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Fun marketplace where you could pick up anything from spices to fresh fish to lunch or dinner or just simply enjoy a cappuccino and pastry. There are plentiful vendors and a plethora of choices. The sounds and the smells fill the vibe. We are staying at an apt within a 1 min walk. We'll be back during our stay.
Central food hall in Florence. A must visit. First floor is bulk ingredients and 2nd floor are the restaurants, food shops, and wine bar. It's open seating so park then take turns getting your food of choice from the many vendors. Pizza, pasta, sandwiches, chicken, steak they have it all. Come hungry leave happy
Cool market with food courts and shopping. The food we had here was good, there is plenty of food to choose from. On the outer part of the market, there leather vendors and other vendors. Will be back here on my next trip trip to Italy.
This is the coolest market in Florence! It's a big market on the bottom floor and a big food hall on top! We stopped in for coffee and a pastry in the morning and went back for dinner! Easy ordering and paying using a QR code on the tables. The pasta places all looked delicious. We shared several different items. Very affordable prices! Packed with locals. Very cool experience! Do not miss this.
Such a cool spot! Mixed watering hole for locals and tourists. Don't let the aggressive vendors surrounding the market scare you off. Once inside there are TONS of great food options. A lot of the vendors offer free samples which I recommend trying because everything has such great flavor. There's a full bar in the middle and other food vendors sell wine/ beer too. Strong drinks- $9 for a spritz but it's strong and good flavor. You can get food wherever and eat at any table then get a drink at the middle bar. The building is so cool. The decorations above are great and the restored historic building adds to the cool vibe. There's a cooking school inside where you can sign up to take classes.
This is an amazing place to go where you can find an abundance of different food options and cuisines from all over. It is quite busy and crowded but I ended up going back multiple times. The sandwiches at La Schiacciata are some of the best you will ever have. Massimiliano is very nice and a great chef. We tried one or two other places such as the pizza and they were very good as well.
There are plenty of options for food. We had the chicken, pizza, hamburger, and pasta at the Mercato. You can't go wrong with any of the selections. Save room for the desserts. Lots of tables to sit and enjoy your meal. All of the foods were cooked and served quickly. I would go back again.
This is a great spot to go for browsing/buying fresh food, to eat lunch at dozens of different restaurant stalls, or for buying a variety of food products such as truffles, balsamic vinegar, etc. We wound up eating here multiple times and every experience was positive. It can serve any purpose from a quick snack to a filling entree. Or, you can easily assemble the makings of the best picnic of your life!
Cool spot to check out if you're visiting as a tourist! It was nice to just see the market. It was extremely crowded when we went around lunch time on a Sunday. There's multiple different food options including pasta, pizza, meat skewers, and more American food. Food here can be hit or miss, next time I'd probably just eat elsewhere else in the city for something more authentic. We ordered gnocchi, which had a great texture, and a carbonara dish which was extremely salty and hard to eat. Meat skewers were good but nothing out of the ordinary. It's first come first serve in terms of sitting at the tables.
Such an amazing market. We got to try some amazing pastries, tried some great truffle products and dried chiles, and even got to eat at 3 different restaurants on the 2nd floor. Highly recommend to those looking to purchase unique gifts.
OBSESSED with this place! This is a must visit place when in Florence. There are 2 floors and the main floor has local produce, meats, etc. This floor is more of a super market vs the 2nd floor is full of different restaurants. The 2nd floor is a very casual spot that has everything in 1 building. Italian food, Japanese food, green food, etc. there are several dessert spots as well. Once you place your order in with any vendor there are TVs that will have your order number and place of restaurant displayed when your items are ready to be retrieved. This is a great spot if you're looking for something on the quicker side. Keep in mind that this does get busy however I think this is still a quicker and more plentiful option compared to a sit down restaurant.
