The Other Side of Florence Food Tour with Eating Europe

Florence is easy to over-plan. This tour is interesting because it stitches flavor stops to exact streets and landmarks, so you start reading the city with your stomach and your eyes.

I especially like the small-group pace, because you actually get time to taste, ask questions, and move on without feeling herded. I also love the mix of classics, cheese and salumi, cantucci pastries, a real street-food moment with lampredotto, then wine and gelato.

One possible drawback: you do need to be comfortable walking for about 3 hours and tasting foods like lampredotto and wild boar dishes, which are not mild.

Key highlights you should care about

• Pecorino plus finocchiona tastings at a traditional Alimentari
• Cantucci focus at a historic pasticceria, plus millefoglie and coffee or cappuccino
• Lampredotto panino from a local street stand, cow stomach sandwich included
• Wine windows in Oltrarno where wine was served straight from historic openings
• Fiaschetteria-style Tuscan cucina povera tastings, including Chianti Classico
• Award-winning gelato with a quick crash course on spotting artisanal gelato

A 3-hour walk that feels like Florence, not a checklist

This isn’t a sitting-down meal. It is a guided walk with frequent snack-and-sip stops, built for people who want more than a photo at a famous square. You start in the area of Piazza Nazario Sauro, and you finish at Piazza Santo Spirito, so the route naturally shifts as your tastes do.

What makes it work is that the stops are clustered enough to keep momentum, but varied enough that you do not repeat the same theme. One minute you are tasting Tuscan cheese and cured meats. The next you are stepping into a historic pasticceria for cantucci biscotti and layered pastry. Then it is street food, wine windows, and finally gelato.

Because the maximum group size is capped at 12, you get the small-group benefit without the awkward “private tour” expectation. You should still expect standing, short waits at each counter, and a lot of tasting in a short window. If you prefer slow, sit-down courses, you may prefer a longer dinner format elsewhere.

Price and value: what $113.72 buys you in real tastings

At about $113.72 per person for roughly 3 hours, you are paying for two things: access to multiple local counters in one route, and a guide who connects what you taste to where you are.

The included tastings are a big part of the value. You will sample cantucci (Italian cookies), and pair them with espresso or cappuccino. You will taste Pecorino cheeses and finocchiona, then move to historic pastry at Pasticceria Buonamici. Later you try lampredotto as a panino, then get Tuscan soup and wild boar stew plus a glass of Chianti Classico.

You also get Florence’s sweet finale. The gelato stop at La Sorbettiera is award-winning, and you get to taste a two-flavor cup or cone after a short guide-led crash course on what makes gelato truly artisanal.

Drinks beyond what is included are not part of the base price. The tour also does not include gratuities, and there is no hotel pickup or drop-off. If you drink more than a single included glass, plan on extra cost. There is mention of a Premium Drink Package that lets you purchase three additional drinks for €16, but that is outside the standard inclusions.

One smart planning note: the tour is offered in English, and you get a mobile ticket. So once you book, you are not stuck hunting for printed passes.

Stop 1, Formaggi E Salumi Sandro & Ivana: Pecorino and fennel salami start the map

You begin at a traditional Alimentari, Formaggi E Salumi Sandro & Ivana. This is a practical start because it sets your palate up for everything else on the walk. You taste two varieties of Pecorino cheese, then a classic Tuscan salami called finocchiona, which is fennel-infused.

Why this matters: many people come to Florence thinking the food is all pasta and steak. This stop reminds you that Tuscan eating is also built on cured meats and sheep’s-milk cheese, and that those flavors show up everywhere from casual counters to wine places.

The stop is about 20 minutes, with no admission ticket fee for the tasting itself. So it is a good “warm-up” before you move into pastry and then street food. If you hate strong cheese or cured meats, this might feel like a lot at the beginning. But if you like bold flavors, it is a confident opener.

Pasticceria Buonamici and cantucci: pastry history you can taste

Next you head to Pasticceria Buonamici. This is a historic pasticceria that is now run by the third generation, and it is known as a neighborhood staple that has survived floods, wars, and pandemics. That kind of endurance turns a pastry stop into something more like local culture training.

You get cantucci biscotti, plus millefoglie cake. You also get a freshly brewed coffee or cappuccino. If you have ever had cantucci in the wrong setting, like a pre-packed version far from where it is made, you will appreciate the difference here. The tour is specifically built around this cookie, including the idea of the secret behind making cantucci.

Timing here is about 25 minutes, so you will not feel rushed. One tradeoff: pastries and coffee can slow you down a bit, especially if you arrived hungry. Pace yourself, because the walk keeps going.

Porta San Frediano and wine windows: Florence’s medieval and everyday layers

Not every “food tour landmark” is a photo op. Here, you get real structure and real street life.

You pause to see Porta San Frediano, a historic gate that is part of Florence’s medieval walls. The gate dates back to 1333, which is a fun anchor while you are thinking about today’s eating habits. It is a reminder that city life has always been about movement, trade, and people passing through.

Then comes one of the most distinctive parts of this tour, the wine windows. These are small openings in historic buildings that were once used to serve wine directly to locals. You will have a chance to discover them in the neighborhood as you walk.

Why this is valuable for you: these are not museum objects. They are part of the street fabric. So when you later drink Chianti Classico, it lands in context instead of feeling like a random included souvenir sip.

This section is less about a single bite and more about building the sense of place that makes the tastings feel connected.

