Eat local, shop Florentine
Here you’ll find tips on tapping into the local spirit. Visiting the Florence area means discovering the true character of the land through its food and wine traditions, artisan crafts, historic shops, markets, and local products that tell its story. Trust us!
Florence's historic shops
Our digital catalog makes it easy to find every shop in Florence carrying the official “Esercizio Storico Fiorentino” seal, like trattorias, artisan workshops, fashion boutiques, pharmacies, and much more. Choosing these places as your gateway into Florentine culture helps preserve what makes this place one of a kind and supports the local economy. Take home a piece of a story that began centuries ago.
Typical Florentine dishes
The list of must-try dishes is long — and hotly debated, much like the never-ending argument over who makes the best gelato in Florence (try as many as you can and decide for yourself!).
Bread, vegetables, and beans star in many traditional dishes, like ribollita, pappa al pomodoro, and panzanella, which have long won over vegetarians the world over. On the other end of the spectrum, bistecca alla fiorentina — always served rare — is a must for meat lovers, along with the classic food trucks serving up sandwiches filled with tripe or lampredotto.
Typical dishes from the surrounding area
Venture into the hills around Florence and the list only grows longer and more varied. The whole Florence metropolitan area is a food lover’s paradise, packed with dishes well worth tasting. A few examples? Ribollita, brains, peposo, beans with sage and tomato (“fagioli all’uccelletto”)…
Historic markets
There’s no better place to soak up the flavor of a city than its markets. Florence has two main ones — San Lorenzo and Sant’Ambrogio. There you can sample seasonal fruit and vegetables, pick up fresh bread and cheese, or grab a bite at one of the food stalls inside.