Florence may not be the capital of Italy but it is a city that takes its unique place in the nation's history very seriously. Pure, classic Italian has its roots in the language spoken here, far from the dialects of Naples, Rome and Venice.
The Uffizi is the country's undisputed greatest art gallery, with priceless art by all the Old Masters, from Botticelli to Caravaggio. Florence is where the Medici and Machiavelli inaugurated the first official monetary system. And, naturally enough, Florentines will proudly tell you that not only does Italian gourmet cooking begin its long history in their city, but that haute cuisine in Florence well outdates the origins of French gastronomy.
Living nearby in Venice, I am a frequent visitor and on arriving at the frenetic Santa Maria Novella train station, I rapidly extract myself from the crowds of tourists that flood in every day and are drawn like a magnet to the city's cultural must-sees: Piazza dei Signori, Brunelleschi's Duomo, Ponte Vecchio.
I, however, disappear in the opposite direction through a maze of medieval backstreets that suddenly opens out on to the vast Mercato Centrale, a striking building of iron girders and giant glass windows. This seething central market has to be the first stop for any food lover, putting a finger on the pulse of a genuine slice of local life - all of Florence comes here to shop.
There is the same electric buzz as in Barcelona's Boqueria market, with smartly dressed signoras splashing out for the cornucopia of fresh produce that Tuscany is so famous for: plump porcini and rare, moon-faced ovoli mushrooms, aromatic white truffles, olive oil, pungent formaggi di fossa (cheeses buried for months in underground grottoes), peppery wild rucola and radicchio, and bright yellow zucchini flowers that are perfect for stuffing with mozzarella and anchovies.
And the market boasts dozens of hole-in-the-wall eateries that are a wonderful introduction to traditional Florentine cuisine. I join the crowds trying to get the chef's attention at the venerable Nerbone, which, since the Mercato first opened in 1874, has been serving up dishes such as pappa al pomodoro (bread and tomato soup), bollito misto (boiled beef cuts smothered in tangy parsley sauce) and lampredotto (panino with tripe that is dunked in the cooking juices).
This is what makes Florence so unique for eating out: the opportunity to choose between a unique Tuscan take on street food in the market, wonderful traditional trattorie where each meal is a feast, and an elegant gourmet scene that includes innovative modern chefs and gastronomic, Michelin-starred restaurants.
Over on the other side of town, just by the fairy-tale Santa Croce church, is Florence's undisputed temple of gastronomy, Enoteca Pinchiorri, where I am meeting Italy's queen of fine dining, the three-star Michelin chef Annie Feolde.
This is no humble wine bar but a sumptuous Renaissance palazzo whose ornate dining rooms showcase both the exquisite cuisine of the French-born Feolde and one of the world's greatest wine collections, assembled by her husband, Giorgio Pinchiorri.
The eight-course tasting menu is seriously expensive at €250 (Dh1,200), but the chef's inventive use of local produce guarantees an utterly memorable occasion: pistachio-crusted lobster tail, a plump scallop alongside crunchy sea asparagus, ravioli bursting with veal shank, artichoke and hazelnuts, pigeon roasted in honey and spices, and, for dessert, an intriguing mix of juicy, ripe persimmon, creamy white chocolate and a zesty passion-fruit sauce.
I have known Feolde for many years, and after dinner she tells me that, finally, the gourmet scene in Florence is coming alive with some exciting new young chefs. "The Four Seasons has just won a Michelin star for its prestigious Il Palagio restaurant - they have a passionate chef from the south of France. Ora d'Aria [www.oradariaristorante.com] also won a star, and this place is definitely worth a visit because Marco Stabile comes from Tuscany and is highly original in transforming traditional dishes for the 21st century."
The Sant'Ambrogio neighbourhood is only a 10-minute walk from Enoteca Pinchiorri but I quickly find myself in the middle of bohemian, multi-ethnic Florence. Apart from grand Catholic churches, I pass both a mosque and a synagogue. The morning market features noisy traders hawking bric-a-brac and bargain designer clothes as well as fruit and vegetables, while street food here extends to shawarma and Pakistani halal curries, and Sri Lankan mini markets.
Welcome to the world of another of Florence's larger-than-life chefs, Fabio Picchi, a dashing foodie maverick who looks as if he could be one of the Three Musketeers. He has been based in Sant'Ambrogio for more than 30 years - long before the quarter became fashionable - and oversees an empire that runs from his gourmet Cibreo (www.cibreo.com) to a down-to-earth trattoria, hip caffe, delicatessen and his pride-and-joy, the Teatro del Sale, a unique informal arts club where Florentines flock for concerts and theatre and to be regaled by chef Picchi's 'canteen' that serves gargantuan meals at communal tables every lunch and dinner.
