The Bistecca Pilgrimage

A T-bone the size of a doorstop, charred over wood embers, served defiantly rare and sold by the kilo. There is no "well done" here.

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Why this dish?

Bistecca alla Fiorentina is a thick-cut T-bone from Chianina cattle, seared hard over wood embers, seasoned simply with salt, pepper and Tuscan olive oil, and served rare - bloody in the middle, charred outside, sliced off the bone at the table. It's priced by weight and usually ordered for two or more; a single steak can top a kilo.

This is not a subtle dish and it isn't meant to be. It's the confident, carnivorous heart of Tuscan cooking, and the rule is absolute: it comes rare, and the kitchen will quietly judge you if you fight it. Eaten in a Florentine trattoria with a flask of Chianti and white beans on the side, it's one of Europe's great steak experiences - worth the flight to Pisa and the train on.

Our Picks

Trattoria Mario

Address: Via Rosina 2, Florence (near Mercato Centrale)
What to order: The bistecca (by weight, for two), white beans, and a quarter-litre of house Chianti.
Book ahead: No reservations; cash often preferred; lunch only - arrive at opening or queue.
Pro tip: Share tables, order the steak rare without negotiating, and don't expect a long lunch - it's brisk and brilliant.

Regina Bistecca

Via Ricasoli 14, Florence

A more comfortable Florentine dining room doing serious Fiorentina to a higher polish - the rooms are handsome and the cooking is committed.

What to order: The steak for the table, plus a Tuscan red and a plate of crostini to start.

Good to know

It's sold by weight (per etto / 100g) and built for sharing - a 1.2kg steak feeds two to three. It is served rare, full stop; trattorias will resist cooking it through. Florence is ~1h by frequent train from Pisa airport; the centre is compact and walkable once you arrive.

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