Mercato Centrale is a must when visiting Florence. Yes, it's touristy but it's worth the visit. Outdoors, you have dozens of stalls selling souvenirs, and questionably real leather goods. I did buy a few things with the expectation that they may be fake but I was okay with that. Just make sure you haggle! Inside the market is where you'll find all the food. On the first level, you have some small (but delicious) food stalls, produce, meat, and gifts (think olive oil, balsamic, etc.) for sale. On the second level is a modernized food court with a few sit down stalls. Yes, the food is slightly more expensive than what you would find outside the market, but it truly is a feast for the eyes. If you're going with a group of people, everyone is bound to find something they like to eat here. We visited the market multiple times during our stay - once at around 1 PM, and another time when it was almost closing at 3. Both times were pretty crowded but close to closing was the most crowded. Best way to avoid all the people is to probably visit when it opens. While the food stalls in the market close at 3, the leather goods outside are around until maybe 7 or 8. So the best game plan is to go in first and grab a bite, and then you'll have energy for all that shopping!
We didn't make it here early enough to have a look at the market on the first floor, something I'll regret until I can come back to Florence one day (which might never happen since it may not have been my favorite city, after Rome, on this trip.) We did, however, make it to the second floor to have dinner. I love me a food hall. I try to find one in every city I visit and this one did not disappoint. I hadn't realized it was a bit of a chain (we went to the one in Rome as well) but that didn't matter because the food was good, the drinks were strong and there was plenty of seating. There were a lot of different kinds of seating, some high tops, some low. Some communal tables, some separated. The building itself was beautiful, the ceiling was nice to look at. There are plenty of stalls to choose food from. There are many local specialties sold here, like lampredotto, black truffle in everything and Florentine steak. There are also a lot of general Italian and some other foods, like sushi or kebobs. The tableside service, which we didn't really use, seemed to be fast and efficient. The same servers were clearing tables and they were pretty on top of it.
3 years ago
Wonderful! We shopped around and enjoyed the local produce, wine and specialty products - I only wish we had more time to head to the kiosks upstairs! We ended up coming back the next day for a specialty truffle product tasting; for 15 euro, we received a huge platter of truffled cheeses, meats, sauces, and breads with a full glass of wine. Pretty exceptional. Many of the kiosks start shutting down an hour before the actual close time which is disappointing (although I'd probably do the same thing). Overall, a wonderful culinary experience in Florence! read more
7 years ago
8 years ago
A must!!! We came across this place because my suitcase broke and I needed a replacement. There are so many options and all look great. I order my steak and you mom's chicken ( pictures attached) from Carne E Delizie), my sister had the lasagna and we shared the fresh mozzarella cheese plate. Excellent food. read more
THIS PLACE WAS AMAZING. We liked it so much, we came back later on in the day to do it all over again. My only complaint is that I wish we would have come sooner to experience more of what it had to offer. But it's a must while you're in town. The first floor is a huge market space full of fresh produce, seafood and other local goods. We unfortunately didn't get to walk through, but got to peek inside since it was closed on Sundays. The second floor is a gourmet food court full of pizzas, sandwiches, baked goods, gelatos, coffee, beer, wine and more. I loved the buzz from both locals and tourists that came to eat and enjoy the offerings from each vendor, and I also liked that you could grab a little bit of everything without breaking the bank. Another plus, it's open late, so you can hang out for quite a bit after exploring the city, and they have free wi-fi so you can post all those pics you snapped to your social media accounts as well. Seating comes in the form of communal tables, and we struck up some great conversations with fellow Americans and people that were living nearby. It's a little bit quieter during the day, but at night, it comes alive with people there to hang out, eat, drink and do a little shopping. I can't say enough great things about this place! read more
11 years ago
