Vegan in Florence, Italy - All the Food!
Nearly eight years ago, I visited the Amalfi Coast in Campania, Italy, with my boyfriend. While I told myself it was easy enough to get by on a vegan diet, the truth was - at least in hindsight - it wasn’t. There was a lot of DIYing involved, mixing and matching plates of vegetables and mixed salads, and there wasn’t really anywhere where I could sit down and have a fully vegan meal straight from the menu (other than pasta and tomato sauce, of course). While I’ve been back to Positano many times since (now that boyfriend is my husband!), not much has changed - and so I didn’t have high hopes for Florence, a city 500km away from the lemon terraces of the Amalfi Coast. I was in for some pleasant surprises!
Florence is AMAZING for vegans! There is a plethora of choice both in the centre and on the outskirts, and there was so much delicious food we didn’t even get to try. We stayed for four days - eating three meals a day, multiple desserts throughout the day, and lots of snacking - and we still felt like we had only scratched the surface of the vegan options in this beautiful city. We visited in early May; the weather was perfect, as it wasn’t too scorching to walk around the city with kids (as it is in the summer), but warm enough to dine al fresco or have a makeshift picnic in the park.
Florence, the capital of Tuscany, is the home of a wide range of Renaissance architecture and art; there’s a lot to see. Thankfully, everything is within walking distance, and between visiting the terracotta-tiled dome of the Duomo and queuing up for world-famous galleries to see even more famous sculptures and artworks like Michelangelo’s’s ‘David’, Botticelli’s ‘The Birth of Venus’, and da Vinci’s ‘Annunciation’, plenty of good food is essential! Florence’s vegan scene is so rich that there’s a wide range of places to grab a quick bite between gallery viewings, but there are also plenty of places to pause, slow down and enjoy incredible food, whether dairy-free, gluten-free, raw, or vegan.
Here are my top choices for vegan food within the centre of the incredible Renaissance city that is Florence.
Vegan Options North of The River Arno:
Many of the galleries and tourist sights are north of the Arno, though it’s easy to cross at multiple points, including the famous Ponte Vecchio.
Universo Vegano
Via Pietrapiana, 47R, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy
This was the first fully vegan restaurant that we went to check out. From the branding and general vibe we thought this place would serve food a lot simpler than it actually was. The flavours were superb, and they make great pasta dishes including a lasagna (although the wine wasn't properly cooked off!) and ravioli. We tried the ravioli a couple of times while we were there; they didn't have the ingredients for the dishes on the menu, but made something similar. They also did a great gnocchi with pesto - the basil was very strong and tasted like aniseed. Such a treat compared with the imported, often bland ingredients we get in London! This place had nice outdoor seating and indoor too for a rainy day.
Su Guan
Via Della Scala 23/r, Florence, Italy
We didn’t have the chance to visit this all-vegan Chinese restaurant, but it’s definitely on the list for next time. Lots of people recommended it to me via Instagram. As we only had three full days, I wanted to lap up all the Italian food and not play the (Eur)Asian stereotype of seeking out Chinese food abroad :’). It looks great though!
Located near Piazza San Maria Novella.
Ristorante Quinoa
Vicolo di Santa Maria Maggiore, 1, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy
@quinoa_firenze
We weren’t able to visit Ristorante Quinoa, but they had a wide range of vegan food - 100% gluten-free. I’m trying to be as low-gluten as is convenient, as it plays with my digestion sometimes. Next time I’m heading here!
Il Vegano
43, Via S. Gallo, 75 Rosso, 50129 Firenze FI, Italy
A vegan bistro with affordable options and a great range of food, including local traditional dishes like bean & cavolo nero soup and risotto. We weren’t able to visit Il Vegano, but their menu looks like a great one for an Italian dining experience.
Base V (Chain)
Multiple Locations Across City
We came across a couple of Base V cafes, which boast fridges filled with smoothies and whole food goodness. We were so close to eating here or picking up a juice on a few occasions, and the reviews on Google were excellent - but the prices didn’t quite match our budget! They were charging 8 Euros for a tiny pot of hummus and some crudities to take away. We found Shake to offer similar foods and drinks - full with plant-based goodness but on a budget that was kinder to our pockets. Base V stores are conveniently located amongst the tourist areas, and a co-diner at another restaurant said their smoothies are delicious.
Shake (Chain)
Multiplie Locations Across City
Shake Café Firenze was another place we stumbled across as it was right by our hotel, and we kept going back! Our four-year-old daughter loves açaí bowls and smoothie bowls here - although not at all Italian! It meant this was the best way to get nutrient-dense foods into her body when eating out, hence the repeat visits. She also loved the “toast” made out of sweet potato slices with peanut butter and berries. I was mostly there for the caffè latte, as our one-year-old was teething and I wasn’t getting any sleep! They also do some nice salad bowl options; I had one for lunch.
