Trattoria Nella

One of the best meals we had in our time in Toscano. And some of the best service we had. The owner and server were both very nice. We had the seafood pici and the eggplant parmesan off the daily menu and absolutely loved it. The small restaurant has been in the family since the 1920's, which made a truly special find. It's a short walk from the Piazza Della Signoria so don't get sucked in by the other guys in the Piazza and you'll be glad you went to Trattoria Nella.

Probably I have no words to fully describe my emotions after having dinner in Trattoria Nella. First of all, I must emphasize that this is not simply another restaurant. This is a family trattoria with huge history which goes back to 1920s (!). Very authentic interior and perfectly selected music. Secondly, the food was unbelievably tasty! For sure, it was one of the best dinners I had for years of travels. And, of course, the staff is very friendly and helpful. I give Trattoria Nella 10 stars out of 5 😊 Grazie Mille! Highly recommended!

One of the best meals we had on our travels. Nell’s was a buzz with Italians creating an ambience with the perfect amount of noise, chatter and laughter. The Seafood Risotto was delicious along with the Wild Boar Tagliatelle. The brothers were welcoming hosts who treated us to a wonderful serenade played on a French horn. Highly recommend and Grazie Mille for having us

Amazing - we had the lasagna and Tortellini Rose along with the house red and cold cuts. The environment was cozy but lively. I could eat here every day

I got very surprised with the place as I was expecting to have a good experience based on the other reviews. When we arrived, the place looked nice, despite the not very friendly welcome from the waiter/manager. The food was ok, but we were in 6 people and they served the food of only 3 of us. The rest of the plates took more than 10 minutes to arrive, they missed one main plate and 3 side dishes. I had to ask twice about my father's food as he was the only one not eating anything on our table for more than 20 minutes. When his food finally arrived, I just gave up about the side dishes as we had already finished our meat. During this period, more people arrived, so the place was becoming quite noisy (the place is quite small), but got way worse when the manager decided to turn up the music to a point that it was almost impossible for us to hear each other. We just wanted to leave the place as soon as possible and went somewhere else for dessert. When we were paying, a musician arrived and started playing, so we were glad we were leaving as the noise was just unbeliavable. It's worth mentioning that the lady/waitress that was working there was nice and polite. We ate at 15 different restaurants (or more) during our trip to Italy and this one was definitely the worse and only really bad experience we had. Even if the food was really good, I would not recommend the place.

We went for dinner. We were greeted nicely and promptly seated. We ordered two pasta dishes and two chicken plates. While the pasta was good, the chicken had quite the weird smell and taste. We believe it was old and had gone bad. We informed one of the waiters/manager and he gave us another chicken plate that were clearly fresher and had a normal taste and smell. The guy working as waiter/manager had a very unwelcoming attitude(borderline rude and made us a bit uncomfortable), but the lady working there was very nice and friendly. It wasn’t a great experience, and for the price, there probably is a decent alternative nearby. Space is quite limited, but still cozy.

Nice little cozy place with very tasty dishes. It's tiny and packed, so might be the best idea for a date night or a dinner with little kids. But for a casual yummy meal it's great!

I had an amazing dining experience at this restaurant in Florence. The zucchini pasta I tried was truly unforgettable — the flavor was fresh and delicate, and the texture was unlike anything I’ve had before. The quality of the food, the attention to detail, and the overall ambiance made it a memorable meal. I highly recommend this place if you’re looking for a delicious and authentic spot in Florence!

The food here was amazing. This place feels so local with amazing food and a ton of hospitality. The owner played live music and sat at our table for a bit to see how we were enjoying our time in Florence. Our waitress was kind and patient with our minimal Italian. I would recommend this to anyone going to Florence! We were able to make a reservation via Instagram too!

This spot was decent, but felt a bit like a tourist trap. We were seated at a large table since we were a group of 6, and ordered a variety of dishes to share. It did seem like they made everything from scratch which was nice. We got the pesto penne, pappardelle with ragu, beef and beans, cured meat platter, and panna cotta + tiramisu for dessert. It did take a while for the food to come out, but it was all decent. The pesto was everyone's favorite but I think I was mildly allergic to it.

My favorite restaurant in Florence ! The food is amazing and reasonably priced. I first went there in 2016 and returned in 2025 .

I'm here to rave about their beans. BEANS! I got the peposo con fagioli and oh my gosh it was delicious. I rarely finished my plate and I could not stop eating this. The restaurant was small and quaint, waiters were so sweet, and it was the most authentic restaurant we had experienced. I truly hope to come back here some day.