Oh my goodness truffle pasta! Let me get to the point, skip walking around the first floor area and head straight to the second floor and get their creamy truffle pasta. This was our first stop as soon as we arrived in Florence. Came here supposedly for Lampredotto but actually enjoyed that immensely that I couldn't care about anything else. The central market building is surrounded by cheap Italian leather bag stalls and the first floor is actually a market. There are food stalls on the first floor for traditional Florentine cuisine open for lunch til 3pm and the second floor is open til midnight. I must admit the setup looked quite like an Eataly and it must be. There's a small Eataly store at the corner and a cooking school near it. There's stations for pasta, pizza, Lampredotto, wine, gelato and other things. Once you sit down, someone will come up to you to get your beverage order. Not bad price wise. 20€ for a truffle pasta, I definitely do not mind. Oh did I tell you I hate truffles? Yes. I used to. I am a changed woman. *licks plate* read more
4 years ago
12 years ago
After all my travels, I've realized my favorite (and dare I say BEST) way to explore a new city is through their street/food markets. Mercato Centrale is no exception! This market spans multiple blocks, with the outdoor featuring mostly leather goods (jackets, bags, belts), luggage and various apparel. The inside of the market is basically a food lovers/chefs heaven. Not only can you find colorful, fresh produce and meats, but you can also enjoy freshly prepared porcetta sandwiches, pasta, pizza and wine from Porky's or one of the other restaurants. Beware though, the lines can get crazy! But that's how good the food is. And because of the crowds, it tends to be difficult to get acknowledged so you have to be aggressive and get there early :)) It's dog friendly so bring your pups if you have them. And most of the vendors accept cash only. read more
13 years ago
A few quick tips for the turisticos: 1. For more unique gifts rather than the generic magnets and ugly shirts, there are small spice packets (€3 - 5) for recreating your favorite Italiano dish back home. There's also the usual dry pastas, olive oils, sweets, and other packable edibles. 2. The popular pasta takeout counter in the southern end of the market has cramped tables for dining - the only sit-down area other than the steps outside. 3. Fresh fruit. Because pasta, pasta, pasta and gelato, gelato, gelato for vacation will make you fat, fat, fat. Be healthy once in awhile. 4. Made-to-order sandwiches (€5 - 10). Pick your meat and cheese from endless selection and enjoy with a beer or glass of wine while browsing. read more
This is an absolutely awesome Market in the City Center of Florence ("Mercato Centrale")!!! We found everything to be as fresh as it could possibly be. When exploring all of the various shops within the market you will be overwhelmed with the sensory experience of the colors, the aromas, the hustle and bustle, and the opportunity to sample delicious tastes from the local vendors. Everyone we spoke with was very friendly and welcoming. Many of the local restaurants shop right here at this market for the freshest ingredients available. The market does NOT have a touristy feel to it . . . rather, it remains a very authentic Italian marketplace that is frequented as much by local residents as travelers. Having said that, if you are a visitor like we were during our week-long visit to Florence, you'll undoubtedly find it an outstanding place to find wine, cheese, pastas, chocolates, or many other things to choose from, either to take home for yourself, or as gifts. We certainly felt sorry for the poor souls who got left behind on this trip!!, . . . . and the Central Market was the perfect place to find something to share with them as a little "Taste of Italy" as well. Mercato Centrale is a great place for a capucino or latte . . . a focaccia . . . a pastry . . . . a glass of wine . . . a taste of cheese . . . well you get the idea!! You really can't go wrong here no matter what you choose to enjoy!! read more
The central market in Firenze is the type of place that can be thought of as both a collection of private businesses as well as a public space for the enjoyment of all. It's a meeting place, a cultural exchange, an agora of cuisine. It's also the intersection of the old and new Firenze. The lovely glass and iron hall dates back several hundred years and has hosted a market since. On the first floor is the market, open in the morning and early afternoon. Above you have the market's newest attraction in a food hall that serves cuisine representing many different styles and types of local cuisine. The downstairs market offers too many goods to list here. Some of the highlights include local butchers, enormous selections of vegetables, olive oils, and fresh pasta. This section is worth visiting in the mornings to get fresh foods for your day. Come back at night for dinner, a drink, or dessert upstairs. The upstairs food hall hosts food vendors that run the gamut across Italian cuisine. One station focuses entirely on tartufo (truffles). On our first visit there we tried bruschetta with each type of crostini drenched in tartufo shavings. They even offer a fresh tartufo pasta! We also sampled a fresh Margherita pizza from the pizza station, as well as a focaccia style pizza with turnips. The middle area of the hall is a bar that spans both sides of the upstairs, where you can imbibe in bottles on vino on the cheap, or drop in the wine store upstairs as well. After our first visit, I'm still finding new things to try, such as the well-done gelato or the superb cannoli. No matter how long your stay in Firenze, stop by the central market at least more than once to experience the true heart and soul of the city. read more
