The colorful open air market of San Lorenzo has always been an attraction for the visitors of Florence. But even more attractive than the outdoor market is the bustling indoor Mercato Centrale, just adjacent to the souvenir shops in San Lorenzo. If you want to experience excellent Italian food at very reasonable prices, this is the place to go.
Visiting this market is one of the most fun things to do in Florence. From pickled olives, the freshest fruits and veggies, to cheeses and breads, oils, wines and meats you can find everything.
Overview
Mercato Centrale Upper Floor
The two story cast-iron building dating back to 1874 wasn’t always what it is today. While the ground floor has always been home to butchers and fruits and vegetables vendors, the place where the Florentines bought their food, the upper floor laid empty and abandoned for very many years.
In 2014 restaurateur Umberto Montano launched a project that would give Florence back one of its historic locations: the first floor of the Mercato Centrale. The major makeover turned the area of San Lorenzo into a very attractive place for tourists.
The first floor has been completely redesigned and turned into an unmissable food destination. If you haven’t visited the city since April 2014, you most likely missed the great restaurants at Mercato Centrale in Florence. This is a great place to enjoy the local Italian cuisine in a very casual atmosphere.
The large floor has been broken down into section with defined cooking areas built for the region’s top cooks and producers. The central area is occupied by a bar and coffee machines and is adorned with a colorful and kicky replica of Michelangelo’s statue of David.
The seating area is huge, with over 500 seats available where you can enjoy your food. The atmosphere is very relaxed.
The Restaurants at Mercato Centrale, Florence
It’s very easy to wander around and take your pick from the many food stands that abound with creamy ravioli, freshly baked lasagna, Veal á la Florentine, southern style pizza and hand rolled gnocchi. The food options are absolutely amazing. From fresh fish and meats, to bread and patisserie products, cheeses, and gelato, you can immerse yourself in food here.
The restaurants at Mercato Centrale are the ideal stop for families visiting Florence with children. Or for solo travelers who want to mingle with people. The place is a favorite with the locals, who come to mix and mingle in their lunch break or after work.
The Cooking School at Mercato Centrale
One of the attractions at Mercato Centrale is the cooking school, Cucina Lorenzo de’ Medici. Who wouldn’t enjoy learning how to cook like an Italian, in Italy? At the cooking school inside Mercato Centrale you’ll get some first hand experience in preparing homemade pasta and sauces.
And if you don’t don’t want a hands on experience, the glass walls surrounding the cooking school allow you to peak inside. The school has sixteen individual workstations, all equipped with top of the line appliances and kitchen utensils.
Electronic tablets allow participants to follow the instructions of chefs. Each class runs approximately 90 minutes. The classes cost is between €50-€70 and it includes all the ingredients used in the class.
With one of these cooking lessons you will learn all kinds of tips and techniques of of preparing meat and fish courses, while savoring the fruits of your labor with Italian wines.
How to Get to Mercato Centrale in Florence
Mercato Centrale is located in the San Lorenzo quarter. To reach the market is just 5 minutes on foot from the S. Maria Novella train station, and 10 minutes from the Duomo and Piazza San Marco.
Since its makeover, the Restaurants at Mercado Centrale in Florence became more than just an eating place. It became a cultural experience, an arcade of cuisine. A place of concurrence, where people of different backgrounds can find something in common. Mercato Centrale Restaurants in Florence are a total and compete foodies paradise, so don’t miss it if you are ever in Florence!
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Place4Papers
Thanks for the amazing photos! The market is really gorgeous!
Michele {Malaysian Meanders}
I haven’t been to Florence since the late 90’s and didn’t realize that this great Mercato Centrale existed. If I went now, I’d definitely want to stop here, especially around lunch time with an empty stomach. It looks wonderful.
Linda Bibb
Well this most definitely calls for a return trip. Not that we needed a reason to go back to Florence. We were there in 2011 and – foodies that we are – we were enchanted by the Mercato even then. Florentine food is our favorite Italian cuisine.
Anda Galffy
I love Italian food too, Linda. I think everybody does.
Lachera
I do not remember the upper floor being abandoned for long. Till 2011 or so butchers were on ground floor and vegetable sellers on the upper floor, they were partly transferred to ground floor, partly to the piazza on the back and then kicked out to make space for the reworking of the upper floor into the present form.
Anda Galffy
The upper floor was abandoned for longer than 10 years, Lachera.
XX, Will Travel
Beautiful pics! Makes me long for a trip to Italy – and for breakfast! 🙂
Sally@Toddlers on Tour
Whilst the choice of all that food looked wonderful I really liked the art/sculptures that were situated in the middle of the market.
Sarah Ebner
These photos are absolutely stunning (and made me feel hungry!) We went to Florence on our honeymoon, but we haven’t been back. I think it would be great to take the kids and this would be a must-visit.
Anda Galffy
I’m sure your family will enjoy a return trip to Florence, Sarah.
Lyn @thetravellinglindfields
Markets are so much fun to explore when you are travelling and this one seems to be no exception. I do find it a bit weird they way Italians (and Spanish) sell chickens with the heads still attached. I’ve always wondered what they do with them.
Anda Galffy
They put them in soup. Growing up in Romania, I saw my grandmother doing that.
Corinne
Yet another gorgeous market. It really is all about the food and the culture isn’t it. I love it.
Rhonda Albom
What a fantastic market. Even with 500 seats it looks like it is pretty crowded. The modernized David in the centre is interesting. Wonderful photos, both the wide angles for atmosphere and the close ups that almost make me hungry.
Ruth - Tanama Tales
Ha, ha! I saw your comment on my blog post! The funny thing is that you posted about the Mercato Central and I posted about the Mercat Central. Same thing in different languages (I used the Valencians spelling instead of using the Spanish spelling). Anyway, this market in Florence looks great. I have to admit I went to Italy many years ago and didn’t visit even one market. That was a youth mistake. I have to go back an fix that mistake.
Anda Galffy
Yea, almost the same spelling and definitely the same meaning.
Mary (The World Is A Book}
We loved this place! We ate here during lunch and dinner. It really is wonderful how they revitalized the building. Oh those choices in there! Wish we had something that even comes close to this here.
Anda Galffy
Yes, indeed, Mary! We have nothing even close to that in the States.
vegeTARAian
I had such a fabulous dinner at that market, it was one of my favourite things about visiting Florence! It’s such a fabulous way to sample all the wonderful local produce.
Anda Galffy
Me too! I loved the food there.