Even if you, by some crazy chance, have absolutely zero interest in art, history, or architecture, I guarantee you won’t regret visiting Florence. While it’s known around the world as the birthplace of the Renaissance, it’s also one of the best cities for delicious food.

From fresh, handmade pasta and tasty gelato to world-class Chianti wine, there’s no shortage of opportunities to indulge. If you really want to make the most of your experience, I highly recommend going on a proper food tour, where you’ll sample new dishes and learn about the traditions behind them.

I’ve gone ahead and reviewed the 7 top Florence food tours, ensuring there’s something for everyone. Let’s dive right in!

Be sure to see our reviews of Florence Wine Tours, Rome Wine Tours and Rome Food Tours.

Best Food Tours in Florence

	Florence: Food Walking Tour with Local Steak and Tuscan Wine	Private Flavors of Florence Walking Tour (Food and Wine Included)	Winner 2025 Florence Sunset Food & Wine Tour by Eating Europe
Meeting Location:	Piazza della Signoria, 50122 Firenze	Via dei Cimatori, 9R, 50122 Firenze	Piazza Santo Spirito, 50125 Firenze
Tour Length:	3.5 hours	3 hours	3.5 hours
Start Time(s):	4:30 PM, 5:00 PM, 5:30 PM	10:00 AM, 4:30 PM	Between 3:30 PM & 7:00 PM
What’s Included:	Walking tour, Food guide, 14 food and wine tastings, Sit-down Tuscan dinner with Florentine steak	Small-group walking tour with a local guide, tasting of cheeses, olive oil, Tuscan wines and gelato	14 samples at 6 different tasting locations, Negroni cocktail demo and drinking, Taste 5 amazing wines, Local English-speaking guide
	Check Tour Availability	Check Tour Availability	Check Tour Availability

Our 7 Top Picks For The Best Rated Florence Food Tours:

1. Florence: Food Walking Tour with Local Steak and Tuscan Wine
2. Private Flavors of Florence Walking Tour (Food and Wine Included)
3. Winner 2025 Florence Sunset Food & Wine Tour by Eating Europe
4. Florence Oltrarno Neighborhood Food & Wine Dine Around
5. Walking Food Tour of Florence with Tastings and Wine
6. Tasty Florence Street Food with Guided Walking of the City
7. Florence Exclusive PRIVATE Food Tour with 6 or 10 Tastings

Florence Food Tour Reviews

1. Florence: Food Walking Tour with Local Steak and Tuscan Wine

What to Expect on the Tour

If you’re looking for a great restaurant for dinner, why not instead head out for an immersive walking tour through Florence? The Florence: Food Walking Tour with Local Steak and Tuscan Wine is the perfect option, allowing you the opportunity to try 14 different dishes – something that simply wouldn’t be possible at your average restaurant visit!

With knowledgeable local guides to lead the way, you’ll be given educational, entertaining commentary about the culture and history surrounding each one to further enrich the experience and food!

Start off by meeting your guide and the rest of your small group at the Piazza della Signoria, where you’ll receive a briefing as to what to expect before setting off.

This delicious, well-paced walk focuses on authentic local eateries largely in Santo Spirito and Oltrarno. Expect plenty of cobblestone streets and some uneven terrain, so plan footwear accordingly!

Just checking out the piazza alone was intriguing, as it’s filled with all kinds of famous sculptures from the Renaissance, along with different types of art, including open-air galleries.

What Makes This Tour Great

Our first stop was for an aperitivo at an old wine window (the first for me!) – so old and legendary, in fact, that Michelangelo himself had visited for a bit of embibing and snacking! After that, we headed to our first sit-down venue for some pappa al pomodoro, ribollita, paté, and cold cuts, with a glass of local wine to wash it all down.

I loved the beautiful stroll over the Ponte Vecchio afterward, allowing us the chance to digest and get ready for the handmade ravioli that awaited us in the bustling Oltrarno neighborhood.

Last but not least, we got comfy at a traditional trattoria for the most iconic Tuscan dish, the Bistecca alla Fiorentina! Even if you aren’t a big meat fan, you’re going to enjoy this meal! Of course, the flowing wine certainly doesn’t hurt, either!