All’Antico Vinaio
Via dei Neri, 74, Via Ricasoli, 121, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy
A series of four customer-facing takeaways (dine in options available too) all on the same road, have been put together to meet the insane demand for this eatery. All’ Antico Vinaio is a must for anyone who visits Firenze; it pulls in mostly non-vegans, but there are hacks! Vegan options include the artichoke spread and lots of veggies. Our vegan friends visited recently and recommended this spot to us, but Peppe had his face in a Napoli-style pizza and I was trying to not eat too much gluten, so we didn’t try it ourselves in the end.
Giumella Gastronomia Vegana
Via Lorenzo di Credi, 12, 50136 Firenze FI, Italy
A little farther out than other locations, but great for the roaming tourist - rave reviews!
Vegan Options South of The River Arno:
Many of Florence’s parks are south of the river, so this list might be helpful if you’re planning to visit the green spaces of Florence. As with the northern list, it’s very easy to cross over, and nothing is too far in Florence if you are able to walk.
L'OV Osteria Vegetariano
Piazza del Carmine, 4R, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy
We were a little confused when we went to L'OV, as it describes itself as a “vegetarian” eatery, rather than a vegan one. The menu then lists lots of dishes that specify different kinds of cheese, so at first we were avoiding those dishes. However, when we asked the waiter, they clarified that all of the cheeses were actually plant-based, and that the whole menu was suitable for vegans. I’m glad we asked, because the cheeses were all divine! The food here was excellent, and we tried a lot of different dishes. We probably could have omitted one and bought some juice from Base V after all! The pears stuffed with vegan Gorgonzola were a real highlight. Peppe's still dreaming about his risotto, and our daughter loved her gnocchi!
RAW VEGAN FIRENZE
Via Sant'Agostino, 11R, 50125 Firenze FI, Italy
This was my favourite place by far. I love dishes made with nutrient-dense, plant-based whole foods, so this was right up my street. I'm not claiming that the recipes were the most authentic Italian ones we tried while in Florence, but in terms of plant-based abundance, this place was perfect for me. The flavours were so rich, and I loved the pizzas made with a buckwheat base, the juice with beetroot, and the açaí bowls. They also had indoor and outdoor seating. We had three full days in Florence, and a visited twice, once indoors and once outdoors. My kids loved this place; the food was great for them because it was low-sugar and easy for them to digest.
La Pépinière Ristorante Biologico
Borgo S. Frediano, 169-red, 50124 Firenze FI, Italy
@la.pepiniere
As far as we’re aware, this restaurant is not fully vegan, but offers a good range of vegan food including pizzas with various different dough offerings for the base. Rated for their starters, we’ve included La Pepiniere on this list for its great reviews, although we didn’t visit on this first-time trip to Florence.
Pasticceria Gualtieri Dal 1933
Via Senese, 18/red, 50124 Firenze FI, Italy
A gluten-free, vegan-friendly pastry shop with nearly 100 years experience in serving Florentine customers. This is one place we really wanted to visit for breakfast, but didn’t have the chance. The internet buzzes with positive reviews about this place, about everything from its traditional Italian cakes and pastries to more “modern” sweet treats, too.
Ice Cream:
There are lots of places around the city to grab a delicious gelato or sorbet. Most gelaterias will offer vegan options of some kind. Mostly, they offer a range of sorbets like lemon or strawberry, and often dark chocolate too, but there are a few which have really strong options for ice cream suitable for vegans, specifically made with vegan milks.
Gelateria Edoardo il gelato biologico
Piazza del Duomo, 45/R, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy
This was our favourite gelateria; the ice cream was organic, and they had excellent vegan options. They had two types of chocolate, pistachio, hazelnut, and more! We visited a few times as it was right in the centre of the tourist locations in the shadow of the Duomo, and in our opinion they made the best vegan gelato. We tried so any flavours across the family, but our favourite has to be the pistachio!
Cortese Café 900
P.za di Santa Maria Novella, 12R, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy
After trawling the city for vegan desserts, we only came across Cortese when I asked on Instagram if anyone knew of good vegan-friendly eateries in Florence. One pastry chef replied and suggested an unassuming place right opposite our hotel! We were so lucky, because this place was a dream! The concept is all-vegan, low-sugar, and gluten-free. I think it's all raw too, but do double-check if this is important to you. We went here twice and really over-ordered, but still managed to finish everything over a couple of days! I feel like every single thing we tried was a highlight, but special shout out to the Emblema - a chocolate dome that cracks into a soft centre.
Il Procopio
Via Pietrapiana, 60R, 50121 Firenze FI, Italy
We popped in here for a cheeky gelato after visiting Universo Vegan, as it’s just opposite. A good range of sorbets with a nice dark chocolate available, too.
Sbrino – Gelatificio Contadino
Via dei Serragli, 32r, 50124 Firenze FI, Italy
@sbrinofirezne
We didn’t get a chance to visit Sbrino, but we hear great things about it! Keeping Sbrino on this list, as I believe they offer a range of at least six different vegan-friendly gelatos and sorbets.
Florence has a fantastic range of vegan food and, to be completely honest, you can’t go wrong with any of the above. Enjoy the beautiful architecture, galleries, weather and gardens topped off with some incredible plant-based meals.
To see a little more of our trip, find my Reels on Instagram here.
