Mercato Centrale di San Lorenzo
Florence's grandest food market occupies a cast-iron and glass pavilion built in 1874, and it remains the beating culinary heart of the San Lorenzo neighbourhood. The ground floor is a working produce market; the first floor is a buzzing food hall where you can eat everything from lampredotto to craft beer without leaving the building.
Ground Floor: The Real Market
Arrive before 10 am on a weekday and you'll find Florentine nonnas squeezing tomatoes alongside professional chefs loading up on bistecca Fiorentina cuts, aged pecorino, and fat bunches of cavolo nero. The butchers here are among the most respected in the city.
The truffle vendors near the central aisle sell fresh and preserved truffles at prices far below what you'd pay in a restaurant — a small jar of truffle paste makes an exceptional, easy-to-pack gift.
First Floor Food Hall
The upper floor was transformed in 2014 into a permanent food hall with around 20 open-kitchen stalls. Nerbone, one of Florence's most beloved tripe and sandwich counters, has operated in the market since 1872 — order the bollito nel pane (boiled beef sandwich dipped in broth) and eat standing at the counter like a local.
Other stalls worth seeking out include a dedicated pasta fresca counter where you can watch sheets of pappardelle being cut by hand, and a Florentine gelato bar that uses seasonal fruit from the ground-floor vendors below.
The Outdoor Stalls
Surrounding the building on Via dell'Ariento and Piazza San Lorenzo is a sprawling outdoor market selling leather goods, scarves, and tourist souvenirs. Quality varies wildly — look for vendors who can show you the leather being worked rather than buying pre-packaged goods.
The outdoor stalls open around 9 am and most pack up by 7 pm; Sunday trading is reduced. The indoor market closes at 5 pm on the ground floor.
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