If you have found a luxury villa in Florence and are spending time exploring the city, you are bound to work up quite the appetite, darting from attraction to attraction. While there may be an endless list of restaurants, cafes, bars, pizzerias and delis to check out, there is one place, in particular, that we recommend; the Mercato Centrale.
The brainchild of Umberto Montano and Claudio Cardini, the Mercato Centrale is a covered market in the historic San Lorenzo neighbourhood that was opened in the Spring of 2014, on the 140th anniversary of the iron and glass building in which is is located. The building in question was erected in 1874 and was designed by architect Giuseppe Mengoni, who was also the designer of the San Ambrogio market and the more famous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in Milan.
The brainchild of Umberto Montano and Claudio Cardini, the Mercato Centrale is a covered market in the historic San Lorenzo neighbourhood that was opened in the Spring of 2014, on the 140th anniversary of the iron and glass building in which is is located. The building in question was erected in 1874 and was designed by architect Giuseppe Mengoni, who was also the designer of the San Ambrogio market and the more famous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in Milan.
Open daily, it has brought life back to this once vibrant and historic mercantile part of the city. Placing traditional shops and food artisans centre stage, there are all sorts of produce on offer; bread and confectionary, fresh fish, fried food and rissoles, fruit and vegetables, meats and salamis, buffalo mozzarella, cheeses, chocolate and ice cream, fresh pasta, wines, lampredotto and sandwiches, and more besides. Offering local foods produced by passional local experts, at excellent prices, it is a foodie's dream.
However, it is also a great destination for groups as it houses all sorts of cuisines under one roof. The market is downstairs, on the ground floor, and a huge food court with five hundred seats to choose from and free WiFi is upstairs. You can get everything from local dishes to sushi to vegan and vegetarian food so it really is the best place to keep everyone in the group happy!
Some of the best producers that you will find include: Angelo and Emanuele Campomaggiore Dairy with their excellent, fresh buffalo mozzarella; Il Tartufo's wonderful truffle delicacies created by Luciano Savini; Pasta Fresca's classic and creative pasta dishes; and Lorenzo Nigro and his family's Lampredotto, a traditional beef trip sandwich and a dish that can only to be found in Florence.
With pretty, historic surroundings, lots to see, local specialities and endless choice, where better to eat while in Florence than the Mercato Centrale?
However, it is also a great destination for groups as it houses all sorts of cuisines under one roof. The market is downstairs, on the ground floor, and a huge food court with five hundred seats to choose from and free WiFi is upstairs. You can get everything from local dishes to sushi to vegan and vegetarian food so it really is the best place to keep everyone in the group happy!
Some of the best producers that you will find include: Angelo and Emanuele Campomaggiore Dairy with their excellent, fresh buffalo mozzarella; Il Tartufo's wonderful truffle delicacies created by Luciano Savini; Pasta Fresca's classic and creative pasta dishes; and Lorenzo Nigro and his family's Lampredotto, a traditional beef trip sandwich and a dish that can only to be found in Florence.
With pretty, historic surroundings, lots to see, local specialities and endless choice, where better to eat while in Florence than the Mercato Centrale?
Photo credit: Sailko / CC BY-SA 3.0