Cross the Arno into the Oltrarno and Florence begins to move at a different scale. Piazza Santo Spirito grew around an Augustinian convent in the thirteenth century; today markets, workshops and restaurant tables give it a neighbourhood rhythm. Two nearby restaurants draw visitors with recognisable dishes, though their settings differ: Trattoria 4 Leoni, beside Piazza della Passera, is known for pear-and-cheese ravioli; Osteria Santo Spirito, facing the basilica, highlights its baked gnocchi.
At 4 Leoni, the pear pasta balances the fruit’s sweetness with a cheese filling, a combination that has become the house’s most talked-about order. Its official menu also includes Tuscan dishes and a wine list; the rustic dining room and tables by the square invite a longer meal. Returning diners praise the pasta and welcome, although the room gets busy and some describe waits or a bill higher than expected. The Google listing showed 4.3/5 from 4,293 reviews when checked on 1 October 2026. Book at busy times and read the current menu for prices.
Osteria Santo Spirito faces another historic square. The restaurant serves Tuscan recipes in a room with warm red walls and on a terrace overlooking Piazza Santo Spirito; its stated house speciality is baked gnocchi. Reviews praise the pasta and setting, while also describing queues, delays or uneven service. The listing checked showed 4.4/5 on Google from 3,918 reviews on 1 October 2026. The restaurant’s website allows bookings, useful when the square is lively or you are travelling in a group. It closes on Tuesdays; on other days it lists lunch and dinner sittings.
The comparison is about more than which dish wins: 4 Leoni offers a broad trattoria menu and a distinctive sweet-savoury pasta; Santo Spirito pairs a gratin with a terrace that makes the square part of the meal. Both attract visitors, so a reservation and current hours are more useful than counting on a walk-in table. If you want to explore first, wander the artisan streets between Palazzo Pitti and Piazza Santo Spirito to place lunch within the neighbourhood rather than treating it as a separate excursion.
Choose 4 Leoni if pear ravioli is your priority and you can book near Piazza della Passera. Choose Santo Spirito if you would rather dine beside one of the Oltrarno’s lively squares and try the house’s baked gnocchi. From there, visit Brunelleschi’s basilica if it is open or continue towards the Boboli Gardens. Check kitchen hours, terrace availability and prices before setting out; a good meal in this part of Florence depends on the walk as much as the dish.
Check current details and choose according to your budget, time and way of travelling.
Options to compare
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Trattoria 4 Leoni sits beside Piazza della Passera, in a part of the Oltrarno where narrow streets open onto small gathering places. The restaurant pairs Tuscan recipes with a wine list and an exposed-brick dining room; in season, tables extend towards the square. Its most talked-about dish is pear
Pear and cheese ravioli, Tuscan dishes and wines from its enoteca
Osteria Santo Spirito places the square at the centre of the meal. Its terrace faces the basilica, while red walls and rustic furnishings create an interior different from the formal trattorias across the river. The restaurant highlights baked gnocchi as its speciality and describes its cooking as T
Baked gnocchi and terrace facing the Basilica of Santo Spirito
Sources & references
Sources for the information and reporting discussed in this guide.
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Official website of Trattoria 4 Leoni ↗
Primary source
Trattoria 4 Leoni · Accessed October 1, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Osteria Santo Spirito ↗
Primary source
Osteria Santo Spirito · Accessed October 1, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Osteria Santo Spirito ↗
Primary source
Visit Tuscany · Accessed October 1, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Visit Tuscany · Accessed October 1, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Trattoria 4 Leoni · Accessed October 1, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Osteria Santo Spirito · Accessed October 1, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Ficha del restaurante ↗
Secondary source
Wanderlog · Accessed October 1, 2026
Google 4,3/5, 4.293 reseñas mostradas recientemente; elogios a la pasta y comentarios sobre esperas.
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Opiniones del restaurante ↗
Secondary source
Restaurant Guru · Accessed October 1, 2026
Google 4,4/5 con 3.918 reseñas en consulta del 1/10/2026; Tripadvisor 4,1/5 con 3.051 en la misma ficha.