Florence's food is confident and unpretentious. The signature dish is bistecca alla Fiorentina — a thick T-bone from the Chianina breed, grilled rare over charcoal and served by weight. You'll find it in the better trattorias; anywhere that advertises it for less than €50 per kilo is probably not using the right breed. Ribollita (Tuscan bread soup), pappardelle al cinghiale (wild boar pasta), and trippa alla Fiorentina (tripe, eaten standing at a cart) are the other essentials.
The most reliable eating is in the Oltrarno and in the streets around the Mercato Centrale. Avoid the restaurants on Piazza della Repubblica and immediately around the Duomo.