Mercato Centrale, Florence

The central market is an ideal place to sit down and grab a quick bite or to have a larger meal. The atmosphere is enjoyable and the staff is very helpful. English is understood and spoken. There is a quite broad selection of beers (such as Trappist). There are a lot of different food stands to choose from. There are options for gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian and vegan meals as well.

A great place to eat in Florence. Not fancy but lots of good food and drink. Busy, cosmopolitan and fun. Having come again 2 years later I think it deserves 5 stars. It is still great value for meals and drinks and desserts of all kinds. Just excellent!

You have to come here, it's a market in the middle of Florence. The downstairs has about 70 fresh food vendors selling everything from vegetables, to cheese, to meat, to wine etc. You could wander for countless hours just admiring the stands and their contents. Once you finish your examination of the bottom and think you're done, you're not. The upstairs is a food court where they use the ingredients from downstairs. It's huge and expansive. It has everything from bruschetta to burgers, to truffle pasta and even sushi. It's also compete with a bar that has about a dozen local beers on tap. Best thing is the food court is open until midnight, so it makes it really easy to fit into your daily plans.

Cool food market. There is an eating area upstairs and is very cool organised - same "market" brand as the one on Roma Termini. Tried the fish stand and had a skewer with salad, fish soup (mussels) and oysters. It is a bit expensive - every stand but it is a cool place to sense the atmosphere of Italian culture. There are vegetarian options, pasta, pizza, salads, fish - everything.

So good we went twice in three days. Loads of options for fresh food whether you want a snack or a proper meal. Pasta, pizza, fish, steak, burgers, cakes, pastries, drinks, the lot. Split over two floors, more of a market feel downstairs, while upstairs is smarter and more of a bar/restaurant feel. Definitely recommend Pasta Fresca downstairs.