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 between €8 and €15 and an espresso for €1.20.
Must 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.
Address: Piazza del Mercato Centrale, 50123 Firenze, Florence
Da Nerbone in Florence's Mercato Centrale ground floor pours the lampredotto panino for €5.50 since 1872, bread dipped in the cooking broth, with tripe stuffed in and salsa verde and chilli oil from the bottles.
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.
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 and a glass of house red for €3.
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.
Forno Pugi in Florence has been the neighbourhood forno since 1925, with three shops baking pizza al taglio, schiacciata, focaccia and the Florentine pastries daily, with portions at €4 to €8 each.
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.
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 across the carte, the queue running daily from 12:00.
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, with tripe stuffed in and salsa verde and chilli oil from the bottles.
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 each, and a glass of house Chianti for €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 and a glass of house red for €3.
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 and a quartino of house red for €3.
Try: Market lunch menu
Order: The daily pasta, ribollita in winter, a quartino of house red.
Tip: Lunch only Mon-Sat 12:00 to 15:00. Cash only. Arrive at 12:30 to beat the second rush.
