With so much to see and do in Florence, there’s not always enough time in the day to sit down for every meal. Thankfully, a vibrant culture of street food in Florence won’t leave you hungry!
Whether grabbing a quick gelato to cool off or hunting down a more satisfying panino, Florence has an abundance of cheap, delicious grab-and-go restaurants, bars, windows, trucks, and carts. Here’s where to find the best street food in Florence—and what to order at each spot!
Trippaio del Porcellino
Lampredotto is the original Florentine street food. The tripe makers at Trippaio del Porcellino (Piazza del Mercato Nuovo) have been in business for over 100 years. The cart is behind the Il Porcellino statue, so you can rub the bronze boar’s nose for luck before getting your sandwich.
Try the Panino al lampredotto completo, a lampredotto sandwich with spicy pepper sauce and refreshing green sauce. Get a cup of red wine or a beer depending on your mood and enjoy a taste of Florence.
Antica Porchetteria Granieri 1916
The whole-roasted porchetta, or stuffed pork, is a Tuscan classic. Antica Porchetteria Granieri 1916 (Via Porta Rossa, 27) is about a block and a half away from Ponte Vecchio and has been serving up porchetta sandwiches for generations.
Porchetta is prepared with so many seasonings and spices that you should try it plain for the first time around to get a sense of the traditional flavors. It can be a little dry, so definitely get a drink to wash it down. Once you give porchetta a try, there are sauces and cheese you can add to customize your sandwich.
Panini Toscani
There is no shortage of panini spots in Florence, but Panini Toscani (Piazza del Duomo 34R) is our go-to. The shop is located directly behind the Duomo and rarely has a long line. They offer visitors a tasting of the day’s cured meats and cheese offerings before you order your sandwich—who doesn’t love to try before you buy?
You can customize your panino from start to finish with varying options for bread, meat, cheese, vegetables, and spreads. For a typical Tuscan panino, try the combo of salty prosciutto, creamy fresh pecorino cheese, peppery arugula, and their special spicy pepper spread.
La Spadelleria
Sometimes you get a hankering for pasta that you just can’t shake. La Spadelleria (Via dei Neri, 13R) is there to save the day with fresh pasta served in a to-go cup.
La Spadelleria has a wide selection of pre-cooked pastas and ravioli that they warm up together with your choice of sauce to order. The menu also offers piadina, which is a typical Central Italian grilled round flatbread filled with meat, cheese, and vegetables.
Istanbul Doner Kebap
While not an Italian dish, kebab (or kebap in Turkish) is a common street food found in Florence. Istanbul Doner Kebap serves up tender, juicy, flavorful kebab near Santa Croce.
Kebab meat is slow roasted on a vertical rotisserie, allowing the juices to stay put during the roasting process. Istanbul Doner Kebap marinates the meat for a full day before piling it onto the spit for roasting. The kebab is served in a sandwich or a wrap, and you can dress it up with vegetables, sauces, and even french fries.
Salumeria Verdi – Pino’s Sandwiches
Pino’s is a favorite spot for street food in Florence among study abroad students—and it’s not hard to see why! The menu selection at Salumeria Verdi is almost as huge as the panini themselves that come at a low price point.
Pino starts every sandwich with a generous square of schiacciata, a flat Tuscan bread kind of like a sturdier focaccia. The “Emily” sandwich is a fan favorite, and we also recommend “La Bandiera” (“The Flag”). The red, white, and green cross section contains ingredients from across the Italian peninsula like salami from Milan and ‘nduja from Calabria.
Gustarium
You may have heard of pizza by the slice, but have you tried pizza by weight? The practice might sound odd, but pizza al taglio is great for a quick bite in Florence. Gustarium (Via Dei Cimatori 24R) is a couple streets over from Piazza della Signoria and prepares excellent pizza.
The beauty of pizza al taglio is that you can mix and match slices to try a little bit of everything. We recommend getting two or three pieces to start. You can always go back for more!