Sitting down to lunch with Fabio at Cibreo, I quietely listen as the waitress patiently explains everything from antipast to dolci - there is no written menu here - but before I can speak, Fabio orders a series of dishes for me and a huge Fiorentina steak for himself. While I'm making my way through his signature 'passato di pepperoni gialli' a rich soup of yellow peppers, a delicate ricotta and parmesan souffle, and a visually intimidating but totally delicious pasta with cockscombs, Fabio has a lot to say about cooking in his home town right now.
''People are definitely coming less to restaurants, that is obvious with the financial crisis,' he tells me. 'But one positive side of the economic downturn is that children are looking more to stay in the family business rather than abandoning their roots and moving away looking for the better life. I see this here in the neighbourhood - the fishmonger, butcher, baker - but also in the Tuscan countryside, where the next generation are now getting involved as farmers, cow breeders, cheesemakers, and this has to be good for the future quality of our food.' He certainly does not have a high opinion of trendy restaurants trying to introduce molecular cuisine here, and instead insists that, 'we are fortunate that Florence still boasts many old trattorie where going for dinner is like stopping off at your favourite uncle and aunt's - genuine 'cucina casalinga' - where even the most simple dish, pasta all pomodoro, can be totally perfect.'
To explore some of these family trattorie that Fabio Picchi recommended, I leave behind the monuments and museums of the historic city centre, cross the Ponte Vecchio, and wander into L'Oltrarno' - the other side of the Arno river - which for centuries has been the home of artisan ateliers producing the riches that Florence is renowned for: gold and silversmiths, silk and velvet cloth, leather goods, gilded furniture, jewellery and sculptures, marbled paper and mosaics.
The heart of Oltrarno is the Piazza Santo Spirito, whose church is another masterpiece of Renaissance architecture by Brunelleschi, but with none of the crowds that line up at the more famous Duomo. In fact, the crowds here are at the nearby Trattoria La Casalinga (www.trattorialacasalinga.it), which is always full to bursting at lunchtime. It is difficult to spend more than €20 a head, and three generations of the same family work together , with 'la mamma' directing operations in the kitchen. Specialities not to be missed are 'crostini' toasts topped with creamy chicken liver or 'bruschetta con pomodoro', whose ripe chopped tomatoes are drizzled with luscious Tuscan olive oil. Forsake the pasta and try 'ribollita' a hearty bean and black cabbage soup, then choose between a simple roast guinea fowl or veal tongue smothered with 'salsa verde'. Nearby, another local favourite is Trattoria Sabatino (Via Pisana 2), which the Buccione family have run for more than fifty years. Craftsmen still gather at lunchtime to discuss projects and the menu changes daily, typed on an old Remington, and follows the seasons. So depending of the time of year, there may be 'panzanella' a zesty cold tomato soup, fried artichokes, 'pappardelle' pasta with a rabbit sauce, or a rich 'peposo' beef stew.
And no one should leave Florence without tasting the Bistecca alla Fiorentina, a gigantic chargrilled, T Bone steak. Every trattoria boasts to have the best Fiorentina, but I have never found anywhere that compares with Il Latini (www.illatini.com), back in the old town centre. Starting life a century ago as a simple 'fiaschetteria' wine shop selling Chianti from the Tuscan vineyards, the Latini family have created an institution dedicated to Florentine cooking. This is not the place for a quiet romantic dinner as queues form the moment the doors open, and although plenty of tourists turn up, you're just as likely to find yourself seated next to talkative Italians at one of the noisy communal wooden tables. There is no menu, no prices, and the waiters immediately start tempting diners with crostini and pastas. But all I can say is save your appetite, and concentrate on the Fiorentina, definitely the best and biggest steak you will ever eat.
Essentials
The flight Etihad Airways (www.etihad.com) flies from Abu Dhabi to Rome from Dh3,235 return, including taxes. A fast train from Rome to Florence takes about an hour and 30 minutes and costs from €49 (Dh140) return. Book at www.raileurope-gcc.com
The stay A double room at the St Regis Florence, a 15th-century palace designed by Brunelleschi and formerly known as the Grand Hotel, costs from €950 (Dh4.586) per night (www.starwoodhotels.com)
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