"A 1953 Tuscan trattoria off San Lorenzo market, bistecca alla Fiorentina seared in cast iron — book it for a first date."
Il Grande Nuti has cooked the same Tuscan food on Borgo San Lorenzo since 1953, a few steps from the Mercato Centrale, and the city lists it among its historic establishments. That longevity matters on a street where most kitchens chase the day's tourists. The draw is unfussy and consistent: handmade pasta rolled near the dining room, and a bistecca alla Fiorentina seared hard in a cast-iron skillet. Dinner runs about €30 to €60 a head. It is a working trattoria, not a destination kitchen, and it is honest about being one.
The Kitchen
The Nuti family has run this address for over seventy years, and the menu reads like a Florentine syllabus done properly rather than reinvented. The signature is the bistecca alla Fiorentina: a thick Chianina T-bone, seared in a cast-iron skillet so the crust chars while the centre stays rare, finished with sea salt and priced by weight to share. The pasta is the other strength — pici tossed inside a hollowed wheel of pecorino so the cheese coats every strand, plus tagliatelle with truffle when it is in season, all rolled in view of the room. Around them sit the classics: ribollita, pappa al pomodoro, crostini with chicken-liver pâté. The wine is house Chianti and a short Tuscan list, poured generously rather than studied. None of it is ambitious, and that is the point: a 1953 trattoria off the market earns its keep by getting the bistecca and the pasta right, night after night, which Nuti does.
The Room
Nuti is a large, traditional trattoria with a warren of interior rooms and pavement tables out on Borgo San Lorenzo. The sound is a lively, full-room buzz, loud at peak but easy to talk over at a two-top. Lighting is bright and warm, more workaday than candlelit. Tables are close-set in the old Florentine way, especially at dinner. There is no dress code; jeans are fine. Service is brisk and friendly, the kind that turns a table without rushing you out. Ask for the older interior room rather than the street seating for the trattoria feel.
Best for a First Date in Florence
Book Nuti for a first date because it takes the pressure off. The bistecca and a couple of pasta plates are made to share, which keeps the table sociable instead of two people facing plated mains. The lively room fills any early silences, so a lull never lands too hard. And the bill stays modest for central Florence, so neither of you is doing sums over the cantucci. Take an interior table on a weeknight, order the pici from the cheese wheel and a bistecca to share, and walk it off toward the Duomo afterward. It is easy, warm and unintimidating, which is what a first date wants.
Not for
Not for a quiet anniversary or refined tasting-menu dining. Nuti is a busy, close-packed tourist-quarter trattoria; choose a hushed Oltrarno room if you want intimacy, or a starred kitchen if you want ambition.
Frequently Asked
Is Il Grande Nuti worth it?
Yes, for an honest Tuscan trattoria a step above the tourist traps around San Lorenzo. Nuti has cooked on this stretch of Borgo San Lorenzo since 1953 and is listed among Florence's historic establishments. The pasta is handmade, the bistecca alla Fiorentina is properly seared, and the prices are fair for the centre. It is busy and unpretentious rather than refined, which is exactly what a good trattoria should be.
How much does dinner at Il Grande Nuti cost?
Plan on roughly €30 to €60 a head with a pasta, a glass of Chianti and a share of the bistecca, which is priced by weight and easily feeds two. A simpler pasta-and-wine dinner lands at the lower end. It is mid-range for central Florence and good value given the location near the Mercato Centrale. See our Florence dining guide for the wider range.
What should I order at Il Grande Nuti?
Order the bistecca alla Fiorentina, the thick T-bone seared in a cast-iron skillet and finished with sea salt, to share. Before it, take the pici tossed inside a hollowed pecorino wheel, or a truffle pasta when it is on. The handmade pasta is the kitchen's strength and you can watch it rolled near the dining room. Drink a house Chianti and finish with cantucci and vin santo.
How hard is it to book Il Grande Nuti?
Worth booking, easy to do. Nuti takes reservations by phone on +39 055 210145 and through online platforms, and because it is popular and central, walk-ins can wait up to an hour on busy evenings. A reservation for dinner avoids the queue, especially in spring and autumn. Ask for a table in the older interior room rather than the pavement seating if you want the trattoria feel.
Is Il Grande Nuti good for a first date?
Yes, for a relaxed, low-stakes first date. The room is lively and warm rather than romantic-formal, the shared bistecca and pasta keep the table easy, and the bill will not put pressure on either of you. The buzz fills any silences and the central location makes for an easy walk afterwards. For more ideas, see our guide to the best restaurants for a first date.