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2. Private Flavors of Florence Walking Tour (Food and Wine Included)

What to Expect on the Tour

Many people see food as a more intimate experience; thus, they aren’t huge fans of group tours involving eating. If that sounds like you, or you simply want your guide all to yourself, check out the Private Flavors of Florence Walking Tour (Food and Wine Included).

This guided Florence food walking tour is the meeting point between local bites, culinary insight, different neighborhoods, and centuries of food tradition.

We had plenty of flexibility when it came to tour start times, which made the 3-hour experience so easy to fit into our busy day! We met up with our guide right in the city center, which is also convenient, no matter where you’re staying.

Upon meeting, we had a brief chat about anything specific we were interested in aside from the typical stuff, and he tailored the itinerary a bit to suit us!

What Makes This Tour Great

We started our tour quite possibly the best way possible: with a visit to an Italian coffee bar for 2 different types of café, while learning all about how they roast the beans there! We then went to a delicatessen from the 1800s, where I tried my first proper pate sandwich with their iconic truffles!

Along with trying some regional meats and cheeses paired with wine, our guide did a great job of sharing all kinds of trivia, dining tips, and even some route recommendations for the rest of our trip.

We saw plenty of famous architecture and sculptures, which were impressive, though a trip to the San Lorenzo market is something that shouldn’t be missed. It was here where our guide helped us learn how to select the best ingredients like extra virgin olive oil, breads, produce, and other Italian necessities.

If you’re looking to meld sightseeing and exploration with local foods, this is one of the best out there.

Reserve Tour Now and Pay Later / Free Cancellation Within 24 Hours of Tour Start Time

3. Winner 2025 Florence Sunset Food & Wine Tour by Eating Europe

What to Expect on the Tour

Next, we have the Winner 2025 Florence Sunset Food & Wine Tour by Eating Europe, which has become quite the popular selection! With 14 expertly curated Tuscan specialties, along with 5 paired wines and a Negroni demo, you’re in for a real treat many don’t get to experience!

I love how varied these tastings are, so if you’re short on time or it’s your first time in Florence, do give this one a go! This is yet another small-group tour setting, so you can count on an affordable tour while keeping participants low.

This allows for more attention from your guide, more customization, and plenty of time for them to answer any questions you may have. Not only that, but there are many different departure times available, making it easier to fit into your schedule.

What Makes This Tour Great

Start off at Piazza Santo Spirito, where you’ll enjoy a refreshing Prosecco while soaking in some prime people watching and chatting with the rest of your group! At this point, our guide was already providing us with engaging storytelling and insider tips, which continued all throughout the tour.

Next up, we had some pecorino and parmigiano, trying some local dairy produce, which was incredible.  The visit to the wine window was certainly charming and fun, and I loved the demo and sampling of the Negroni cocktail!

You’ll get to try so much food and wine you’ll be stuffed, but make sure to save a bit of room for authentic gelato at the end. If you want to get more during the rest of your stay, listen to the guide’s tips on how to avoid fakes!

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4. Florence Oltrarno Neighborhood Food & Wine Dine Around

What to Expect on the Tour

If you’re looking for one of the best small-group Florence gelato & wine tours around, keep this next one in mind. The Florence Oltrarno Neighborhood Food & Wine Dine Around offers a deep dive into the city’s food and wine culture, focusing specifically on this charming district.

One thing I really love about this tour (aside from everything), is that they always feature enthusiastic guides and generous tastings! There are different start times available, though most tend to start in the evening, making it a great alternative to going out to a restaurant to eat.

Instead of having just one dish at a restaurant, you’ll get to try a whopping 8 food tastings and 6 drinks! This is the best way to get acquainted with Tuscan cuisine, as it’ll take you out of your comfort zone and have you trying things you may not order otherwise.

What Makes This Tour Great

I really appreciated just how well they balanced everything, from market stops and wine windows, to some little corner shops and amazing gelato. I’ve been on many food tours that just focus on one thing, and unless your guide is really well-versed, things can get redundant.

