to 99% of American beef in quality. I'd suggest going with Roberto's suggestions.

Florentine steak is served mooing. If that's not to your taste, you'll want to learn how to ask for it the way you want it.

Florentine steak is served rare.

If you order it any other way, the waiter staff will refuse to bring it to you and you will be asked to leave the establishment and never return to Florence again, while all other restaurant patrons will be booing you on your way out.

If you don't like rare steak, don't order the Bistecca Fiorentina.

Roberto is absolutely correct - definitely go to one of his suggested restaurants. And yes - the steak is very rare, and very delicious. They are also sold by weight. My husband and daughter (age 15, probably 85 pounds) shared a 1 kilo steak, which was the smallest they would cut. It was an enormous slab of meat and they polished it off. The white beans in Florence are my absolute favorite.

my mouth is watering already .... just a little over a month before I get there (Tuscany). It is served throughout the region is it not? Not just Florence.

Something like this, the autofocus got kinda scared, I think.

Jim we'll be following in your footsteps - we arrive 9/4! Will be sure to post pics of our steaks too. =)

hey chris perhaps we will hook up somewhere, that would be fun. Wife and I are staying in a little hill town south of Florence called Poggio alla Croce

I thought the manner in which Ristorante Toto served their Bisteca Florentine--cooked rare, sliced over a bed of wilted arugula with drizzled balsamic vinegar--was my favorite of the three restaurants I've tried this dish in our two trips to Florence. Very, very good.

However, David of Florence, AL--I disagree with you on your assertion about Italian beef being better than 99% of American beef, unless that 1% is here in Chicago. A bone-in, perfectly marbled ribeye steak at any number of joints here in this city rival and probably surpass what is in Florence, at least to my taste. Personal preference, of course. :)

where in Italy are the cows grown?

Here's an interesting article about the Chianina breed:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chianina

Sasso di Dante is behind the Duomo, tucked into a little corner. Their steak is delicious and the owner speaks English well so you can have a nice conversation with him in addition to your dining. Enjoy your time in Italy!

thanks everybody for the replies. my mouth is watering just thinking about it. As long as they sear it I'll be okay. Only two months to go.

Dave ... thanks for that link ....very interesting and informative