Eat well in Florence for under €15 a plate: the locals'-budget edition.
Eat well in Florence for under €15 a plate: the places locals on a budget actually use.
All'Antico Vinaio in Florence's Via dei Neri is the schiacciata-counter chain with four shops on the same street, with the 30cm stuffed flatbread for €8.
Try: Schiacciata sandwich
Order: La Favolosa schiacciata (porchetta, pecorino, artichoke cream).
Tip: Four shops on Via dei Neri; the 65r is the original. Eat on the steps of Santa Croce.
Da Nerbone in Florence's Mercato Centrale ground floor pours the lampredotto panino for €5.50 since 1872, bread dipped in the cooking broth.
Try: Lampredotto panino
Order: Panino al lampredotto bagnato with salsa verde and salsa piccante.
Tip: Cash only; closed Sunday. Queue from 11:30. The plate of bollito-and-broth runs €8.
I Due Fratellini in Florence's Via dei Cimatori has run the mini-panino counter since 1875, a hole-in-the-wall format with 28 panini varieties at €4.
Try: Mini panini
Order: Wild-boar salami panino, the soppressata-and-pecorino, a glass of house Chianti.
Tip: Cash only; standing on the kerb. Closed Sunday. Shelves outside hold your wine glass.
Trattoria Mario in Florence's San Lorenzo has run the working-class lunch counter since 1953 next to Mercato Centrale, with a daily pasta carte at €8 a primo.
Try: Lunch trattoria pasta and meat
Order: Ribollita, pappardelle al cinghiale, a glass of house Chianti for €3.
Tip: Queue from 12:00; lunch-only Mon-Sat. Cash only. Closed all of August.
Trattoria da Rocco in Florence's Mercato Sant'Ambrogio loggia runs the market-canteen lunch format, with a chalkboard daily two-course menu at €12.
Try: Market lunch menu
Order: The daily pasta, ribollita in winter, a quartino of house red.
Tip: Lunch only Mon-Sat 12:00-15:00. Cash only. Arrive at 12:30 to beat the second rush.
Trippaio del Porcellino in Florence is the lampredotto cart at the Mercato Nuovo loggia next to the Porcellino bronze boar, with panini for €5.50.
Try: Lampredotto cart panino
Order: Lampredotto panino bagnato, trippa-and-fagioli plate, a glass of house red.
Tip: Open daily 09:00-19:00. Cash only; standing room around the cart.
Casa del Vino in Florence's San Lorenzo has been the 1898 wine bar behind Mercato Centrale, with panini at €5 a piece, a 200-strong by-the-glass list at €3.
Try: Wine-bar panini
Order: Panino with finocchiona, lardo crostino, a glass of Chianti Classico.
Tip: Closed Sunday; standing only. €3 glasses; €5 panini. The shelf outside the door holds your glass.
Trattoria La Casalinga in Florence's Oltrarno off Piazza Santo Spirito has been the family-run home-cooking room since 1963, with the four pillars of cucina.
Try: Florentine cucina povera lunch
Order: Ribollita, pappa al pomodoro, trippa alla fiorentina.
Tip: Closed Sunday; cash only. Lunch is calmer; dinner books up a week ahead.
Mercato Centrale Firenze's first-floor food hall houses 18 artisan counters under one roof, from pasta to pizza, lampredotto and bistecca, with most plates.
Try: Food-hall pasta, lampredotto, pizza
Order: Lampredotto from Lorenzo Nigro's counter, the daily fresh pasta from il Tartufo, an espresso.
Tip: Open daily until midnight. Counter format; €15 lunch with a glass of wine.
Forno Pugi in Florence has been the neighbourhood forno since 1925, with three shops baking pizza al taglio, schiacciata, focaccia and the Florentine.
Try: Schiacciata and pizza al taglio
Order: Pizza al taglio (the chocolate-cream schiacciata fiorentina in Carnevale), focaccia stuffed.
Tip: Counter only; cash and card. Viale De Amicis original is the largest; smaller shops on Via San Gallo.