Great experience! I first ate there 9 years ago and haven't stopped thinking about it since. Was just in Florence and it was first place we went. It was as good as I remembered! It is small, with locals eating there. Reservations are a must as it gets crowded!

Wonderful atmosphere! The best food I've had on my trip to Florence by far. Service was incredible, so happy I stumbled in here!

Terrible customer service. Do not dine here. We had a reservation at 2pm and as soon as we walked in the door the server started yelling "no more"! We tried to tell him we had a reservation but he continued to tell us to leave. We gladly took our business elsewhere.

Last meal of the trip and I was determined to get one last good pasta meal and I found it! This restaurant is down a quiet street parallel to the river. Run by a family, parents as servers and the children in the back. We arrived around 830 and were able to get a seat after a 10 minute wait. I'd recommend calling to make a reservation. It's a small restaurant that can probably. It's definitely a cozy restaurant, I had to get up a couple times to let some diners exit the restaurant. We started with the mixed Tuscan cold cuts to satisfy wifeys charcuterie craving. The cold cuts weren't anything special but it was the chicken pate and the tomatoes that were delicious. The pate was light, usually liver is very pungent and mealy but this was nice and smooth. The tomatoes were simply seasoned, it's more of a testament to Italian tomatoes. I ordered the pappardelle with wild boar and wifey got the spaghetti ragu. Both were delicious. I've never had wild boar and the meat was not gamey. Wifey tried a bite and notice there was a hint of butter, so she only stuck to one bite due to her lactose intolerance. Throughout our Italy trip we've noticed we didn't need to eat as much, and couldn't finish our dishes. The Coperta (cover charge) was a little high at 3 euros per person.

This was the best meal I have had in Italy. The food was excellent and the service was great. The owner took care of us and was very friendly. The meal was authentic and delicious and it came at an extremely reasonable price. If I was not leaving Florence, I would return to eat here regularly. Great experience!!!

The food was amazing. The pork was so well seasoned, quite fairly priced. It is definitely a family feel with very cozy seating. As we looked around, all the food looked and smelled amazing! Make sure to make a reservation!

Amazing food, friendly staff, the owner serenaded us with a live French horn performance. 10/10 would recommend.

A nice little place away from the huge crowds to relax, use wifi, enjoy delicious lunch before heading back into the fray. Food was absolutely delicious, fresh, flavorful but not heavy. House wines- cheap & enjoyable - seems like a family run joint, cozy & yummy.

Terrible customer service, wasn't offered any Parmesan on the pasta (other tables were), and in the end - waiter was all around rude and we were rushed out the door (when others were just sitting there after their dinner). Food was ok, but a little bland. Could have been an off night, but would not go back. Food and service few doors down was wayyyy better.

So much good food in a tiny restaurant. As usual, we arrived early (they opened at 7 pm and we were there by 7:15), so no problem being seated. There are only 15 or so tables in the restaurant. It was all good: the appetizer with cheese, salami, prosciutto, capaicola; a salad of butter lettuce; ravioli with walnut sauce (fabulous); ribolitta; tiramusu; and caramel custard.

Food was amazing, I had never had tried a pasta that was so tasty and delicious. The service was great, we arrived a bit late but they still let us have dinner and had everything available, which was a plus!! Most of restaurants in Florence don't have half their menu by 9:30pm. The owner was very welcoming and nice, which made the experience 20 times better! It is located near all the cathedral and the bridge, so it's in a perfect and centric location. The restaurant is a tiny but full of personality, whilst playing jazz on the background you can enjoy one of the best pasta in Florence with a cup of wine (which is also amazing, and at a great price!).