12 years ago
10 years ago
Whenever we're in Florence, Mercato Centrale is our hangout place for good food and late night cravings. Food selection is enormous with vendors specializing in pasta, seafood, beer, sweets and pizza. MR says ... they're open late which is the best time to go. less crowd. MRS says ... i like the seafood vendor. i love their fried fish (which are crispy fried shrimps, squids, smelt/anchovies fish) and grilled seafood from squid to prawns. they have mussels in some broth served with bread that's really savory. there's a pizza place that i like at Mercato Centrale. they make 3 types of pizza and napoli is my fave. read more
4 years ago
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Everyone has to come here! A local told me about it, and anything you want to find in Italy as far as food and/or food items for gifts, you will find at a great price here. I bought some Italian truffles after sampling on crackers. They wrapped them up really well as soon as I said 'gift' and 'suitcase' and they made it home just fine. On the first floor you'll find all of the meat, candy, flowers, veggies, that locals have to sell. If you take the escalator to the second floor, you'll find all of the restaurants that are cooking with the local wares. The food there is amazing. Come here just before you leave to get gifts that everyone will appreciate and have lunch afterwards. read more
7 years ago
This is a super fun place in the historic San Lorenzo market. The base floor is a normal farmers market/grocery store only open during the day that offers vegetables and meat (and more) for sale. Upstairs is a great place to come for locals and tourists alike to mingle, have some great food and lively conversation. Similar to a giant food court, but with the best Italian foods, wine, beer, spirits, and desserts. (They frequently advertise how healthy chocolate is, what's not to love?) We came multiple times and enjoyed the sheer variety of just about anything you want. They even had burgers and fries (cheffed up but great) if you're missing the US. If you're not and want to try local cuisine you can check out a lampradetto sandwich. It's cow stomach soaked in tomato sauce. Delicious and satisfying for the adventurous sort. Big nope from the hubs. There's an arancini and cannoli cart and even a cooking school. You can also check out the information booth for tickets to attractions and sporting events. I'd say it's a must-do while in Firenze. Outside, the cheap vendors hawk their leather goods, silk scarfs and ties, and tourist souvenirs. You can definitely negotiate some good prices, and the leather smelled like real leather and seems to have good stitching and quality so it's a great place to check out if you're on a budget too. read more
Lunched 18 June 2017: Everything you always wanted to eat in Italy, then some more. The food court was incredible in it's depth and variety. There's even an Eataly there (not that you'd really want to go there) and there was a cooking school where one can book a table and get served a gourmet, multi-course meal by the aspiring chefs. We went upstairs to the MCF # 2 restaurant sit-down service as we didn't want to battle it out with the lunchtime crowd. Of sourse, we had to sample the Tuscan Tomahawk T-Bone and at 55 Euro per Kg, totally worth it. But if you are a steak fanatic and used to 45 day dry-aged, marbled Ribeye or Porterhouse like in Peter Luger or any other NY steakhouses, this is different: the meat is not as soft as it is a lot leaner. It's grilled, but if you don't eat it fast it will turn chewy. The appetizers were excellent: we had the beef Carpaccio, Octopus and a Caprese salad. a Bottel of excellent Cabernet rounds up a great lunch. read more
This is a great indoor food and restaurant market! First floor is like groceries and fresh fruits, and the second floor is like a food court with different restaurants. There is a truffle restaurant that was Great and only 20euros for a salad with a while entire truffle shaved before our eyes! I overheard a local tour guide telling two ppl that that truffle (tartufo) restaurant was the only one worth eating at :) which made me happy because I'm always trying to avoid tourist traps. read more
11 years ago
