A visit to Florence would be totally incomplete without a hearty Bistecca alla Fiorentina, or the Florentine steak (beefsteak Florentine style is another version of the name). This meat lover’s delight is perhaps the most iconic Tuscan dish, earning a spot in the repertoire of internationally known (and adored) Italian cuisine. But what makes this steak so special?

First to consider is the source: the meat comes from a specific breed of cattle called Chianina — one of the oldest cattle breeds in the world, reared for more than 2000 years in Tuscany, Umbria, and Lazio — and the sirloin cut of the calf where you find the ‘T-bone steak’, with sirloin on one side and fillet on the other. The cut must be three fingers thick (5-6 centimeters) and must weigh 1-1.5 kilos, although you do have some places that use a 2-kilos cut.