Rick Steves' 'New Favorite Restaurant' In Florence Is A Local Eatery With Famous Flavors

After a day of chasing Renaissance masterpieces in the art-filled city of Florence, you'll be ready for somewhere to sit down and eat. To narrow down your options, consider taking a recommendation from someone who's spent decades eating his way around Europe. In a Facebook Reel posted in July 2026, travel writer and television host Rick Steves singled out Trattoria Cibrèo, calling it his "new favorite restaurant in Florence." The trattoria has gotten some attention for its traditional Tuscan cooking, appearing in the Michelin Guide with a Bib Gourmand — the guide's award for high-quality establishments at affordable prices. It sits in Sant'Ambrogio, a lively market district about a 15-minute walk from the famed Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. If you're exploring the eastern side of Florence's historic center, Trattoria Cibrèo makes for a reliable stop with local character and cuisine.

The flavors at Trattoria Cibrèo are inseparable from the late Fabio Picchi, a Florentine chef who opened the restaurant Cibrèo in 1979, as The Florentine reported. Picchi named his restaurant after a Tuscan dish made of chicken innards and egg, already tying it to regional cuisine. Picchi also launched Trattoria Cibrèo — the more affordable, casual counterpart to the elegant Cibrèo Ristorante — right next door. Steves describes the trattoria as "more rustic and economic," but notes that it "shares the same kitchen as the finer restaurant."

Some of Picchi's culinary legacy is evident in dishes served at Trattoria Cibrèo. Its lampredotto (a classic Tuscan dish made with offal) and roast pork loin are a couple singled out by the Michelin Guide as longtime favorites. As Florence has been named Europe's best city to visit in 2026, Trattoria Cibrèo's own reputation makes it a fitting stop to tap into the city's legendary cuisine.

At Trattoria Cibrèo, you'll find a savory menu of Tuscan cooking, with roots in the city's old culinary traditions. Hearty vegetable soups, roasted meats, chicken meatballs, and the meat-free chickpea panisse option are a few of its highlights. The lasagna and roast beef get frequent kudos from reviewers on Google Maps. You'll find that a couple of dishes (a tripe salad and stewed lampredotto) feature cow stomach, something surprisingly longstanding in Florence's history. According to National Geographic, tripe and lampredotto in Florence date back to the 1400s, when lower-class Florentines used cheaper offcuts of meat. They've since become quintessential Florentine street foods. With all that said, don't get too attached to the restaurant's printed menu. Rick Steves advised, "Give serious consideration to daily specialties."

As for the restaurant's atmosphere, it's reminiscent of a well-loved Florentine dining room: Wine bottles line shelves, wood accents warm the room, and simple tables keep things unfussy (though, as one Tripadvisor reviewer pointed out, the tables are somewhat small). The restaurant has enough seating to accommodate groups — another Tripadvisor reviewer visited with six other diners and wrote, "The service was attentive and friendly ... and the atmosphere is warm and welcoming." There is some outdoor seating, too. The restaurant is not on one of the streets where Florence has banned outdoor dining. However, Steves wrote, "While there are a few tables on the outside, I like the vibe inside."

Trattoria Cibrèo serves both lunch and dinner, closing for a few hours in between. The restaurant suggests making reservations, which you can do by phone, email, or online. You can make it a midday stop between the best attractions you can't skip on a trip to Florence, or settle in for a leisurely evening meal after exploring Sant'Ambrogio Market.