Mercato di San Lorenzo (San Lorenzo Market), Piazza San Lorenzo near the Basilica and in Via ell’Ariento Probably the most important market in Florence for clothing, leather goods and any number of souvenirs. Open 7:00am to 2:00pm; closed Sunday and Monday.

Mercato Centrale (Central Market)
Open 7:00am to 2:00pm and 4:00pm to 8:00pm; closed Sunday and holidays. Winter: only open on Saturday and the day before any holiday from 7:00am to 2:00pm and 4:00pm to 8:00pm.

Around the San Lorenzo Market, a superb source of food and culinary delicacies.

The Mercato Centrale building is surrounded by a street market specializing in leather goods, and similar stalls are found in the Mercato Nuovo in the Via del Corso, also known as ‘Il Porcellino’ after the seventeenth-century statue of a wild boar adorning a fountain. It is considered good luck to rub the boar’s nose, which is quite bright from all those who have done so.

Mercato di Sant’Ambrogio (Saint Ambrogio Market), Piazza S. Ambrogio, Open 7:00am to 2:00pm and 4:00pm to 8:00pm; closed Sunday and holidays. Winter: open only Saturday and the day before any holiday from 7:00am to 2:00pm and 4:00pm to 8:00pm.

Mercato di Sant’Ambrogio is a food market and a source of local artisan objects, both used and new; excellent wicker work items. Fresh fish, pasta and an excellent variety of cheeses, along with clothing, house wares, and flowers are available, inside and outside. A restaurant inside offers inexpensive food and a comfortable atmosphere.

Mercato di Fiori (Flower Market), Via Pellicceria, Piazza della Repubblica, a source of flowers and plants sold under a covered walkway.

Mercato delle Cascine (Cascine Market), Viale Lincoln in Cascine Park; Open all day on Tuesday only, 7:00am until late afternoon.

The biggest and least expensive market in Florence, where you can get anything from fruits and vegetables, to house wares to antiques to shoes and much more. The park is beautiful - enjoy a leisurely walk through.

On Tuesday mornings the massive Mercato della Cascine (Parco delle Cascine) is held on the north bank to the western side of the historical center. Take-aways there feature panino con porchetta (bread roll with suckling pig), resembling a barbecue sandwich.

Mercato delle Pulci (Flea Market), Piazza dei Ciompi: Antiques, paintings, coins, books, collectibles, jewelry, books, bric-a-brac and flea market stuff which means you might find anything here! The market is open daily from 9:00am to 7:30pm and the last Sunday of each month it extends well into the surrounding streets.

Mercato del Porcellino (Porcellino Market)
Piazza del Mercato Nuovo (just steps away from Ponte Vecchio and Palazzo Vecchio). Beautiful Florentine paper products, straw, flowers, hand embroidered linens, bedding, towels, crafted wooden objects, as well as leather and wicker handcrafts.
Open every day 8:00am to 7:00pm except Sunday and Monday mornings.

Rare books can be found at Loggia del Grano, along with arts and crafts from such countries as Senegal, India and Mali. This old grain market is a fascinating multi-cultural center, on Via del Neri. Hours: 10am to 6pm Thursday thru Saturday

For more market listings, as well as other information, go to: http://www.aboutflorence.com

Food and drink are a big part of any vacation; Florence boasts some of the best food anywhere; the problem here is which restaurants to enjoy. A few suggestions follow; you can just wander around and find something to your liking though.

Harry’s Bar, Lungarno Vespucci, 22r, Florence, 50123 Italy Phone: +39 55 239 6700 (closed Sunday). Open 11:00am to 3:00pm and 7:00pm to midnight.

Sometimes you just need to be spoiled. Relax and let yourself be served. This is not one of the Cipriani’s Harry’s, but it is a good place to be. Leo, the bartender will take the edge off the day by serving one of his famous cocktails, martinis in shot glasses, or a summer favorite, peach collins. Never have more than two! You can dine here on many classic Italian dishes made well, but the best are the venison prosciutto, steak tartar or a delicious hamburger. Fish and meat dishes are particularly good, whilst the wholesome apple pie is delightful. The pastas are wonderful and the service is great…get spoiled.

Acqua al 2, Via della Vigna Vecchia, 40/r 284-170 closed Monday.

An institution in Florence for pasta lovers, famous for their Assaggi di primi…a tasting of pastas. For most it is enough to make a meal, five different pastas served with five different sauces, served in order from the lightest to the heaviest sauce to let you build up to the big flavors. The sauces depend on the imagination of the chef. You must reserve to eat here and they do tend to rush you, but it’s a great experience. If you have room, they also have a tasting of salads and desserts plus a full menu

Antico Trattoria Mario’s, Via Rosina, 2/r 218-550 opens for lunch only.

It would be easy to eat here everyday, a neighborhood trattoria where Mario’s sons, Romeo and Fabio, are passionate about their restaurant. You stand in line to be seated and will share a table with someone else. Each day there is a different menu; some of the specialties are: the fresh tomato sauce, ragu, or vegetable soup (zuppa di verdura). Wednesday’s special is the braciole rifatte, a small minute steak, breaded, fried and then cooked in a tomato sauce, so tender you do not need a knife.

