One of the many delights of visiting Florence is digging in to its some of the delicious street food. And there’s no shortage of ways to satisfy your cravings!
From the famed lampredotto to the crowd pleasing coccoli and schiacciata all’olio stuffed with all sorts of local savoury delights, there’s something for everyone. So let’s take a look at some of all time favourites that the locals swear by.
Street Food in Florence and Where to Find it
Lampredotto, the King of Florence Street Food
Eating lampredotto is a rite of passage in Florence. This traditional dish is made of boiled cow’s stomach. which tastes a whole lot better than it sounds, believe me. So when in Florence, just do as the Florentines do, and get stuck in.
Like many traditions in Florence, this unusual sounding plate has a centuries-long history. It was created out of necessity and the need to find a use for every piece meat that came from the cow. Since then this mouthwatering dish has become as famous as the Renaissance masterpieces you find in the city.
But what is lampredotto exactly? It’s the lining of the fourth stomach of the cow (called abomasum) which is slowly boiled with vegetables – celery onion carrots – cut into strips and served in a white bun (the Florentine variant, called semelle). The crusty bun gets dipped into the broth first to soak the broth, and some traditional salsa verde (which has anchovies, capers and parsley as main ingredients) is added to the meat.
Around Florence’s historic centre you’ll find many food trucks,’ lampredottai‘ that serve lampredotto-stuffed sandwiches on the go. You’ll have to eat it standing up. Trying not to let the sauce drip down your front while you’re eating it is all part of the fun.
WHERE TO EAT LAMPREDOTTO? Top lampredottai in Florence are ‘Lupen and Margo‘ outside San Lorenzo Food Market (the friendly lady that runs it has been there for ages), ‘Antico trippaio’ in via dei Cimatori just behind Piazza Signoria, “I’ Trippaio Fiorentino” in Via Gioberti, the one near the Porcellino Market and at Piazzale di Porta Romana.
These food trucks serve other offals, like tripe, which is served in a small plastic container. Florentine style tripe (trippa alla fiorentina) is cooked in abundant tomatoes and parmesan cheese.
Famous filled sandwiches, schiacciate and cold cuts
Local affettati (cold cuts) match perfectly with the olive oil- infused schiacciata or unsalted Tuscan bread. And in Florence the art of making sandwiches has truly reached another level.
In Via de’ Neri, just off Piazza Signoria, you find the most sought after of all Florentine sandwiches. People queue for hours to grab one of the famous creations of All’Antico Vinaio, that has now opened a few more shops in Florence and all around Italy. Smoked stracciatella, rolled pancetta, pistacchio cream or beef carpaccio, these are just a taste of their culinary offerings.
In the same street, just a couple of doors down, we love La Prosciutteria for more sandwich deliciousness.
‘Ino lets you create your own DIY panino, by choosing and matching ingredients from the range of cheeses, cold cuts and a variety of deliciously inviting sauces. They also have a “signature panino” created by chefs with local seasonal ingredients. It’s a few steps from the Uffizi, in Via dei Georgofili.
You find great schiacciate ripiene at Da’ Vinattieri, in Via Santa Margherita near the Casa di Dante. It’s very popular with locals and tourists, so expect to wait a bit.
* Food in Florence: 15 Traditional Dishes You Must Try!
Snack on some simple schiacciata (delicious when eaten on its own), or small pizzette, you can head to a bakery. Where? We love historic bakery Forno Giglio in Via Gioberti, Vecchio Forno on the corner between Via Guelfa and Via San Gallo. Pugi is probably the most popular of all Florentine bakeries, and has been baking bread and all sorts of oven-born delights for a century, the have shops in Via San Gallo and Piazza San Marco in the historic centre.
All the flavours of Italy at SAN LORENZO FOOD MARKET
If you’d like to try different street foods from various part of Italy, and the world, head to San Lorenzo Food Market. This great indoor market, the best known of food markets in Florence, has a ground floor with food stalls selling everything from meat to vegetables, sweets, olive oil, local specialties. But there are also eateries offering sandwiches and a quick lunches.
Upstairs the feast continues with eateries that offer Sicilian arancini, pizza, Chinese ravioli, but also bistecca alla Fiorentina and fish. This is a real haven for food lovers!
Many cooking classes in Florence include a visit to San Lorenzo Market to pick the freshest ingredients for your recipes.
Coccoli
Coccoli are among my favourite of all Florence street foods, and always bring with them a bit of nostalgia. As kids we used to go to the bakery and order a cone of brown paper filled with these deep fried dough balls, they were perfect for a mid morning snack. Irresistible and cheap!
Some bakeries still prepare them, and we’ve recently eaten good ones at Forno Canapa in via dell’Ariento (near San Lorenzo Market).
You also find coccoli in some restaurants as starters, served with stracchino cheese and ham.
Friggitorie (fried food shops) used to be the norm in Florence, you could find many at every corner, with coccoli, fried polenta, vegetables. Unfortunately they have all disappeared today, though a couple have reinvented themselves. The historic Friggitoria in Via dell’Albero (near Santa Maria Novella station) is still a popular place, with real Neapolitan pizza to take away. Friggitoria al Cartoccio in Via de’ Cerchi, near Piazza Signoria, offers various fried specialties from Tuscany and other regions too.
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Author: Sabrina Nesi, founder of Lovefromtuscany.com, passionate about sharing the beauty of Tuscany and Italy with the world.
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