Italian€sant-ambrogio
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.
Italian€centro-storico
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.
Wine bar€san-lorenzo
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.
Italian€oltrarno
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.
Italian€san-lorenzoSun 09:00-17:00
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.
Pizzeria€santa-croce
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.