Locanda de' Medici — Restaurant in Florence

Delicious food, friendly and helpful service, lovely setting and atmosphere. Do yourself a favor and eat here when you are in Florence.

On our first day exploring Florence, my husband and I stumbled upon this lovely spot when we were looking for a late lunch. A few spots we had tried were “closed” until dinner. We were still fighting jet-lag after 4 days in Venice and craving something fresh (read something other than pastries, pizza, or pasta.) When we walked in we were greeted with smiles from a waitress and a gentleman behind the bar. The waitress was extremely friendly and even let me practice my novice Italian. We ordered salads, and the gentleman helped me choose a wine to pair with it. The salads were fresh and delicious and the wine paired perfectly. We finished with an espresso to get us through the day and left with a very good impression of this place.

When our dinner plans fell through the next day, we decided to go back to this restaurant and try their pizza. The weather was lovely, so we sat outside. We were greeted by the same friendly faces (plus a few others, as it was a bit busier at dinner.) The pizza menu had many tasty options, and we chose the spicy salami pizza. It was perfection! Honestly, it was what every pepperoni pizza wishes it could be. I am getting hungry just thinking about it.

After dinner and wine, we had dessert. My husband had something chocolate, which I forced him to let me taste. Unsurprisingly, it was delicious. I was in heaven eating the panna cotta.

The atmosphere and food were exactly what we needed, and this restaurant is the type of place we would go to again and again if it was in our neighborhood....

First full day in Florence and I'm starting to learn that the Google Reviews don't really mean anything.

I could see giving this place a 4 star review given the atmosphere and general friendliness (ish) of the staff, but the food was overpriced and just average.

We came here for lunch. Since this is a very (very) touristy area, I have adjusted expectations accordingly.

4.9 stars is just simply unreasonably high. The rating of this place needs to be brought down to reflect reality.

The gnocchi bolognese did not seem like homemade gnocchi and the sauce tasted almost identical to Chef Boyardee beefaroni from the can.

The minestrone was... Okay. It was underseasoned and was mostly a hot bowl of warm mushy vegetables with some oily broth. It had no beans in it. It seemed to me like it might have been the bottom of a batch from the day before.

(Try not to talk about the prices because we're in tourist central..... Ack, I can't help myself!)

If it was 6 or 7€ it would have been fine but at 14€ a bowl I expected more.

Also be aware of the 10% service charge. It didn't really bother me but I've never seen that once in Italy before until today.

Cute place, decent staff and a very lovely patio. It's probably great for drinks and appetizers.

It's the kind of place I'd be willing to try again because I so WANTED to like it, but I left feeling like it was just a very...

We stopped by this gem in Florence for a quick bite and left with one of the best dining experiences of our trip. From the moment we walked in, Vilma and Aldo took care of us with warm, welcoming service, making us feel like family.

Now, let’s talk about the olive oil—it was to die for! I had to ask if I could buy some, and while they don’t typically sell it, a little sweet talking led to me walking out with six bottles of the best high-quality olive oil I’ve ever had. Pro tip: Before you add balsamic, taste the bread with just the olive oil—it’s an experience in itself!

For our meal, we started with a bottle of Ruffino Modus Toscana 2021, which paired perfectly with the Caesar salad and, of course, the bread and olive oil. The Margherita pizza was simple yet flavorful, with fresh ingredients that let the dough, sauce, and cheese shine. We finished off with a refreshing limoncello, the perfect ending to a great meal.

Beyond the food, the ambiance was stunning—classic Italian decor with warm, rustic charm, elegant lighting, and a cozy atmosphere that made the entire experience even more special.

This was our first day in Florence, and we already know we’ll be back! Highly recommended—and if you go, ask for Aldo or Vilma and mention the Texan who bought six bottles of olive oil! They’ll take great...