Florence is famous for its art, its architecture, and its obsession with good food. But you don't need a reservation or a full sit-down meal to eat good food here. The city has a centuries-old street food culture built around one thing: the sandwich.
So if you're after an overstuffed panino (the Tuscan word for a stuffed bread roll), a crispy square of schiacciata (Florentine flatbread), or a bowl of braised tripe on the side of the road, Florence is your go-to city.
Plan your visit wisely and keep reading to find out exactly where to eat your way through it!
All'Antico Vinaio
All'Antico Vinaio’s sandwiches
Address: Via dei Neri 74/76r, Florence (a short walk from the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore)
Must-order: Fichi and favolosa (truffle cream, spicy salami, and artichoke)
No list of the best sandwiches in Florence starts anywhere else. All'Antico Vinaio on Via dei Neri is the most talked-about sandwich shop in all of Italy. The queue wraps around the block most days, but it moves faster than it looks, and the food is absolutely worth it.
The fichi (fig jam, finocchiona salami, and stracchino cheese on fresh schiacciata) is the signature: sweet, salty, and creamy in equal measure. The bread is baked in-house and pressed flat until golden; the fillings are generous almost to the point of absurdity, and the whole thing costs around $20 USD.
You can also join a guided Florence food tour with Antico Vinaio skip-the-line access if you'd rather skip the wait entirely and get the full story behind the shop.
Da Nerbone
Bollito (boiled beef sandwich) at Nerbone | Photo by alchen_x on Flickr
Address: Inside Mercato Centrale, Piazza del Mercato Centrale, Florence
Must-order: Lampredotto sandwich on a bagnato
Nerbone has been feeding Florentines inside the Mercato Centrale since 1872, and it still attracts queues of locals at lunch. The stall is located on the ground floor of the covered market in San Lorenzo.
The lampredotto sandwich (lampredotto is braised cow's stomach; more on that below) is the thing to get here. It arrives on a semelle roll that's been dunked in the cooking broth, topped with green salsa verde and a drizzle of red chili sauce.
For a more curated market experience, a food tour with a chef at Sant'Ambrogio Market is a great way to explore similar market culture just across the city.
Lampredotto sandwiches at the tripe carts (trippaio)
A lampredotto sandwich | Photo by William Held on Wikimedia
Lampredotto is the true Florentine sandwich experience, and you'll find it not in restaurants but at trippaios, or small carts or windows set up around the city, usually run by the same family for generations. The fourth stomach of the cow is slow-braised in broth with tomatoes, onions, and herbs until soft and deeply flavored, then sliced and stuffed into a bread roll.
The Trippaio di San Frediano in the Oltrarno neighborhood and Tripperia Ferruccio near Piazza della Repubblica are two of the most loved. Expect to pay around $4-5 USD for a sandwich, and expect to stand on the pavement and eat it.
If you want to try lampredotto alongside other classic Florentine street food in context, this street food tour in Florence covers the highlights in a single afternoon.
Buca Mario
Closer look at a schiacciata | Photo by Valeria Boltneva on Pexels
Address: Piazza degli Ottaviani, 16r, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy
Must-order: Schiacciata with lardo di colonnata, aged pecorino, and truffle honey
For a slightly more relaxed version of the classic Florentine panino, Buca Mario is near Ponte Vecchio in the heart of the historic center. It's a local institution that's been around since the late 1800s, and while it operates as a full trattoria at dinner, the lunch counter serves excellent sandwiches at street food prices.
Look for the schiacciata filled with lardo di colonnata (cured fatback from the mountains near Carrara), pecorino, and truffle honey. It's a combination that sounds outrageous but works beautifully—the fat melts slightly into the warm bread, and the honey pulls everything together.
Semel
Address: Piazza Lorenzo Ghiberti, 44/r, 50122 Firenze, FI, Italy
Must-order: Mortadella with pistachio cream and lemon zest on fresh schiacciata
Semel is one of those spots that locals usually gatekeep. It's a small sandwich bar in the Oltrarno neighborhood that specializes in schiacciata-based sandwiches, made fresh throughout the day with seasonal fillings that change according to what looks good at the market.
A typical option here is mortadella with pistachio cream and lemon zest or roasted aubergine with buffalo mozzarella and basil. The space is tiny, and there's usually a short queue by noon, but it turns over quickly. It's also close to the Basilica of Santa Croce, making it a solid lunch stop after a morning of sightseeing in the area.
Buonamici
Address: Via dell'Orto, 27R, 50124 Firenze FI, Italy
Must-order: Arista on a rosetta roll
Not every great best panino in Florence comes from a sandwich shop. Buonamici is a macelleria (butcher) in the San Niccolò neighborhood that does what many Florentine butchers do perfectly: roast a pork shoulder or beef brisket each morning, then sell it in sandwiches over the counter until it's gone.
The arista (slow-roasted pork loin with rosemary and garlic) on a crusty rosetta roll is a local staple. It fills up fast with office workers at 12:30pm, so aim to arrive before or just after the main lunch rush.
Trattoria Mario
Ribollita | Photo by Ta4e Negodue on Wikimedia
Address: Via Rosina 2r, Florence (just off Piazza del Mercato Centrale)
Must-order: Specialty of the day
Trattoria Mario is a lunchtime-only canteen near the Mercato Centrale that's been feeding Florentines since 1953 on shared tables with no menu choices and no nonsense. But what many visitors miss is that the kitchen occasionally serves leftover ribollita or peposo (black pepper beef stew) stuffed into bread rolls for those who ask at the counter.
It's not an official menu item, which is exactly why it's worth mentioning. If you're in the neighborhood before 1pm, ask what's going into the rolls that day. You might get ribollita (Tuscan bean stew bread), or you might get something entirely different.
FAQs about the best sandwich in Florence
What is the most famous sandwich in Florence?
All'Antico Vinaio on Via dei Neri is widely considered the most famous sandwich shop in Florence. Their signature schiacciata-based panino stuffed with finocchiona, stracchino cheese, and fig jam has become a city icon.
What is lampredotto, and should I try it in Florence?
Lampredotto is braised cow's fourth stomach and one of the most traditional foods in Florence. It's slow-cooked in broth with tomatoes and herbs until tender, then served in a bread roll (often dipped in the cooking broth) with salsa verde and chili. Yes, you should try it; it tastes far better than it sounds. The trippaio carts around the city are the best place to eat it.
Where can I find the best panini in Florence?
The best panini in Florence depends on what you're after. For the full Florentine tourist experience, All'Antico Vinaio is essential. For a more local market atmosphere, Nerbone at the Mercato Centrale is the classic choice. For neighborhood gems with seasonal fillings, try Semel in the Oltrarno.
What is schiacciata bread, and how is it used in Florentine sandwiches?
Schiacciata (pronounced skya-CHA-ta) is a Florentine flatbread made with olive oil, flour, and salt, pressed flat and baked until it's slightly crispy on the outside and soft within. It's the bread of choice for many of Florence's most beloved sandwiches, including those at All'Antico Vinaio. Unlike focaccia, it's thinner and less airy—it holds up well to fillings without becoming soggy.
How much does a sandwich cost in Florence?
A lampredotto or tripe sandwich from a street cart costs around $5-6 USD. Sandwiches at well-known spots like All'Antico Vinaio run $6-8 USD. Even at the higher end, a great lunch in Florence rarely breaks $12 USD.
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