Florence's gelato tradition runs through fior di latte, stracciatella, pistacchio, and the unique buontalenti (vanilla-yolk custard cream invented at the Medici court in 1559).
Gelato was invented at the Medici court in 1559 when Florentine architect Bernardo Buontalenti commissioned a frozen custard for a banquet honouring a visiting Spanish delegation. The buontalenti flavour, made with egg yolks, cream, and a hint of bergamot, is the original Florentine gelato. Modern artisan gelaterias (Vivoli, Perché No, Gelateria della Passera) maintain the 19th-century tradition with shop-made daily small batches.
4 editor picks for Gelato Fiorentino in Florence, ranked by editorial score. All Florence signature dishes · Gelato Fiorentino across every city.
Mercato Centrale ★ 4.6
san-lorenzo · Piazza del Mercato Centrale, 50123 Firenze
Mercato Centrale in Florence's San Lorenzo is the city's main covered market in a 1874 cast-iron Giuseppe Mengoni building, with butcher and produce stalls.
Mercato Sant'Ambrogio ★ 4.6
sant-ambrogio · Piazza Lorenzo Ghiberti, 50122 Firenze
Mercato Sant'Ambrogio in Florence's eastern quarter is the second covered market, a 1873 cast-iron building, with produce stalls, the Trattoria da Rocco.
I Due Fratellini ★ 4.5
centro-storico · Via dei Cimatori 38r, 50122 Firenze
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 for €4.
Fierucola di Santo Spirito ★ 4.4
oltrarno · Piazza Santo Spirito, 50125 Firenze
Fierucola di Santo Spirito in Florence is the monthly Tuscan-small-producer market on Piazza Santo Spirito, every third Sunday since 1984, with 70 stalls.