Ristorante Buca Niccolini — Restaurant in Florence

If one’s used to eating Italian food in the US, one might be surprised to learn that some of the most famous dishes aren’t widely eaten in Italy, as they differ from region to region and even from city to city within the same region.

Florence, the capital of Tuscany, attracts millions of visitors annually; it’s no wonder some aspects of its food and wine sector have become commercial.

Florentine cuisine is bold, rustic, and rooted in cucina povera (peasant cooking), transforming simple ingredients into hearty, flavorful dishes. Expect robust meats, fresh seasonal produce, and artisanal cheeses to feature heavily on menus, with dishes that reflect Tuscany’s rural traditions and love of high-quality ingredients.

Situated in the historic heart of Florence, just a stone's throw from the Duomo, this establishment originated more than 100 years ago as a typical tavern in the ancient cellars (buca). Only in the middle of the twentieth century, Buca Nicolini received an exit to the street and took the form of a restaurant where my partner, our friends, family member, and I decided on dinner.

We stumbled upon this restaurant on our way from shopping and sightseeing without a reservation, and it was the best decision.

Upon arrival, we were greeted by the staff and got a table for 6 in the cozy back room off the main dining room with a casual and relaxed vibe.

Their menu was extensive, offering traditional cuisine, the best of Tuscany. For starters, we decided on the Bruschetta and Fantasia Crostini. For our main meal, we opted for warm Seafood Salad, Risotto with Zucchini, Risotto with Seafood, Steak with Green Pepper Sauce, Garden Salad, Side of Roasted Potatoes, and Steak with Roasted Potatoes. Complimentary bread started our meal.

The food was absolutely amazing. Everything was always cooked beyond expectation with a perfect balance of flavor for each meal.

Our server was Arianna, who took such great care of us. She was warm, attentive, and offered fantastic recommendations. Her friendly smile and professionalism made our meal even more enjoyable.

Prices were very reasonable and the portions healthy. To end our meal, they gave us limoncello, which was a nice touch!

This was our favorite restaurant; we even had dinner the following evening. We...

Hello, I want to share my very bad experience at this restaurant, and I want to warn tourists about birthday celebrations. On September 5, 2025, I personally made a reservation for the next night, since we would be celebrating my husband's 60th birthday. Are we agreed that it is something big? Then a very kind girl told me that she would gladly take the reservation and that they would sing happy birthday to us in Italian. We arrived that day and the girl's attitude was a little strange but nothing out of the ordinary. We ordered drinks and everything was fine until the food arrived. I must say that it is not good (it is not the worst, but the good thing is actually the view of the Duomo). The night was getting worse with the service. It took a long time to take our orders for everything we were ordering. The worst thing was that after a while the cake I had ordered did not arrive. I had to go to my waitress. She was surprised by what I was ordering, so I wanted to speak to the manager, a very young guy who also did not know what he was talking about. However, after explaining everything and they listened to me, they told me that in Italy, when you have a celebration and want a cake, you must either buy it or order it from another store and bring it. The girl who made my reservation never mentioned this. I asked them if they had desserts, and they said yes, but the discussion lasted about 10 minutes. My husband realized something was going on. While I was sorting out the situation, I tried not to let anyone notice, but when my husband arrived, the manager told me that if I had bought the cake, they would have arranged it. My husband overheard this, and they obviously ruined the surprise. I found it terrible that, in addition to paying a bill of almost 200 euros, they ruined my husband's birthday dinner. Very unfortunate. It's not one of the 10 best restaurants in the center of Florence. I don't recommend it. I must admit that they apologized, but I traveled to Italy to surprise my husband, and they ruined it terribly... I wouldn't go back...

Ristorante Buca Niccolini, located in the heart of Florence, presents a mix of highs and lows that together create a dining experience that's somewhat of a mixed bag. While the restaurant shines with some of its dishes, it falls short in terms of service and certain menu items.

Service at Buca Niccolini leaves room for improvement. Given its central location, it's understandable that the restaurant is frequently busy. However, this should not be an excuse for the service to be anything less than excellent. Unfortunately, our experience was that the service was mediocre, and this detracted from the overall dining experience.

The food we tried varied in quality. The Prosciutto with Melon was a disappointment. In a country where prosciutto is a staple and freshness is paramount, this dish did not meet expectations. On the other hand, the Pineapple Ham Pizza was a delightful surprise, and the Pesto Risotto was decent enough.

The real star of the show, however, was the Cheese Platter. Accompanied by a homemade truffle - of which we ordered two - the platter was an absolute delight. The rich, earthy truffle paired beautifully with the variety of cheeses, resulting in a standout dish that left a lasting impression.

In conclusion, Ristorante Buca Niccolini offers a hit-or-miss experience. While its central location and some of its dishes, like the Cheese Platter, are worthy of praise, the inconsistent service and quality of other dishes could use improvement. It's worth a visit for the cheese and truffle, but keep in mind that other aspects of the dining experience might not...