Friday is fish day; there is always a risotto and grilled-to-order fish. Saturday is Ossobucco, and everyone has beef boiled and grilled. They also offer a lombatina alla griglia, a grilled veal chop, so tender you may want to order two! The bistecca alla fioretina here is the biggest, best and cheapest in Florence. It is as it should be: a 2 lb t-bone steak, grilled rare….don’t ask for it well done…they will not comply! The French fries are from fresh potatoes, cut by hand and fried in olive oil. It is possible to order a 1/4 or 1/2 liter of great wine: they’ll open the bottle and pour it into a small carafe. This restaurant is the next best thing to having an Italian mother!

Osteria Santa Spirito, piazza Santa Spirito, 16/r 238-2383.

A less traditional osteria (tavern) starting with bright red walls, cheese served on huge wooden trays and simple, but flavorful, food in large portions. A favorite first course is the pasta with butter and pepper…simplicity at its best. The cheese and salami tasting boards make a great meal with a simple salad. Have a glass of house wine, hearty and satisfying. The owners also have Borgo Aantico across the piazza, fabulous oversized hand painted plates with equally oversized portions, great pizza also. Make reservations for both.

Buffet Freddo, via dei Neri corner via dei Benci; closed Sunday.

One block from Santa Croce, this wine bar, which calls itself "superbomba" has an endless choice of food to accompany your wine. Small meat croquettes, crostini, are available on the bar…careful how many you take! There is also a large selection of prepared dishes to choose from to create your meal, roast beef or turkey, sauted spinach or Tuscan white beans, pecorino cheese or mozzarella. Put together a plate of whatever looks good.

Mom is in the kitchen in the back and you will see the pasta special of the day coming out. Wine is served open on the counter; ask for a Chianti Classico if you’d like one of the heavier wines or vino rosso if you’d like a table wine like most of the locals order.

Ristorante Sabatini

Near the train station at via de’Panzani. Large garden windows invite plenty of daylight, showcasing an elegant spacious interior with wooden-beamed ceilings. Popular for business lunches, the restaurant boasts an international crowd. Specialties include bistecca alla florentina, Chianina beefsteak cooked on the grill and risotto with scampi. The wine list is extensive; quality and tradition rule here. The staff is friendly, the service is excellent and you may hear a few different languages being spoken around you. Regulars are greeted in Japanese, German, English or whatever language is theirs. It is said that Sabatini’s was poet Ugo Montale’s favorite restaurant. Locals frequent the restaurant and the warmth and contentment are addicting. All meals are cooked to order and all meals are cooked to perfection. Have at least one meal here; it is hedonism at its best. Phone 282 802 for reservations.

Judy Witts is the Owner and Director of Divina Cuchina, a cooking school located in Florence. She recommends:

La Casa del Vino, via dell’Ariento, 16/r closed Sunday and between 3pm and 6pm.

Hidden behind the stand of the outdoor market of San Lorenzo, this is one of the oldest winebars/shops in Florence. The list of wines by the glass changes frequently and you can rub shoulders with locals, literally, while sampling crostini, sandwiches and finish off with a vin santo and biscotti from the Mattei bakery in Prato.

Le Volpe e L’uva, piazza dei Rossi, 1/r 239-8132; closed Sunday.

Hidden away in a small piazza, just off the Ponte Vecchio, this tiny winebar is a treasure. An incredible selection of wines and also a shop specializing in reasonably priced wines chosen with care. I usually order a tasting selection of Tuscan cheeses and French p’tes accompanied by a plate of schiacciate, flat breads, small sandwiches, with such fillings as smoked duck breast or porcini mushrooms; a great place to stop between Ponte Veccchio and Palazzo Pitti.

Oliandolo, via ricasoli, 38/40r 211-296 12pm-5pm; closed Sunday and evenings.

Located just down the street from the Accademia museum, in Marchese Pucci’s ex-cantina, this is a hot spot for a light lunch, especially with the Florentine business crowd. To get the best service, get here before or after the crowds. The menu extends from the regular winebar choices of crostini and sliced prosciutto and salami, my favorite marinated eggplant to a full menu. For dessert, one of the best cheesecakes I’ve ever had and a very special ice cream dessert called Versilia….a must. Don’t try to come here during the rush hour. They take care of their regular clients first. Warning! There are no "no smoking" rooms in many restaurants; if this is a problem for you, eat earlier than the Italians, before 8:30pm.

Ingredients: 1 pound potatoes, 7 ounces tuna (drained), mayonnaise, capers, vinegar, salt.

Boil unpeeled potatoes in salted water until tender, as for mashed potatoes. Peel potatoes while hot and mash with a fork. Add drained tuna and mix into potatoes. Add whole capers to taste and a good splash of vinegar. (You can use the brine that the capers are packed in). Stir to combine. Add enough mayonnaise to form a smooth, spreadable consistency. Taste to correct seasoning. Salt only if necessary. Give the Pesce Finto a fish shape on a serving dish. Make scales out of a peeled cucumber sliced paper-thin. Use capers for eyes. Before adding the "scales," cover with a thin layer of mayonnaise. Serve as antipasto with crackers or bread or as a light second course.