Another great place in Merkato Centrale - Central Market. This place is located on the third floor of the market and depending on what time of the day you are in might need a reservation. Bit cooler and comfier place then the other places has cool water spray makes it bit tolerable during hot summer days. Would definitely recommend to go. Great prices for a great food. Order house wines they are great. Got: House red wine - was great. Grilled octopus over mashed potatoes - awesome Fiorentine steak - great. read more
10 years ago
I enjoyed this place very much on a rainy day while passing time. There were so many different food choices and we got to taste a Firenze delicacy. We started off with gelato to whet the palate, of course. Then off to a lampredotto which is tripe and bread. All I can say is WOW! The tripe was so soft and the texture does not remind me of tripe. It tasted like pasta with marinara sauce, which was baffling, but in a good way. It was my favorite dish in Firenze and I wanted another serving. read more
For its 140 anniversary, it has been renewed with modern structure and artistic furniture. Look up, the huge lame hanging from the beautiful windows ceiling are like wooden giants stars. You can eat until 10pm in all the small corners offering seafood, meat, veggie dishes, taste beer and wine, buy Italian recipes books and even buy food to go, both fresh and canned. Spices, teas, legumes from all over the world and traditional food from Tuscany. I stopped at the seafood counter and shared the homemade pasta with fresh cherry tomatoes and mussels, a codfish millefoglie with roasted slices of potatoes and an amazing octopus cooked in the oven with zucchini carpaccio. I cannot say which one was better, they were all delicious! It is not cheap, but sharing 3 dishes got us to spend 18 euros each and we were full. Why not stop at the gelato corner next? read more
8 years ago
This is a must for farmers' market aficionados amongst which my wife and I count ourselves. We are addicted to our own Minneapolis Farmers' Market and have visited markets all over Europe and the USA. The Mercato Centrale Firenze distinguishes itself with an excellent food court on the second floor. The first floor consists primarily of grocery vendors. At the time of year we visited (October) these were mostly butcher shops and cheese and cured meat mongers although I expect that there are more veggies during season. The second floor consists of individual food vendors - really small take out restaurants- selling a variety of foods. This in no way resembles a food court in the USA with a their usual insipid chains. Each vendor here appears to be a small individual business similar to food trucks in the USA. There is a large dining area with lots of seating and most of the people working behind the counters spoke excellent English. The majority of the food items were Tuscan specialities but there were dim sum, hamburgers, and sushi. There were also a couple of bars selling wine and beer. So you can have a regular meal at the Market. I opted for a selection of deep fried tripe, rabbit, and chicken and a variety of veggies including onions, eggplant, zucchini, etc. Sort of an Italian tempura. It was very good although everything tasted more or less the same. There were many other options which looked delicious but I can only eat so much. Outside the market building are many vendors selling mostly leather goods. Inside the market there is also a cooking school and we watched the students prepare fresh pasta. We arrived at about 10:30 am and there weren't many people there but at noon it filled up in a hurry. The market is very clean and not smelly which is sometimes not the case. I would highly recommend a visit to The Mercato Centrale Firenze as an antidote to the impossible lines and crowds at the popular tourist sites. read more
I don't even know how to put into words how amazing this food market is. We came here twice during our visit to Florence, and it was definitely one of our favorite parts of the trip. Mercato Centrale Firenze is the perfect place to go if you want to try several different things without overstuffing yourself. This gourmet food court is beautifully laid out, clean, and has no shortages of tables. Everything I tried was wonderful: a wood-fire pizza with basil and fresh buffalo mozzarella (so fresh and delicious), a pesto pasta with potatoes (honestly one of the best pasta of the trip), squid ink and ragu risotto balls. My personal favorite vendor is the small Sicilian stand right next to the stairs. The girl who works there is so friendly and offers the BEST freshly piped cannolis. I also had the lemon granita and some risotto balls from here, all delicious! Make sure to visit this gem if you are in Florence, you won't regret it!! read more