Our guide offered fantastic culinary insight as well as some local lore that you just wouldn’t get on your average tour.  You’ll stop at 5 different places, so come hungry and be prepared to eat plenty of different local snacks while listening to historical backgrounds on each.

I thought the gelato stop at the end was a great way to follow up the “main” dishes and wine, and I learned about what makes the creamy delight authentic versus “fake”.

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5. Walking Food Tour of Florence with Tastings and Wine

What to Expect on the Tour

If you’re on the hunt for authentic flavors, local neighborhoods, and hidden foodie locales, look no further than the Walking Food Tour of Florence with Tastings and Wine!

What makes this Florence small-group food and wine tour stand out is that it focuses more on places off the regular tourist path, so you aren’t repeating anything from other selections.

Combine that with the close relationships the expert guides have with local shopkeepers and owners, and you’ll get a full BTS immersion into these special places that many residents don’t even get to see!

Ever wonder what life as a true Florentine is like in this modern age? Well, this is about as close as you can get to that, taking you through less touristy areas such as Sant’Ambrogio and Santa Croce.

Start out by meeting your guide and the rest of your small group at the Dante Alighieri monument at the Piazza di Santa Croce and listen to the briefing as to what you can expect for the next few hours.

What Makes This Tour Great

Our guide was born and raised in Florence, which was an invaluable asset to us, as we were able to hear all kinds of personal anecdotes about what the culture and vibe is like, locally.

We enjoyed a nicely balanced array of food, all the way from gourmet delicacies to street food, and plenty of wine bars! I tried a few new wines – both red and white – which was great, as I found one that I’ll be ordering every time I’m in the city.

Whether it’s your first time in the city or you’ve been here before, you’re bound to try or see something new on this excursion. The local charm is out in full force on this tour, with hefty portions and a wide variety of flavors to keep you satisfied.

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6. Tasty Florence Street Food with Guided Walking of the City

What to Expect on the Tour

Are you on the hunt for a budget-friendly Florence street food walking tour, but don’t want to compromise on quality? Then, the Tasty Florence Street Food with Guided Walking of the City experience should be your top choice.

It’s delicious, it’s well-paced, and it’s a fantastic intro to the city’s culinary and historic highlights without rushing through all the important stuff! If you’re looking to get a lay of the land or would simply like to venture into Florence’s food culture beyond the typical tourist spots, this is a great way to do so.

Maxing out at just 15 participants, you’re pretty much guaranteed a personal, interactive experience. Start off by meeting your guide and group at the Piazza dell’Unita Italiana, where you’ll get acquainted and have a briefing about the stops you’re going to make that day.

What Makes This Tour Great

The first stop on the tour is at the Mercato Centrale, where your guide will navigate through the bustling walkways and endless stands filled with fresh produce and more.

Apparently, this stop is only available during the morning tours, which is all the more reason to get up early and savor the day! Here, we tried some fresh olive oil and various types of truffles, which was not only tasty, but interesting to learn about.

We then took a leisurely walk over past the Palazzo Vecchio, Bell Tower, Cathedral, and many more as our guide regaled us with fascinating tales, bringing the Renaissance to life once more.

By the time we’d arrived at the trattoria, we’d worked up quite the appetite again, enjoying the famous Schiacciata Tuscan bread (which changed my life, to be honest). If you have a sweet tooth like I do, you’ll be happy to follow it up with some cantucci cookies and amazing gelato!

Reserve Tour Now and Pay Later / Free Cancellation Within 24 Hours of Tour Start Time

7. Florence Exclusive PRIVATE Food Tour with 6 or 10 Tastings

What to Expect on the Tour

Last but certainly not least, is the Florence Exclusive Private Food Tour with 6 or 10 Tastings. If you’d rather it just be your guide and your traveling party, this is one of the best options out there.

Curated with your input in mind, your expert local guide will create a special experience with flexibility and customization built in, so no two tours are ever the same.

There are many different start times available to work easily into even the busiest of schedules, and a couple of different meet-up points are available, as well. This 3-hour excursion is great for food lovers who are on the hunt for an elevated culinary experience far from your run-of-the-mill offerings.

What Makes This Tour Great

These 10 tasting options balance both savory and sweet treats, so there really is something for everyone.  Our guide was clearly born and raised in Florence, showing us plenty of places we’ve never even seen or heard of before!

