This upscale trattoria serves sumptuous options like the creamy crostini di fegatini (a savory chicken-liver spread) and melt-in-your-mouth desserts. Many Florentines hail this as the city's best restaurant, and justifiably so—late chef--owner Fabio Picchi (who left behind his Florence culinary legacy in 2022) knew Tuscan food better than anyone, and it shows.

The Cibrèo family of restaurants encompasses five locations in Florence. There’s the restaurant, the trattoria, the café, the Tuscan-Oriental fusion spot, and a new outpost inside the Helvetia & Bristol Hotel. When Gray used to teach travel writing to university students, she sometimes brought them to Cibrèo Caffè.

In the heart of Sant’Ambrogio, the late, extraordinary Fabio Picchi has left an indelible mark on Florence’s culinary landscape. The Cibréo empire, spanning the flagship restaurant, Teatro del Sale (run by Picchi’s wife Maria Cassi), Cibleo (Asian-fusion), and Ci-bio (organic Italian produce and fresh lunches), is a testament to Picchi’s dedication to the art of food. While the Cibréo restaurant is a splurge for special occasions, Cibréo Caffe’ and Trattoria Cibréo offer more accessible indulgence.

A Beloved Florentine Caffe collaborated with Helvetia & Bristol | Cibreo is one of the city’s most iconic and much-loved restaurants for gastronomic goodness in the city’s Sant’Ambrogio neighborhood. Now they have teamed up with Hotel Helvetia & Bristol (really love this place)** to bring the cafe’s delicious options and ambiance for those who want to stop for a coffee, lunch or aperitif in this stylish hotel’s dining spaces. address: Via dei Pescioni, 2, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy.

Cibreo encompasses a collection of venues that each offer a unique interpretation of Tuscan cuisine. From the casual charm of its trattoria to the refined elegance of the ristorante, and beyond to its other inviting spaces, Cibreo celebrates Florentine culinary traditions across a spectrum of dining experiences. Guided by Chef Fabio Picchi’s dedication to quality, seasonality, and innovation, each Cibreo venue invites diners to explore the rich tapestry of Tuscan flavors.

For those whose travels are motivated as much by food as by culture, no sojourn in Florence would be complete without a seat at one of the late Fabio Picchi’s outposts. Cibreo started as a formal restaurant in the Eighties, serving humble, rustic dishes and Sunday family meals in a white tablecloth setting. Now, the restaurant has expanded to include a trattoria, an all-day bistro café, a Tuscan-Asian fusion eatery and an upscale hotel restaurant.

Cibrèo Ristorante sits at the high end of Florence’s dining spectrum, offering a more elevated, curated interpretation of Tuscan cuisine. This is a restaurant that’s taken the concept of tradition and turned it into something more expressive and considered. I’ve eaten here a handful of times and at their caffe and trattoria too, and it remains one of the most polished dining experiences in the city.

Cibrèo is an institution in Florence – it’s one of those famed fine-dining restaurants that have been on the dining scene since forever – well, since 1979 at least. Chef Fabio Picchi excites his guests with a menu that’s a mix between the past and present, combining family tradition with a passion for Florentine and Tuscan classics. Cibrèo prides itself in offering strictly seasonal ingredients.

With reservations not available, be sure to arrive early to claim your spot or risk waiting in a line that sometimes forms even before the restaurant opens. But whether you have to hustle or wait a little, it is well worth it. Inside the tastefully decorated restaurant—neither chintzy nor offputtingly elegant—the menu includes top-notch Tuscan cuisine and excellent bistecca alla fiorentina.

Fabio Picchi, chef and author, could still be seen shopping for his ingredients at the market stalls in Piazza San Ambrosio across the street after more than 30 years. Sadly, the legendary figure passed away in 2022. The appetizers are small bites with bold flavors such as a tomato bavarois, bruschetta garnished with chicken liver pate, pieces of tripe in a salad with flower petals.

For an authentic spot where you can find simple dishes, you might want to consider Cibreo-Cibreino. Think about getting a reservation at this local hangout where the food takes center stage and there are plenty of different menu items to keep everyone in your party satisfied. The service is also worth mentioning--everyone here is friendly and knows what is going on in the kitchen.

If you want a truly delicious plate of cheesy buttery fresh pasta, check out Cibreo’s taglioni cacio e burro (cheese and butter). Cacio is a colloquial term for cheese. Like Rome’s “cacio e pepe” I recently went (and of course they remind you on the menu that the NYT named it as one of Italy’s essential pasta dishes) and even at 18eu a plate- I found it was worth the hype.

Cibreo is a traditional Tuscan restaurant in Sant’Ambrogio, with a small menu focused on high-quality local produce. Owned by chef Fabio Picchi who opened here in 1979, head to Cibreo for an authentic experience of Florentine cuisine. Or try one of its sister establishments, Cibreo Trattoria or Cibreo Caffè, and get an equally delicious meal for a much lower price.

Cibrèo Ristorante is a well-loved spot in Florence, blending a forward-thinking approach with deep roots in local cooking traditions. Since 1979, it has offered a welcoming setting known for its refined atmosphere and commitment to fresh, seasonal ingredients. Locals and visitors alike appreciate its warm character, making it a standout in the city’s dining scene.

If you want something different, you can’t go past brunch at Teatro del Sale, run by the eccentric, infamous chef, Fabio Picchi, of Cibreo (or Cibreo itself, or it’s little sibling, affectionately known as Cibreino, the little trattoria to the left of the pricier restaurant. You can’t book, it’s small but wonderful). One of my favourite spots to take people to.

The iconic Cibreo is a must; founded by the histrionic Chef Fabio Picchi and now led by his son Giulio, it is located in Sant’Ambrogio. The restaurant is welcoming and elegant, consisting of a retro-style sitting room with wooden furniture. The menu offered is classic and traditional, inspired in particular by Tuscan cuisine and what is seasonally available.

Cibrèo is renowned as one of the best restaurants in Florence to eat fish. Its menu changes with the seasons, but there are new dishes daily and weekly, according to the selection of fish offered by local fishermen. Founded in 1978, Cibrèo has been sourcing only the best ingredients, rapidly becoming one of the best places to eat in the magical Tuscan town.

Hidden, off-the-beaten tourist track, is one of my all-time favorite restaurants, the rather non-traditional restaurant, Cibrèo, opened in 1979 by Fabio Picchi and a group of his friends. Located in front of the Sant’Ambrogio Market, which inspires the seasonal menu variations at the restaurant, the surrounding neighborhood is still really for locals.

Since 1979 Cibreo has been a refined melting pot of flavours and fragrances, with a single conductor, chef Fabio Picchi. To taste the past of yellow peppers, the Cassi-style cod, the stuffed neck and the Florentine stew. I activate the take-away service and home deliveries both at lunch and dinner.

Opening Hours: Daily 9am-11:30pm (closed the entire month of August). This is perhaps one of the most famous restaurants in Florence. It comes up on most lists of “best restaurants in Florence” and was recommended to me on several occasions.

The Cibreo was born in 1979 in the Santa Croce district from the idea of the chef Fabio Picchi. Today it is one of the best-known and most successful Florentine restaurants. The room is elegant, almost a private sitting room.

Cibréo – I haven’t had a chance to visit yet, but this restauarant is a Florence institution and definitely on my list.