I have given this restaurant 2 reviews for several reasons. Meaning the things that I like. Three stars off for the food. First, we made no rrestaurant reservations at any country or city in Europe we visited. Either the hotel we were in booked for us or we walked in. When we went to Florence, Italy all the higher end restaurants were booked and would not budge for walk ins. Well, this place was open and a different restaurant than the night before( which we wanted to go back but wanted to try another restaurant). So we walked in and were immediately sat. Now, that could be a good thing or a bad thing. We'll just say it was a bad thing but at least we got to eat dinner. The couple that runs the restaurant are so cute and work together so well. They have one or two cooks and the older couple who owned the restaurant were the waiters. I do like how the wife doesn't speak English ( my biggest pet peeve is for people to say people who come to America should speak English and those same people will go to another country and complain they don't speak English in their OWN country!) We were able to converse with her well between the three of us. Even my Mum learned some Italian. The other thing I like is they are so efficient. They gave us bread, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar when we sat down. My Mum ordered a tagliatelle pasta with boar Ragu which she ate because she said she was hungry. We only ate breakfast in the morning, walked all day, then had dinner late. So my poor Mum was starving trying to keep up with our schedule. I tried her pasta and instantly hated it. I said it was good only for my Mum to keep her appetite. My sister and I shared the famous dish of Florence which is steak Florentine. We ordered it medium rare but with a char on the outside. However, there was no char. It was cooked a little less than medium rare which I don't really mind but the first bite I had was super chewy and after five minutes I tried to swallow it and I almost choked. They c gave us a bad fatty piece of meat. We both took three bites and were done. Way too chewy, fatty, and no char. It wasn't seasoned well. The waiter asked what was wrong and we said it wasn't good. It was too chewy. He offered to cook it more. We said no because the cook of the steak was fine. Cooking it more would make it even more chewy. We got the bill and left. I do hope they do better. Especially on thier steak. Thier pasta and sauce needs some rework too. Maybe I need to put my chef's hat back on and put my Culinary Art University degree to work in Florence. Lol. I do like this cute place. It was near our hotel and quaint. I probably won't be back.

We loved this place! We came for lunch and had the cacio e pepe, the gnocchi special, and the tripe as well as the chianti wine. The food, wine, and service were excellent!! We're American and hadn't tried tripe before but heard it's a Florence must so it was really cool to try. Lorenzo was awesome and it is a cute Italian vibe and less touristy.

Best Italian food I've ever had! We walked in a few minutes before they open at 6 pm, but they welcomed us in with no issues. The restaurant itself is very homey, truly living up to the trattoria name. Plus they have English menu. We ordered rabbit (hunter style), wild boar sauce, tripe, and house wine. Everything was supremely delicious. Flavors were rich but not heavy. I didn't know tomato sauces could go well with rabbits and tripe! Now, I've had the wild boar sauce in NYC, where probably has the most delicious Italian food in the U.S. Yet NYC still doesn't compare to the true authentic Tuscany gem here, both in taste and price. This place is underrated because it is located in an alley off the main street (but we felt pretty safe). To all my fellow Italian food lovers visiting Florence, this place will be worth your time!

I can not say enough good things about Nella's. Food is tasty, prices are good, service and atmosphere are exceptional and the location is fantastic. The owner is a real charming fellow. I always enjoy his jazzy music and French horn solos. Stefano di Girolamo

Of all the food my husband and I have had since beginning our Italy honeymoon, everything we ate at Trattoria Nella is at the top of the list. The ribollita, a Tuscan soup, was a perfectly delicious mix of bread and boiled vegetables. We enjoyed getting to hear the history behind it. My husband had the penne alla carretiera, a short pasta in a spicy garlic pomodoro sauce, and was gracious enough to let me have a few bites before completely cleaning the plate. My pici (thick spaghetti) al ragu was a nice change from the usual pastas we'd had and had the most incredible meat sauce I've had on this trip. It had plenty of meat, wasn't overly salty, and was overall very flavorful. The excellent house red wine and service rounded out a truly enjoyable experience.

I visited 10 years ago while visiting on a cruise tour. Nella was the best Italian meal I had back then & the best meal I had in Firenze during this recent trip! Pomodoro pasta is simply amazing! Basic dish, but prepped so well. Also the 1kg of Florentine steak was massive and perfectly cooked. Can't say enough about the owner and server, both nice people who know how to treat customers very well. Will definitely be back next time I'm in Firenze

Hands down the best dinner in Firenze!! This little underrated restaurant delivers an explosion of flavors. The Steak is a must!! The potatoes are a most!! And the broccoli is by far the best I've ever had! Go here you're welcome!

Found this place after going for a run in Florence, and it was so good that we came back the next day to get the exact same meal! Walnut ravioli is a common dish in Italy, however I have never tasted it done this well. The sauce has ground up walnuts toasted just right so the flavor enhances the dish, mixed with cheese to create the perfect palate of flavors. The caprese salad is fresh and delightful as well. The owner spends his time talking to his customers, and the entire staff are wonderful and friendly. If you're spending any amount of time in Florence, it would be a mistake to miss out on this hidden gem.

I came soon after 7pm, no wait no line, i was offered the specials but came for the tripe, it was better than expected!! Also tries the Gnocci alla sorrentina it was good. Sever offer us to try their new batch of live oil to eat with our bread, had a nice flavor!

