Vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Florence for healthy eats
If you are looking for the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Florence, here you will find my top tips about it.
Traditional Florentine cuisine is rich in dishes without meat and animal derivatives, such as ribollita. But in recent years they have also opened vegetarian restaurants offering different types of cuisine, with influences from other countries or with innovative and contemporary attitudes.
If you are vegan or vegetarian in search of good restaurants, or you if you just want to eat healthy, simple, organic food, Florence has a lot of options for you.
Here are the restaurants that I recommend you try during your stay in Florence:
Vegetarian restaurants in Florence
Most of the places that i mentioned below are located in the historic center and in the Oltrarno district. So they are very easy to be reached, even on foot.
I have divided those restaurants into “vegetarian” and “vegan”, to report those that are exclusively plant-based, but most of the vegetarian ones also have vegan dishes.
Il Vegetariano
The very first vegetarian restaurant in town, opened in 1981. The menu changes every day based on what the chef found at the market, and which he transforms into tasty, hearty and affordable dishes. The environment is simple and welcoming, locals often come here to eat during their lunch break. The service is very informal, you choose the dishes at the counter, pay and then sit down to eat.
Il Vegetariano is in via delle Ruote 30/r.
Libreria La Brac
La Brac is a cafe and bookshop where you can read a book in a comfy armchair while drinking a cappuccino, or perhaps where you can attend a literary event or an art exhibition. But it is also a vegetarian and vegan restaurant in Florence where to eat delicious dishes.
Libreria La Brac is located in via dei Vagellai 18/r.
Su Guan – Chinese Veg
Florence area has one of the biggest Chinese communities in Europe, and some of the best Chinese restaurants in Italy. One of my favorites is Su Guan, a family-owned vegetarian Chinese restaurant, with many vegan dishes too (and bubble tea!). Food is always fresh and flavorful, and prices are low.
It’s located in via della Scala 22/r, super close to Santa Maria Novella train station and Santa Maria Novella church.
L’OV
L’OV means Osteria Vegetariana, and is a beautiful restaurant in the Oltrarno area, with vaulted ceilings, original floors from the 1400s and contemporary furniture. The menu has a huge choice of traditional Florentine dishes revisited in a modern way.
You can find it in the Oltrarno district, in piazza del Carmine 4/r, next to the Brancacci Chapel.
5eCinque
5eCinque is a vegetarian restaurant focused on the traditional cuisine of Liguria region (where the Cinque Terre are). They have a daily menu and only use organic, seasonal ingredients. The dishes on the menu may change often according to what the chef finds at the market. There is also a great choice of wines that can be paired with food. It’s located in piazza della Passera, one of the loveliest spots in the Oltrarno district. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Vegan restaurants in Florence
Those restaurants (but also juiceries and fast foods) are strictly vegan and their food is exclusively plant based. They are also very attentive to allergies and food intolerances (as most of the restaurants in Italy), just let them know if you can’t eat something and they’ll be happy to make something safe for you.
Nirvana
Inspired by oriental philosophies, Nirvana is a vegan restaurant near Piazza Santa Maria Novella, which offers healthy and tasty food. Their vegan carbonara is really good, and they also make some yummy vegan pizzas.
Nirvana restaurant is in via il Prato 4/b.
Il Vegano Bistrot
A fast food and bistro with an easy going and informal atmosphere, which uses organic and 100% Italian ingredients. They make many traditional Italian dishes, such as Parmigiana or lasagne, without using animal products, and you can hardly tell there’s no real cheese or meat. There is no table service, you order at the counter and the daily menu has an excellent quality-price ratio. It is perfect for a snack, a quick lunch or a full dinner.
Il Vegano Bistrot address is: via san Gallo 75/r.
Flower Burger
Flower Burger makes delicious vegan burgers that are also the cutest thing in the world of food. Their buns are as colorful as a rainbow, thanks to natural colors obtained from plants and veggies. The burgers are made with, chickpeas, lentils, barley, beans and oats. And oh, their french fries are gorgeous!
Flower Burger is in via San Gallo 13/r.
Santo Falafel
Santo Falafel is a vegan middle-eastern fast food restaurant. They love hummus and they know how to make it! At Sant Falafel you won’t only find hummus and falafel, but also wraps, salad bowls, meze appetizers, soups and desserts.
Santo Falafel is located in via Sant’Agostino 28/r.
Base V Juicery
Not just a juicery, Base V is also the perfect place to eat a vegan breakfast, a salad or a healthy bowl of cereals and fresh veggies. I love their smoothies, you can also ask to add some plant-based powder proteins as an extra. They have two different locations: one next to Ponte Vecchio (via de’ Guicciardini 7) which is very small and mostly for take away. The second one is in via de’ Neri 46/r, and has a nice room with tables, plugs and wifi where you can work for hours.
#Raw
A vegan and raw food restaurant that uses organic, seasonal, whole and unrefined ingredients to create healthy and delicious dishes. A place to fill up with energy, taste and vitality.
#Raw restaurant is located in the Oltrarno area, in via sant’Agostino 11/r.
Cortese Café 900
This pastry shop is located in Piazza Santa Maria Novella, in the same ancient building that houses the 900 Museum of Florence. The tables outside, under the loggia, have a beautiful view of the square.
Cortese Café 900 is a high quality entirely raw, vegan, organic and gluten free pastry shop. It’s the perfect place to enjoy a high tea with a slice of cake, some cookies or pralines. The owner, Vito Cortese, is one of the most renowned Italian pastry chefs, who turned vegan and decided to bring raw patisserie to another level.
Le Fate
A vegan restaurant that offers healthy and super tasty dishes, with an original philosophy: the search for balance and harmony with nature. The owner, called “la Fata”, the fairy, is an astrologist, and has studied the dishes on the menu based on the twelve zodiac signs.
Ristorante Le Fate is located in via Franco Sacchetti 21.
Map of vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Florence
I pointed on a map all the places I mentioned in this post, so you can use it for locating them and to find the restaurants that are closer to where you are.
I hope you found this useful to find some nice vegan or vegetarian restaurants in Florence. If you have tried some of them let me know how your experience was. Buon appetito!
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