Trattoria Sabatino

Trattoria Sabatino is the kind of neighbourhood restaurant that has become hard to find in central Florence. It was founded in 1956 and is run by the Buccioni family, who have kept the plain, traditional style of a working trattoria. It sits on Via Pisana just outside Porta San Frediano, the old city gate at the western edge of the Oltrarno, which keeps it slightly off the tourist trail even though it is only a short walk from the centre.

The menu changes every day and is published on the restaurant's website. It is built around home cooking and old Florentine dishes that are disappearing from many menus, such as crostini neri with spleen, rice and cabbage minestrone, oven-roasted pork liver wrapped in caul fat (fegatelli), and stewed cardoons (gobbi) in season. The bistecca alla fiorentina is usually available too. For dessert, look for the pear baked with wine and sugar or the zuppa inglese, a trifle-like layered pudding.

The dining room is simple and the atmosphere informal, and the clientele is a mix of local families, workers and visitors who have heard about it. Prices are modest, and food critics have praised its value for money. It is open on weekdays, Monday to Friday, for lunch from 12:00 to 14:30 and dinner from 19:15 to 22:00. Booking by phone is sensible for dinner and groups.

It suits budget travellers, curious eaters who want to try dishes rarely found in the centre, and anyone staying in the Oltrarno. Children are welcome in the family atmosphere, and plain pasta and grilled meats are easy options for less adventurous eaters. The menu is in Italian, but staff will help explain dishes.

From the Ponte Vecchio, it is about a twenty-minute walk west through Santo Spirito and along Borgo San Frediano, a lively street of bars and workshops, or a short taxi ride. Combine it with a drink in the San Frediano area, which has become one of the city's most popular evening neighbourhoods. Because the menu is written in Italian and changes daily, it helps to look at the online version before you go and note a few dishes you would like to try.