She knew that we’d already seen a ton of the more famous landmarks, and we had a great time exploring off the beaten path on the hunt for some real gems. Not only that, but we tried plenty of food we never would have tried on our own, which expanded our palate and possibilities!

Instead of taking the main streets, we even discovered plenty of insider routes and magnificent pieces of architecture that I hadn’t seen before. If you’re looking for something truly unique, this one is it!

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A Real Guide to Florence Food Tours

The best bite in Florence costs about five euros and comes wrapped in paper at a market cart. It is a lampredotto panino, slow-cooked tripe on a crusty roll dipped in its own broth, with a spoon of green sauce, and the line of locals next to you tells you everything.

That is the food this city is built on. The trick with a tour here is matching it to the meal you actually want, because a morning market crawl and an evening steak dinner are two very different days.

I have led food tours through Tuscany for years. Here is how to eat well in Florence without wasting a tour on the tourist version.

What You Are Actually Booking

Florence food tours sort into a few clear types, and they do not all do the same thing. Knowing which is which saves you from booking a steak dinner when you wanted street food.

The morning market and street food tour is the classic. You move through Mercato Centrale and the surrounding streets tasting lampredotto, schiacciata, cheese, salami, and gelato, usually for two and a half to four hours and around 60 to 95 euros.

The evening tour is a different animal, built around sit-down stops, more wine, and often a bistecca dinner at the end. If you want restaurants and Chianti rather than market stalls, book the evening.

Then there are the cooking classes, where you shop a market with a chef and cook what you bought, and the Chianti day trips out to the vineyards. Pick by whether you want to taste, to cook, or to drink in the hills.

The Foods Worth Crossing Town For

A good tour is really a guided excuse to eat the things you would not order on your own. These are the ones that matter.

Lampredotto and the Street Carts

Lampredotto is the food Florence is known for and the one tourists talk themselves out of. It is the fourth stomach of the cow, slow-cooked until tender, piled on a roll whose top is dipped in the cooking broth and dressed with salsa verde and a little spicy oil.

Here is the truth. It is milder than it sounds, closer to a good pot roast than anything gamey, and the carts run by the trippai are where you get it right.

Look for I Trippaio di San Frediano in the Oltrarno or the Nerbone stand inside Mercato Centrale. Order it with the green sauce and a splash of the spicy, and eat it standing up like everyone else.

Bistecca alla Fiorentina

The Florentine steak is a thick T-bone from Chianina or Maremmana cattle, grilled hard on the outside and rare in the middle, finished with nothing but salt and olive oil. Do not ask for it well done, and do not order it for one.

It is priced by the etto, meaning per hundred grams, and a proper one runs well over a kilo, so it is built to share. Trattoria Sostanza, Buca Lapi, and the lunch-only Trattoria Mario near the market are the places I send people.

Beyond the steak, the same trattorias do the cheap, honest cucina povera worth ordering. Get the ribollita, a thick bread and bean soup, the pappa al pomodoro, or the pappardelle with wild boar ragu, none of it expensive and all of it the real Florentine table.

Cheese, Salami, and the Sweet Ending

Tuscany does pecorino, the sheep cheese, in every stage from fresh and milky to hard and aged in caves or wine barrels. Pair it with finocchiona, the fennel salami, and the famously unsalted Tuscan bread, which exists because of an old salt rivalry with Pisa.

End the way Tuscans do, with cantucci dipped in Vin Santo. The almond biscotti are dry on purpose, and the sweet wine is what finishes them.

The Gelato Rule

Real gelato is not piled in fluffy fluorescent mountains in the window. That bright, towering display near the Duomo is the industrial stuff, full of air and dye, and the banana flavor is the tell, because real banana gelato is grey, not yellow.

The good shops keep their gelato flat and muted in covered metal tins. Vivoli near Santa Croce, Gelateria della Passera, and Perché No are the ones worth the calories.

The Markets and the Oltrarno

Mercato Centrale is the famous one, a 19th-century iron and glass hall in San Lorenzo. The ground floor is the real market, with the cheese, salumi, and lampredotto vendors, while the upstairs is a modern food hall that is fine but built for tourists.