One of our favorite restaurants in Florence (besides Fuoco Matto)! We loved our first meal so much that we returned again and recommend to anyone looking for an authentic, affordable, and non-touristy meal. Pros: - Excellent food and price points- they have both seasonal/permanent, perfectly cooked, dishes with fresh ingredients. We recommend Ribollita, Carbonara, Rabbit Raggu, Pesto Tagliatelle, their famous Panna Cotta (prefer chocolate over fruit), and Tiramisu. Cons: - My only small qualm was that the pasta dishes were a little too salty for our tastes. Tip: - Completely empty at 7pm when they open but can get really packed past ~8pm. Recommend making easy reservations on quandoo.it or thefork.it

Slow service, but to be expected in Italy. Food was really good, great portion size. Waitress was very kind. Reasonable price. Very small place, but 100 years old so makes sense. Got the Cacio e Pepe and it was really good.

An experience to remember! Cozy and family atmosphere . The service was wonderful and thoughtful to our 8 month old grandson. The food was superior to the"fancy " restaurants we have eaten at. You will not be disappointed! Very fresh and authentic food you will enjoy.

I was looking for a lowkey restaurant where there was less people passing through to grab a bite. I have tried many highly rated restaurants in Florence, however, this place is on top for me. You really get a abng for your buck here and I will for sure be coming again before leaving Florence.

I do not give many 5 star reviews, but I happily do so with Trattoria Nella. I am not going to make this long because you guys could read lots of other reviews. Pastas and sauces are perfect. Meat, chicken and fish dishes are prepared excellently and to order. This is a small place located off of the main street, but is is well worth the short walk. Federico, a co-owner with his brother, was friendly, funny, and talkative. We appreciated his conversation. After dinner wine with his wife's home made biscottis were a perfect finish. I was here with my wife and cousins in October from the U.S.A. Being from the New York and Naples Florida area we know good Italian food. There are not many bad places in Florence to eat, but if you want something several notches above good, COME HERE. Thanks a lot Federico and company.

Great food- our family of four ordered the paperrdelle with boar, the penne w ragu and cream sauce, and the ribollita. They accommodated our youngest with noodles, butter, and cheese. The house wine was easy and tasty- we ordered 0.5 L. Our server was kind and she was so friendly. Very accepting of our English and poor Italian! Reasonable family meal for 50 euros.

Four of us went here for a birthday lunch and so glad we did. We found this place via Yelp so thank you for recommending. All four of us also recommend this place. The food was the best we had while here in Florence. Please give this place a try. It's in a small alleyway but worth finding. Each to find if you use the Yelp directions.

Excellent food. Great prices and sweet service. Nice little hole in the wall place that's clearly locally run. Check it out if you are in florence!

Atmosphere: 5 Small authentic trattoria, had 2 violinists (friends of the owner) dining there who gave an impromptu performance; very cool Service: 4 Food: Pasta 4.5, steak 4 Came with a group of 4, the pastas that we tried were the nella penne, fettuccine bolognese, fettuccine with porcini mushrooms. All the pasta dishes were wonderful. While not the best I've had in Italy, it was better than many. We ordered the 1kg florentine steak which was cooked rare and the outer layer was well flavored and crisp from the high sear. House white wine was average. Worth the visit overall, you will definitely have a good experience

OUR BEST MEAL IN ITALY...!!! That's high praise, and I mean every word. Trattoria Nella is a small, unassuming, inexpensive, family-owned and operated Italian restaurant on a Florence side street. Service was friendly and welcoming. Prices were very, very reasonable. Wine list was very good. And the food... oh, the food... was fantastic. Wonderful. Phenomenal. The ravioli with walnut sauce was one of the best things we've ever eaten, anywhere. The gnocchi with gorgonzola sauce was one of the best things we've ever eaten, anywhere. The panna cotta with chocolate sauce was - you guessed it - one of the best things we've ever eaten, anywhere. OUR BEST MEAL IN ITALY.

Great atmosphere, extremely fun owner, and good food. Husband and I found this place after a long day of exploring Florence and Pisa. It's small and quaint with hearty food and drink. The owner started playing one of the horns on the wall and blew us all away. Talk about a treat!

The food was terrible. I ordered their roasted chicken with potatoes and the chicken was very dry. My son husband ordered pasta ragu which was not good according to them. They list as gluten free and have nothing gluten free. My husband ordered veal and luckily it never came.

After a bad experience elsewhere we walked down and found this place, we were hesitant since it was completel empty but then slowly it started filling up, it seemed like it was mostly locals since they all knew the staff. Our waitress was very nice and shared some good recommendations. We tried the ravioli with spinach and ricotta, the gniocchi, pasta with mushrooms, and fettuccini with ragu sauce. Every dish was very good. As has beenh experience in Florence the bread they serve was just very plain. We also shared a bottle of the house red wine which was just fine with our meal.