Great spot to walk around and grab something to eat and drink. The first floor is where you can buy goods like meats, cheeses, fish, pastas, fruits, veggies, etc for home. The second floor is more like a food hall where you can choose from many different stalls. There's also a small Eataly on the second floor along with a cooking kitchen. You will be able to find seating upstairs for you to eat and also toilets. One can definitely kill two hours wandering and eating here. read more
Cute food hall in Florence. It has a lot of food options on the second floor. It's clean and quick. Thankfully not too crowded. Got the pizza. It was good! There are plenty of options, sandwiches, pasta, dumplings, etc. also has two bars! Toilets are free and clean! read more
This was the best serendipitous find in Florence! My friend and I were checking out some of the street vendors when I saw the sign for Mercato Centrale, a historic covered food market in the San Lorenzo district. We wandered in and were instantly blown away by the awesomeness of this market. Here, you can find bread, sandwiches, fruits and veggies, nuts, spices, (cured) meats, cheese, fried foods, chocolate, gelato, fresh pasta, pizza, wines, and typical Tuscan snacks such as lampredotto and budelline. There's also a cafe/bar, bookshop, and Eataly grocery where you can buy olives, pastas, wines, candies, and lots more. You can get lost for hours here, getting a sandwich for lunch, following up with gelato, tasting wines, and buying gourmet Italian foods. Mercato Centrale is close to Duomo, so it's centrally located. A lot of folks love Nerbone, a cafeteria-style eatery that specializes in a boiled beef sandwich and topped with salsa verde and salsa piccante. read more
Where in London you get fast food on shopping centres, here you get to sample some of Italy's favourite and popular dishes all in one place, on the top floor of Mercato San Lorenzo. It's a great place to pick up one or two dishes from each stall and head to a communal dining place in the centre to eat it all. There's a bar where you can order drinks too. Located in an indoor market its perfect for all weather conditions. The place is big and clean with free clean public toilets if anyone is concerned. The only problem here that there is a lot of choice so follow my photos for reference to know where I chose to eat as many stalls sell the same thing. FRITTOS Some of the best frittos I've had in Italy yet from one of the stalls. Suppu Con Ragu risotto ball was amazingly thin and crisp of the outside breaking into a lovely soft sticky inside of rice, Parmesan cheese and fragrant ragu. Fried pasta cube was better than any fried mac and cheese in London made with hollow thin tubes of pasta, fresh ham and creamy cheese sauce. It was wet and crispy, the perfect combination. Polpette du carne was made of beef and came still juicy and pink inside. It was lovely, sweet and seasoned well. Maklone was made of lovely soft boiled spinach and potatoes created a lovely juicy silky yet creamy texture against a thin crispy batter. BURGER Tigerella beef burger with spicy salami and spicy ketchup. I really enjoyed the bun being made from circular flat bread baked creating a crispy crust yet soft and doughy in the inside. As it was slightly chewy the natural sweetness comes through each bite. The patty was nice and juicy, high in quality and the salami pushed the flavours further adding spices and a nice smokey sweetness. Pretty cool and a new bun type to try. VEGETARIAN From the vegetarian stand we ordered a soup made of potatoes, peppers, chickpeas and oregano. Sadly it lacked depth and flavour and wasn't worth €6.00 I had to add some red chilli powder and pepper to give it a punch and variation in taste. PIZZA Freshly made pizza in front of you. The sourdough pizza base was amazing, smokey and doughy. It was thin enough in the middle to let the lovely pickled turnip greens take over in texture and to give it umami. The lovely fresh juicy sausage meat was very welcomed for that extra meaty flavour and the melted cheese was stretchy and plentiful to hold everything together. Delicious PASTA Oh my gosh! Pasta in truffle cream was a true bargain for €10. It was just beautiful. Simple spaghetti in a rich fragrant sauce of truffles. It was thick, each strand costed with more truffles than it can handle and there is me slurping it down. The sauce was so plentiful and delicious that I had to lick the remaining sauce of the plate clean. Prices aren't particular cheap or expensive and can vary stall to stall. At least you don't have to worry about service charge or choose where to eat as they have such a wide selection it can cater for everyone. The lighting is comfortable and relaxing although I do recommend to come before rush hour before all the tables go. It's seems to be a mix of locals and tourists. An awesome place overall and highly recommended. read more
More info about Mercato Centrale
Piazza del Mercato Centrale 4
50123 Florence
Italy
Santa Maria Novella
Directions
055 2399798
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https://www.mercatocentrale.it
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