Florence is the heart of Tuscany and one of the best places to dive into regional Italian food. From fresh pasta and local cheeses to Tuscan wines and traditional dishes you might not have heard of, this is the kind of city where eating is part of the sightseeing.
Or well… maybe I’m still partial to Bologna, just an hour away and considered the food capital of Italy—but hey, that’s where I grew up, so I’m allowed to be a little biased! But Florence is a close second 😉
If you really want to experience Florence’s food scene beyond just picking a random trattoria, joining a food tour is the way to go. With a local guide leading the way, you’ll get to know the dishes, the stories behind them, and the best spots to try them.
Honestly, it’s one of the best things to do if you have 2 days in Florence (or more). These are the best food tours in Florence that I carefully selected to help you taste your way through the city, one delicious stop at a time.
Why should you trust me? I’m Italian, from Bologna (just 30 minutes from Florence, so I’ve visited a lot), and I’ve spent years writing about food across Italy. I know what makes a good food tour and how to spot the ones that are actually worth your time (and appetite).
I personally use Viator, Get Your Guide, and Devour for booking activities around the world. I especially recommend them for the cancellation policy they offer, which allows you to cancel most tours for a full refund up to 24 hours in advance.
Are you in a rush? These are the top tours:
| THE BEST TOUR | Tastes & Traditions of Florence: Food Tour with Market |
| PRIVATE TOUR | Florence Exclusive Private Food Tour with 6 Tastings |
| TOUR BY NIGHT | Oltrarno at Sunset: Florence Food & Wine Tour |
OUR PICK: The BEST Food Tour in Florence
The Tastes & Traditions of Florence: Food Tour with Sant’Ambrogio Market Visit is the most comprehensive, delicious tour in the city. It’s a 3.5-hour trip that caters to small groups, ensuring an intimate and personalized experience.
The tour starts the Italian way, visiting a traditional café where you’ll have an espresso and learn about the breakfast customs of Italians. After the caffeine dose to kickstart your day, you’ll dive into the world of bustling markets, where most locals do their shopping.
Your guide will lead you through Sant’Ambrogio market, allowing you to meet the sellers, find seasonal fruits and vegetables, watch the butchers work, and sample different cheeses, olives, and crostini.
Learn about the main ingredients of Italian cuisine before heading to a local wine bar, where you’ll pick the wine from an extensive selection, and pour your own glass. Sit down to enjoy it with a bowl of bread soup and a crispy bruschetta.
Then it’s time to keep exploring the backstreets of Florence and make your way to a hole-in-the-wall eatery to feast on local dishes, including coccoli, which are fried bread balls filled with prosciutto and cheese, and lampredotto, a meat sandwich.
Wine will pair most of your meals, so you’ll have the chance to sample various Tuscan varietals.
Now it’s time for dessert, so you’ll visit a popular bakery to discover how the delicious cantucci are made before you relish one. The last stop is a gelateria for Italy’s number-one sweet treat: gelato!
Why is this the top tour? The tastings more than make up for lunch, as you’ll get to taste a wide variety of traditional appetizers, dishes, and desserts at each stop. On top of discovering the local cuisine, and visiting a great number of eateries, bars, and a bustling market, you’ll learn about Florence from your foodie guide.
It’s by far the most comprehensive, generous food tour in the city, and it can be adapted to most dietary requirements, including vegetarians, pescatarians, dairy-free, and non-alcoholic.
Read what the reviews say:
“We loved this tour! We liked that it started in the morning and we got to experience such a variety from coffee to pastries to antipasti to wine to local fruit to gelato. And our guide, Lorenzo, was so incredible and knowledgeable and have us so much local insight. We would highly recommend this tour to anyone!”
Carlye – Read more reviews here
This tour includes: All food tastings, 5 glasses of wine, coffee, all visits, and a guide. ➥ BOOK IT HERE
Other Great Options To Consider
▶️ This Florence: Street Food Tour with Local Expert Guide takes you around the Renaissance city with a small group. You’ll visit local markets, family-run eateries, and bars to sample the best of Tuscan cuisine.
Taste truffles, balsamic vinegar, schiacciata, homemade pasta, and cantucci as you learn about Florence’s foodie scene and walk past its major landmarks.