If you want the market where Florentines actually shop, go to Sant’Ambrogio instead. It is smaller, less polished, and full of the produce and cheese the serious cooks are buying.

For the neighborhood itself, cross the Arno into the Oltrarno. The streets around Santo Spirito and San Frediano are where the artisans and the wine windows are, with far fewer tour groups than the Duomo side.

You can book an Oltrarno food tour here.

The Wine, From Wine Windows to Chianti

Florence drinks Sangiovese, and the name to know is Chianti Classico, the one with the black rooster seal that marks the historic zone. It is a step up from the generic Chianti in the straw-covered bottles, and any decent tour will pour it with the savory courses.

Keep an eye out for the wine windows, the little arched openings in the palazzo walls. They were built centuries ago to sell wine straight to the street and came back to life in recent years, and a few now pass you a glass through the original hole.

If you have a spare day, the Chianti hills are an hour south and worth it. A wine day trip runs roughly 80 to 150 euros with transport and a sommelier, and it takes you from the glass to the vineyard it came from.

What It Costs and How to Book

Rough price picture for 2026, per person.

• Market and street food walking tour, about 60 to 95 euros.
• Evening food and wine tour with dinner, around 90 to 140 euros.
• Market tour plus a cooking class, roughly 95 to 150 euros.
• Chianti wine day trip from Florence, about 80 to 150 euros.

Book the morning market tours for the morning, because the vendors close by early afternoon, and save the evening for the restaurant and wine tours. You can compare Florence food tours here or on GetYourGuide.

Come hungry, properly hungry, and wear shoes you can walk cobblestones in for hours. Most tours run four to eight stops and you will eat a full meal across them, so do not have lunch first.

Bring a little cash too. A few stops and wine windows are cash only, and five to ten euros is the normal tip for a guide on a half-day tour in Italy.

Frequently Asked Questions

A morning market tour or an evening dinner tour, which should I pick?

Morning if you want the markets, the street food, and the lampredotto carts while the vendors are still open. Evening if you want sit-down stops, more wine, and usually a bistecca dinner to finish.

They are two different days, so pick by whether you came to graze or to dine.

Do I have to eat the tripe?

No, but you should. Lampredotto is milder than its reputation, more like tender pot roast than anything gamey, and it is the most Florentine thing on the table.

If it truly is not for you, the carts also do a bollito sandwich from regular beef, and a good guide will never push it on you.

How do I avoid the bad gelato?

Skip anything piled in tall fluffy mountains or colored like a highlighter, especially around the Duomo. Real gelato sits flat and muted in covered tins, and grey banana beats bright yellow every time.

Vivoli, Gelateria della Passera, and Perché No are safe bets.

Mercato Centrale or Sant’Ambrogio?

Mercato Centrale for the big famous hall and the easy first visit, though the upstairs is a tourist food court. Sant’Ambrogio for the smaller market where locals actually shop.

If a tour offers Sant’Ambrogio, that is usually the more honest one.

Is a food tour worth it, or can I just eat on my own?

Worth it on your first day, because a good guide gets you past the laminated-menu trap and teaches you what to order for the rest of the trip. After that you can eat well on your own with the list they gave you.

The value is the orientation as much as the food.

Should I add a Chianti wine day trip?

If you have the time and you like red wine, yes. An hour south of the city, the Chianti Classico estates pour Sangiovese where it grows, and the drive through the hills is half the point.

Book it as a separate day, not crammed onto a city food tour.

Shayanne DeCastro

Shayanne is a freelance writer, wine snob and marketer based in LA, California. Describing herself as a nomad, she has lived in many different cities including Boise, Idaho and Seattle, Washington as well as Guadalajara, Mexico. She is forever on the move.

Being an extremely active person, she loves to snowboard, skateboard, and ski. She enjoys sharing her love for active sports with others through her “how to” sports guides as well as food and wine reviews. Her love for wine and good food shines through every paragraph. While she travels, Shayanne loves to try new restaurants and wineries.  If there is a wineries or good restaurant in your town, you will probably meet her one day.