Da Simone street food: lampredotto panino, cow stomach and all

For many people, the highlight is the bold street-food stop. You go to Da Simone, located at P. Nerli, 2, and you try Florence’s iconic lampredotto panino. Yes, it is a cow stomach sandwich.

I think this is one of the best reasons to book this specific tour route. Florence has plenty of safe, easy food experiences. Lampredotto is the opposite. It forces you to show up curious, not picky.

The stop is about 20 minutes, and you are not expected to linger forever. You get to taste the dish in a local street-stand setting, then you move on. If you are squeamish about the idea more than the taste, do not overthink it before you take a bite. The tour is built to give you the moment, not a debate.

If you cannot eat offal or you have strong discomfort with it, this is the only moment on the tour where you may feel out of sync with the menu. Everything else leans more toward cheese, cured meats, bread-and-pastry, soups, and gelato.

Fiaschetteria Fantappié: cucina povera, wild boar stew, and Chianti through a wine window

Now you slow down a bit at Fiaschetteria Fantappié, in Oltrarno. This is a historic fiaschetteria that has been serving locals since the 1950s.

Here you learn about Tuscan cucina povera, the tradition behind humble, hardworking cooking. Then you taste a set of classic dishes: Tuscan soup and wild boar stew, plus a glass of Chianti Classico. The Chianti is served through an iconic wine window, which creates a neat little full-circle moment after learning about wine windows earlier.

This stop runs about 55 minutes, so it is your longest tasting segment. That extra time matters. You are not just grabbing food and leaving, you are settling into the neighborhood rhythm.

The drawback to flag: if wild boar or hearty soups are not your thing, you may find part of this stop challenging. On the other hand, this is exactly where the tour earns its authenticity. It is not trying to please every palate equally. It is trying to show you what locals actually ate and still eat.

If you have the budget and the curiosity, this is the stop that ties the whole route together.

Santo Spirito and Michelangelo’s secret crucifix, then gelato time

After Fiaschetteria Fantappié, you explore a lively square and see the Church of Santo Spirito. The church has a rare interior detail connected to Michelangelo, a secret crucifix tucked inside. It is an unusual payoff because it mixes Renaissance art with your food-and-wine momentum.

This is not a long museum-style detour. It is built to keep you moving while giving you that special “I did not expect this here” moment.

Then you head to the last major tasting: Gelateria Artigianale La Sorbettiera | Santo Spirito. This shop is voted Florence’s Best Gelato, so expectations are high, and the tour handles that by teaching you how to spot true artisanal gelato first.

The gelato stop is about 15 minutes. You get a short, 10-minute crash course, then taste a two-flavor cup or cone. That structure is practical. It helps you make better choices even after the tour ends, so you can order with confidence at other gelaterie.

If you love dessert, you will enjoy how the tour saves it for the end, when your appetite is awake and you are thinking about sweetness instead of savoring salt and wine.

The gelato stop at La Sorbettiera: how to order like a local

This last section is small but smart. A quick crash course is included, and then you taste two flavors. The point is not only the gelato. It is the skill of recognizing artisanal gelato so you do not accidentally buy something that feels more like frozen sugar than real ice cream.

Because you only taste two flavors, you can actually focus on contrast. You get to see what the guide means when discussing what makes gelato artisanal. Then you leave with a better instinct for what to look for elsewhere.

One practical tip for you: wear shoes you can stand in. The tour is walking-heavy enough that your feet will be your limiting factor before your stomach is. Also, if you tend to get chilly easily in churches, bring a light layer for Santo Spirito.

Guides who have led this tour, including Chiara and Elisa, have been praised for making the experience feel like you are meeting people, not consuming landmarks. That approach helps in the gelato portion too, since you are likely to ask questions after the tasting.

Should you book the Other Side of Florence Food Tour?

Book it if you want Florence through multiple neighborhoods and multiple tastes, not just a single “big meal.” This tour is a strong fit if you like small-group experiences, enjoy trying classic regional foods, and want stops that connect to real street history, like wine windows and Porta San Frediano.

I would especially recommend it if you want both learning and eating. The guide-led insider tips and the way the tour explains the food in context make it more than a snack parade.

Skip it, or consider another option, if you cannot do offal or hearty meat dishes. Lampredotto and wild boar stew are part of the core experience here. Also, if you hate walking, know that you are committing to about 3 hours of moving between stops.

FAQ

How long is the Other Side of Florence Food Tour?

The tour is about 3 hours.

What does the tour cost?

It costs $113.72 per person.

Where does the tour start and end?

It starts at Piazza Nazario Sauro and ends at Piazza Santo Spirito.

Is the tour offered in English?

Yes, it is offered in English.

What size is the group?

The tour has a maximum of 12 travelers and requires a minimum of 2 guests.

Do I get a mobile ticket?

Yes, you receive a mobile ticket.

What food and drinks are included?

You’ll get a selection of tastings that can include cantucci with espresso or cappuccino, Pecorino and finocchiona, pastry items like cantucci biscotti and millefoglie, lampredotto panino, Tuscan soup and wild boar stew with Chianti Classico, and award-winning gelato.

Can the tour accommodate dietary needs?

The tour can do its best to accommodate vegetarians, gluten-free guests, and other dietary needs if you email in advance or add a note when booking. It isn’t suitable for severe or life-threatening food allergies.

Is free cancellation available?

Yes. You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours in advance.