This tour includes: A guide, and all food tastings. ➥ BOOK IT HERE
▶️ Join the Florence: Street Food Walking Tour with Wine to explore the city’s hidden gems while sampling mouthwatering street food bites. You’ll visit the most iconic attractions in Florence, walking past Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral, the San Lorenzo Market, and Ponte Vecchio, as you relish local cuisine.
Try schiacciata filled with meat or cheese, bruschetta, panini, and other appetizers, paired with a glass of Tuscan wine, and cap it off with gelato.
This tour includes: A guide, a walking tour, and all tastings. ➥ BOOK IT HERE
Florence Food Tours by Night
▶️ This Oltrarno at Sunset: Florence Food & Wine Tour offers an authentic dinner experience.
Start with aperitivo, featuring cheeses, bruschetta, cold cuts, and focaccia, paired with a glass of Chianti Classico. You’ll then visit one of the famous wine windows for a glass of Prosecco, before popping into another enoteca for more wine and Tuscan charcuterie.
Finally, sit down at a mom-and-pop restaurant for a proper dinner, featuring Florentine steak and (yes, more) wine. And there’s only one way to top a proper Italian dinner: with gelato!
This tour includes: All tastings, dinner and drinks, and a local guide. ➥ BOOK IT HERE
▶️ This Florence: Food Walking Tour with Local Steak and Tuscan Wine is another great night food tour in Florence. Skip the regular dinner at a restaurant and follow your guide around the city for five tasting stops.
You’ll get to sample artisanal bread, truffles, bruschetta, cheese and cold cuts, sip Tuscan wines, and indulge in the traditional Florentine steak for supper.
This tour includes: Dinner, all food and wine tastings, and a local guide. ➥ BOOK IT HERE
▶️ The Florence Sunset Food & Wine Tour with Eating Europe is a highly-rated experience that allows you to eat your way through the city…literally! You’ll discover the gastronomic scene of Florence as you wander around its main attractions with a foodie guide, stopping at various eateries for a bite.
Sample up to 14 tastings, including fresh pasta, Tuscan soup, appetizers, charcuterie boards, cheeses, and gelato, paired with a variety of local wines and a Negroni cocktail.
This tour includes: All food tastings, drinks, and a guide. ➥ BOOK IT HERE
Private Food Tours in Florence
If you’d rather go on a private food tour in Florence, Italy, these are the top options:
▶️ The Florence Exclusive Private Food Tour with 6 Tastings introduces you to the city’s delicious cuisine as you walk around town with a guide, and stop along the way to sample local bites.
Start by having an Italian espresso with pastries as the Italians do, and then head to Sant’Ambrogio Market for pasta. You’ll also relish savory and sweet delicacies ranging from cold cuts and olives to cantucci, fresh fruit, and gelato. Pair your tastings with Chianti wine.
This tour includes: A private guide, all tastings, and vegetarian alternatives. ➥ BOOK IT HERE
▶️ The Private Flavors of Florence Walking Tour (Food and Wine Included) is exclusive to your group of 15. You’ll explore the streets and attractions of the Renaissance city as your guide tells you all about its gastronomic culture, with stops at local eateries and the bustling San Lorenzo Market.
Start the tour with coffee, the way the Italians do, and a quick introduction to the local roasting process of coffee beans.
You’ll then be treated to panino tartufato, a truffle pâté sandwich, cheeses, bread, olive oil, and local meats, paired with delicious Tuscan wines. Cap the day off with gelato!
This tour includes: All food and wine tastings and a private guide. ➥ BOOK IT HERE
Food & Wine Tour in Tuscany from Florence
The Florence: Chianti Wineries Tour with Food and Wine Tasting takes you into the countryside for an introduction to Tuscany’s wine-making process. You’ll travel through the scenic Chianti Hills and visit a cantina, where you’ll tour the facilities and vineyards.
Delve into the local wine history before sampling four wines in a guided tasting session paired with cheese, bread, and olive oil.
The trip continues with a visit to a second winery, where you’ll also get to tour the vineyards and cellars and taste three local wines.
This tour includes: Transportation, a guide, wine tastings, and appetizers. ➥ BOOK IT HERE
Interested in other foodie experiences in Florence? I mean, there’s never such a thing as too much when it comes to food in Italy! Check out my other posts about the best wine tours from Florence and the top Florence cooking classes.
