Trattoria Sostanza

Reviews

• Fiona S.

  star star star star star 3 June 2026

  This was one of the few sit-down places we really went to on our Italy trip. A friend recommended that we go to Sostanza to try Florentine steak. Man! What an amazing meal!
  
  If you want to try this place, you MUST MAKE A RESERVATION. The restaurant is open from 7:30-9:30pm everyday. That's two hours of service for meals that last about 1-2 hours. This place is also very small. At most, it seats about 22 people at full capacity. When we came the night before to make a reservation, the gentleman at the front took out a notebook, which had the name, party size, and reservation time for each night. Talk about old school! But this is how you know you'll get great food.
  
  It's Florentine steak we're talking about here, so of course it's going to cost a bit. Surprisingly, the steak was only €25/kg. We got a kilo to try amongst four of us. We also ordered other dishes, of course. The bill was surprisingly cheap compared to our expectations.
  
  Here's the showstopper. I read in reviews to order the butter chicken. You'd think: it's just bitter and chicken. How can it beat steak? Well it did. The chicken comes with 2 pieces per serving, so order more if you want to fully indulge. The chicken was so moist on the inside and the butter was light and tasty. If you come, you MUST ORDER THE BUTTER CHICKEN.
  
  Service was fantastic. These Italians are extremely hospitable and make you feel at home. We love this place and recommend anyone visiting Florence to try it.

• Jennifer W.

  star star star star star 2 June 2026

  Wow! One of the top best meals I ever had in Italy.  I highly suggest that if you go to Florence that you stop by this place. In order to dine here, it only open at night and you must make a reservation in order to dine.  We went in November and reserved a day beforehand and was able to get a table.
  
  The main dishes were so divine. The Florentine steak featured in my pictures ended up being about $25 US dollars and it was sooo perfected cooked and flavorful with its natural taste. Without asking how you want it cooked, it will come out medium rare.The butter chicken is the second must buy as it is absolutely tender and melts in your mouth.  I want to try to make these two dishes at home. We got tortellini and it was al dente.  I don't suggest buying the beans.  Wine is a great price too as you can buy the bottle and share. I suggest just asking them what tastes best with the wine!
  
  Great for a date as it is very impressive and you will enjoy the food!

• Linda W.

  star star star_border star_border star_border 28 May 2026

  Given the vast number of other places to eat, I would skip. Coperto is €4.5, double to triple most other places. A side of spinach is €8, again double of other places. They have 2 seatings 7pm or 9pm for dinner. We didn't have a reservation but walked in at 8:45pm on a Tuesday night and they were kind and sat us as they had a free table.
  
  We had read the reviews so I knew butter chicken (€20) was definitely on our list. The other item most raves about was the artichoke pie(€16).  Butter chicken was crispy and moist and yummy, though a heart attack waiting to happen, but sad to say that the artichoke pie was a disappointment. I asked if it was a entree and was assured it was - it's like a quiche with artichokes in the middle. So imagine eating 4 eggs and some artichokes- that was my dinner. I was 'full', or rather just didn't want the 4th egg, but not satisfied. Perhaps if the artichoke pie was a starter?  But I definitely did not feel it is entree material. Also we got pasta with meat sauce to share, house red (€4.5 for 1/4 liter- expensive again), vinsanto, and water.
  
  The couple sharing our table got the prosciutto- looked okay but I wouldn't get it here. The waiter sold them a side of vegetables when he brought out the mains- smart. He tried with us but I had seen the price of the  vegetables €8 and already had decided to skip.
  
  Overall from the rave reviews I expect something amazing. What we got was overpriced and average.  Will not be on my list of places to come back. In the plus- everyone there was super nice. But I am writing this review at 6am starving after a €80 meal, that makes me sad

• Shawn H.

  star star star star star 23 May 2026

  Still one of our favorites in Florence. This time, we got the Tuscan salami, bean soup with pasta, pasta with meat sauce, butter chicken, Florentine steak, tomato salad, and the meringue cake with strawberries.
  
  The bean soup was a new order for us, and it was fine but we probably wouldn't get that again. The salami was great, and the pasta with meat sauce and meringue cake were as incredible as ever. The tomato salad was a late add based on what we saw on the next table over and that was great as well.
  
  I will say, I was disappointed with the steak this time. We ordered it rare, and it came out at some level fairly far beyond rare. This is usually our favorite steak in the city, so that was kinda sad.
  
  On the other end, though, I think I'm finally a full convert on the butter chicken -- it would be hard to ever come here again and not get it. The lemon mixed with the butter sauce is just outstanding.
  
  We'll be back.

• Lauren L.

  star star star star star 17 May 2026

  before my honeymoon I went to basically the most trusted name in travel and luxury for food, shopping and hotel recommendations: Gwyneth Paltrow & Goop.
  
  this local hole in the wall was one of GP's top suggestions for Florence, and I was able to get us a 9 PM reservation for our first night in the city.
  
  we came here famished, but it worked to our advantage since I couldn't decide on what of the three entrees I wanted to try, so, we just ordered them all.
  
  to start: pasta bolognese
  Frankly, don't bother. It was nice because we were starving but the penne and meat sauce were unremarkable.
  
  our three entrees:
  we got the artichoke pie- delicious
  what was the egg like pastry it was cooked in? regardless, the taste, flavor, texture, aroma, all perfect to split.
  
  then we ate the butter chicken- incredible
  I will never understand how two chicken breasted cutlets could be so big, juicy and tender, I guess it's the vat of butter it's sauteed in? fabulous.
  
  then we had steak Florentine.... one of many on this trip.
  delicious.
  
  our waiter was so nice. not in our faces at all, but super friendly.
  a once in a lifetime meal.