I have the pleasure of staying in an apartment for a week just 20 ft from this place. Although it was tucked away from the more touristy joints this is just as about homemade as you would get around here. If you are looking for a more gourmet type meal this is not the place. It is run by twin brothers and once of them was nice enough to come out, greet us and explain each special of the day in English for us It is not that common even in Italy for them to prepare fresh pasta for more traditional dishes like Bolognese since it can not be made al dente and it was amazing. We also had the orecchiette special of the day with cauliflower and light meat sauce which was truly unique and savory. This is gem of a find here and I highly recommend it Lastly great to see Yelp expanding here in Italy with check in offers, I will be back

Food was delicious; plenty of options for vegetarians. Family run business; all staff were super nice. Something for diners of all ages. Charming.

An unpretentious trattoria that makes everyone feel like they are dining with friends. The food is good, like all Italian cooking it starts with quality ingredients prepared excellently. Everything was good and we left feeling good. The reviews are all true.

We found this place from the reviews. It was a small but quaint restaurant. The food was delicious with bigger than normal size portions. The staff was very nice. Would definitely go back next time we are in a Florence.

Eat here. Yelp makes you use 85 characters so I could just say eat here again and again. Fantastic food great menu really relaxing spot. Good people. Nothing about this place isn't great. I could eat here multiple times on a trip and be quite happy.

Yrs ago. Had the best gnocchi ever! Went there twice. I wish I could make that sauce at home. Service was great!

Stopped in for dinner the other night. Hadn't read any reviews, so was worried if I would enjoy my meal. We got off to a rocky start as the main waiter was late and Things were moving slow, but once he arrived everything picked up. I ordered the lasagna and it was pretty good. Portion not too large, which my waistline appreciated, though my brain wanted more. Had a 1/4 liter of house wine. Also had the panna cotta. I didn't love all the chocolate sauce, but it was still good. My friends enjoyed their meals as well. Not too expensive. We got there when they opened and by the time we left there wasn't an empty table to be found.

Note this place opens at 7, not 6!! We rolled into this place extremely tired and grumpy after packing in the Academia and the Ufizi in one day like a crazy person. We were the first ones here and the first thing I noticed is that the restaurant smelled of bleach . I wasn't super hungry but I was a grumpy-pup. We both ordered the Vegetable Minestrone. It was different from what we get in the US, no tomatoes and no pasta. But it was damn good! The BF ordered roast beef with spinach, probably not the right thing to order at this place. It wasn't that great, but he spinach was so good... it had no business being THAT GOOD! Solid experience, but not in a hurry to come back. Friendly staff.

this was the absolute best meal we had in Italy! Everything was amazing. I had the penne nella and you could really tell how fresh the herbs were. My fiancé had their special Osso bucco, and it was to die for. We also had their bruschetta and it was so fresh. We had their house wine and it was cheap and delicious! I had a spritz as well! If we ever go back to Florence, this will be our first stop. We compared every meal on our 10 day trip in Italy and nothing even came close to this!!

A must if you are visiting Florence. 5 stars does not cover the amazingness of this trattoria. We ordered the bistecca alla fiorentina with roasted potatoes, the minestrone soup, and the papperdelle pasta with wild boar. Everything was superb. The steak was tender and perfectly seasoned and the soup was a delicious compliment to the pasta and steak. We ordered for takeaway and the owner made sure to give us bread and talked with us while we waited. Everything was very decently priced and the portions were giant. Overall the best meal we had in Italy.

Great service and even better food! They have a special right now that is risotto with beets and it was the best risotto I've ever had in my life! Highly recommend this place to anyone visiting Florence! The wait staff was incredibly kind and patient with us as well when we didn't understand what certain dishes were in Italian. 10/10 place!

Stop searching.....THIS is the restaurant that you are looking for. Get off the Main Street where the hustle and bustle of the day can be a bit overwhelming.... Trattoria Nella is perfect for a true Florentine Meal. The ambiance, the location, the LOCALS who come here to eat are a true testament to the quality of this trattoria. The service was excellent (prompt for Italy) and attentive. My wife had the Ricotta and Spinach Ravioli with Walnut Oil (Tuscan Influence) and I had the special of the day, Tortellini with Bacon. Both were amazing and reflected the "home made" feel of the establishment. For the second course, we split the steak with arugula and Parmesan.....again, delicious. After two 1/2 liters of wine, table bread and food...we decided to take in a post-prandial stroll before sampling some of Florence's offerings of Gelato. Trattoria Nella will impress!!!