Restaurants in Santa Croce (Florence)

Michael Collins Irish Pub & Cellar Bar

Every town needs at least one great Irish bar, so if you're tired of chianti or just looking for a pint of Guinness, Michael Collins Irish Pub & Cellar Bar is your place. Located on the quintessentially Tuscan Piazza della Signoria, Michael Collins is also a great place to watch your favorite soccer match, catch some live music, or just mingle with a young international crowd. Check their website for info about events and shows.

Il Lorenzaccio

After you've gotten your fill of Italian art at the Galleria degli Uffizi, step outside and fill up on some Italian food. With a shaded terrace right on Piazza della Signoria, I'Lorenzaccio Ristorante Pizzeria is the perfect place to experience local cuisine and people watch in one of Italy's most famous piazzas. From filletto di manzo to pizzas and pastas there is something for everyone, and Lorenzaccio also offers a fixed degustazione menu featuring all the specialties of the house. Closed on Thursdays.

Enoteca Baldovino

Enoteca Baldovino combines the typical decor of a tavern with a vaguely arabesque style. The large windows facing the street keep the interior well-lit. The Tuscan toasts are good, as are the warm wood-oven baked bread with deli meats, plates of cheeses and salads. Everything can be washed down with Tuscan and other Italian wines. A terrace is available during summer months.

Danny Rock

Popular with a young crowd, this huge American-style restaurant in the heart of the city's medieval district is always busy, no matter what time of day. While waiting for a table, catch up on music videos, cartoons and films shown on TV screens or have a drink at the long, marble bar. As well as great fish and chips, pizza and hamburgers served with fries and any number of toppings, tasty sweet or savory crêpes are made while you wait and there's a wide selection of beers and cocktails. Cinema and theatergoers are entitled to a 10% discount, just remember to show your ticket. Also check out Sunday brunch!

Restaurant Orient Express

Restaurant Orient Express, specializing in fine wines and gastronomy, is ideal for people who want to sample a wide array of wines and seafood dishes in modern, minimalist and relaxing surroundings. To begin with, try the strawberries with tomato and then move on to the mullet roe (alla bottarga). The fish main courses are always well prepared and the wine list is exceptional. The service is excellent and courteous.

Salamanca

This popular Spanish bar and restaurant's combination of good food and great music is hard to beat. Specialties from the Iberian peninsula include bocadillos (sandwiches), sopas (fish or vegetable soups) and verbenas (assorted tapas), whilst drinks range from beer and sangria to fine Spanish wines. Catch the live shows featuring Latin American artists on Mondays.

Rex Cafè

Large, accommodating pub which for years has been an important meeting place for night owls. With its mosaic design, the pub offers a wide range of aperitifs, drinks, and appetizers all accompanied by music from the various DJs. Special themed nights, shows, etc. Happy hour and aperitivo from 6p.

Moyo

By day, students type furiously on their laptops, taking advantage of the free WiFi that Moyo provides for free until 7:30p. But by night, the bartenders crank up the music and mix hundreds of cocktails for an energetic young crowd. Bar-goers spill out onto the street during the weekends, clutching Moyo's signature cocktail, a cranberry martini with lemon juice and triple sec. Thursday nights have a hip-hop theme, while on Friday and Saturday a DJ spins the latest remixes.

Osteria del Caffè Italiano

This cafe is only a stone's throw away from the church of Santa Croce. It has won Italy's "Café of the Year" award and is very popular due to the service, the beautiful décor and the chance to try an appetizer with a glass of wine. This recently restored cafe is subdivided into several parts, the pub where you can try cooked meats and cheeses, a small restaurant which serves meals and a very refined room for those who love Tuscan cuisine. There is a varied choice from snack to light lunch or an afternoon snack or aperitif through to full dinner. The first courses are made up of various classic Tuscan dishes like artichoke and potato soup and Florentine lasagna. The Chianina steaks are a must for "meat eaters". The wine cellar is well stocked with the best labels. Check website for timings.

Ristorante Alfredo

This first-class restaurant is one of the oldest in the city. During the 1920s it was already well-known and has never lost its shine. The atmosphere is characterized by green and brown colors, and the use of elegant decorations which don't distract the eye. Aside from a rich menu of meat and fish it is possible to order pizza from a wood oven. One of the best first courses is the shellfish spaghetti. Also polenta and Porcini mushrooms, spicy mussels, marinated salmon, venison bresaola with rucola, thinly-sliced beef, and ossobuco with beans. The wine cellar is good and contains local wines.

Ristorante Alle Murate

Alle Murate is one of the city's most famous restaurants and offers delicate cuisine that's rich in flavor, while its classic décor of warm colors, mirrors and subtle lighting makes it the perfect venue for an intimate dinner for two. Creatively prepared Tuscan cuisine and fish dishes are of the highest quality and the wine waiter is on hand to help you choose a suitable accompaniment from the restaurant's impressive cellar.

Trattoria Baldovino

Located close to the Santa Croce church, the Trattoria Baldovino has to be good because it attracts many locals and tourists. Carefully prepared and beautifully presented dishes, range from quick and simple salads and sandwiches, to hearty meals of fresh pasta, meat and fish. The menu is extensive and the impeccable service and pleasant surroundings add to the finishing touch. Don't overlook the great variety of wine, beer and grappa available.