Enoteca Fuoriporta, Florence

Enoteca Fuori Porta is one of Florence's best-known wine bars, set on Via Monte alle Croci in the Oltrarno, the atmospheric quarter on the south bank of the Arno, just below the climb to San Miniato al Monte and close to the old Porta San Niccolo from which it takes its name. Long a favourite with Florentines, it combines a serious wine list of several hundred Tuscan and Italian labels with a kitchen that goes well beyond the usual wine-bar snacks, making it as much a place for a full meal as for a glass and a plate of crostini. The wine selection is the heart of the operation, deep in Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Super Tuscans and other regional reds, with a generous rotating choice available by the glass that lets visitors taste widely. The kitchen is known for its crostini and crostoni, toasted breads with varied toppings that are a house speciality, alongside Tuscan cheese and salumi boards, seasonal soups, pasta and daily specials chalked up on the board. Outdoor tables line the narrow street, a pleasant spot for an aperitivo or a relaxed dinner in fine weather, while the interior is lined with bottles and has the comfortable, slightly cluttered feel of a long-established enoteca. The atmosphere is informal and convivial, popular with locals and in-the-know visitors rather than being a tourist set-piece, and it works equally well for an early-evening drink or a later, more substantial meal. Prices are moderate, with the by-the-glass list keeping wine exploration affordable, and the food sensibly priced for the quality. Open Monday to Saturday for lunch and into the late evening, it is sensible to reserve a table for dinner, especially at weekends, as the place is well loved and the seating limited. For travellers wanting to drink and eat well in the Oltrarno, away from the busiest tourist circuits, Enoteca Fuori Porta offers a genuine Florentine wine-bar experience, pairing an extensive cellar with honest cooking in a characterful neighbourhood setting below San Miniato. It pairs naturally with a walk up to the church and Piazzale Michelangelo for sunset views over the city.