Bistecca alla Fiorentina Explained: Florence’s Famous Steak

The short version: bistecca alla fiorentina is Florence’s famous steak — a thick-cut T-bone, traditionally from Tuscany’s white Chianina cattle, grilled over hot embers, seared and charred outside but rare and red within, seasoned only with salt, olive oil and sometimes rosemary. It’s sold by weight, served sliced off the bone, and meant to be shared.

At a glance

What it actually is

A bistecca alla fiorentina is a T-bone cut thick — a good two fingers, 3 to 5cm — so it has both the tenderloin and the sirloin either side of the bone. The classic beef is Chianina, one of the world’s oldest and largest cattle breeds, raised in the Val di Chiana, though many restaurants also use other well-aged Tuscan or European beef. The meat is brought to room temperature, then grilled over glowing embers: seared hard on each side and stood on the bone to finish, so the crust is deeply charred while the centre stays rare and red. It is seasoned only with salt (often after cooking), a drizzle of Tuscan olive oil, and sometimes rosemary — the point is the beef and the fire, nothing more.

How to order it

Bistecca is sold by weight, priced per etto (100 grams), and a proper one starts around 800g–1kg — which is why it’s a dish for two or more. Order it by the number of people or the total weight, and expect it al sangue (rare): asking for it well done is, to a Florentine, missing the point (and many kitchens will politely decline). It arrives sliced off the bone, often on a warm platter, sometimes served with cannellini beans, roast potatoes or just rocket. Eat it with a robust Tuscan red — a Chianti Classico or Brunello.

Where to try it — or cook it

You’ll find bistecca in trattorias across Florence and the surrounding countryside; steak-focused places and old-school trattorias in the centre and Oltrarno do it best. A Florence food tour can point you to a good one and explain the ritual, and some cooking classes and Tuscan steak dinners let you grill your own. For the rest of the city’s menu, see what to eat in Florence and Tuscan dishes explained.

Frequently asked questions

What is bistecca alla fiorentina?

Florence’s famous steak: a thick T-bone, traditionally from Chianina cattle, grilled over embers so it’s charred outside and rare inside, seasoned only with salt, olive oil and sometimes rosemary, and served sliced off the bone.

How big is a bistecca alla fiorentina?

It’s cut thick (3–5cm) and sold by weight, usually a minimum of about 800g to 1kg — enough for two people to share, which is the traditional way to eat it.

Can you order bistecca well done?

Traditionally no — it’s served rare (al sangue) by definition, and many Florentine kitchens will decline to cook it well done. The thick cut and hot embers are designed to char the outside while keeping the centre red.

Try bistecca in Florence

Find it on a Florence food tour, grill your own in a cooking class, or plan the trip from the Florence hub.