For the art buff, the Uffizi Gallery is hands-down the finest collection of art in the birthplace of Renaissance. The location is perfect for spending a day in the heart of Florence. Enjoy the soft breezes coming off the Arno River and explore loads of cute shops, museums, and restaurants near the Uffizi Gallery.
Whether you’re guiding yourself through the Uffizi museum or you’ve booked a tour, you will work up an appetite! But with any cultural hot spot, the surrounding area is rife with tourist traps. Lucky for you we know the best restaurants close to the Uffizi Gallery. Read on for our top eight picks.
Degusteria Italiana agli Uffizi
After you’ve enjoyed a feast for the eyes, Degusteria Italiana agli Uffizi will give you a feast for the belly. A haute Italian cuisine restaurant, Degusteria Italiana specializes in truffle, cheese, and wild game.
The candlelight dinner tasting menu is a once in a lifetime experience. Combine each dish with a unique wine pairing or choose a bottle from over 200 high quality Italian wines from their cellar. They don’t have a dress code, but they say that “elegance is welcome.”
Rivoire
Opening its doors in 1872 as the premiere chocolatier in Florence, Rivoire is a can’t-miss historical café right across the piazza from the Uffizi Gallery. In the colder months, we love warming up with a rich hot chocolate in the plush chairs of the ornate dining room.
Not just a chocolatier these days, Rivoire is also a cocktail bar and gourmet restaurant. Come here for re-imagined traditional Tuscan recipes.
Auditore Ristorante Braceria
Tucked away just behind the Uffizi Gallery is Auditore (Piazza del Grano 13R) serving up traditional Tuscan dishes and amazing bistecca alla fiorentina (Florentine steak). The outdoor dining area is in a bustling throughway so you’re in a prime position for people-watching, but it’s also roped off so you feel protected.
With a friendly staff, a menu focusing on local seasonal ingredients at a great price point, Auditore is a wonderful restaurant near the Uffizi Gallery.
All’Antico Vinaio
We know what you’re thinking, “Say what? Devour Tours is recommending the viral tourist hotspot All’Antico Vinaio?” Yes, we are, and here’s why: while the high-quality sandwich-filling ingredients they use at All’Antico Vinaio are identical to what you’ll receive at other panini places in Florence, what sets All’Antico Vinaio apart is that they bake their schiacciata in house.
The massive panini are very good, and you can easily get two meals out of just one sandwich. The premium ingredients makes All’Antico Vinaio one of the most popular restaurants near the Uffizi Gallery.
Expert’s Tip: Skip the line by going right after opening at 11am, and the bread will be fresh out of the oven with the perfect crunchy crust and soft, chewy texture. Win-win!
La Buchetta Food & Wine
This hole-in-the-wall local favorite gets its name from buchette del vino, or wine windows, which are small openings in buildings used to exchange goods like wine during historic times of contagion. Thankfully, the cozy dining room at La Buchetta is spacious enough you don’t have to get your food from a hole!
La Buchetta is open daily for lunch and dinner. They serve homemade pasta, lasagna, and gnocchi. You can pair each dish with Tuscan wines from their cellar. They also have a kid’s menu, a rarity in Florence, so you can bring your kids to eat here knowing there is something on the menu just for them!
Insider’s Tip: Looking for more local dishes? Check out our post on the best Italian restaurants in Florence!
Panetteria e Stuzzicheria De Neri
For a more rustic panini experience, just walk one minute further down Via dei Neri from All’Antico Vinaio and you’ll find Panetteria e Stuzzicheria De Neri (Via dei Neri, 18R). Here delicious homemade dough turns into awesome panini and perfect Neapolitan-style pizzas. The prices are also very reasonable, so you’ll find yourself dining alongside local students.
Rivarno Café Lungarno
After your perfect visit to the museum, the best way to decompress and process what you just saw is to sit, enjoy a coffee, and people-watch. Rivarno Café (Lungarno delle Grazie, 12R) is one of the best restaurants near the Uffizi Gallery for doing just that!
Cool off with a lemonade, have a coffee and a pastry, or enjoy a freshly made wrap or panini. This spot is also perfect for plant-based eaters, as they have many vegan and vegetarian-friendly options.
Gelateria dei Neri
While not a restaurant per se, there’s no better way to down after a busy day of sight-seeing than with a creamy, flavorful gelato from Gelateria dei Neri. Try the classics or take a delicious risk and go for some of their more unique flavors like passion fruit, mango, or chocolate with chili and pistachio.
Verity Pryor-Harden is a freelancer of many talents living in the historical Tuscan city of Arezzo while studying Visual Communications in Florence. She’s a sucker for a cold spritz in a piazza on a hot day, enjoys making bizarre wine pairings, and is a Tuscan street food enthusiast. Follow along on Instagram @verityeph.