When you find yourself stuck or passing through Santa Maria Novella Station and have a few euros in your pocket, I highly suggest grabbing a bite to eat. You never know what your commute will be like. Snacks are your friend.
I found Tentazioni Cafe to be a quaint little grocery/cafe. You can grab pastries, coffee, candy, and sandwiches to go. Peering over the glass case, I settled for a Rustico panini. The ingredients were Schiacciata, Provola affumicata, Pomodoro, and Origano translated to be your basic smoked ham and cheese with tomato and oregano. It was actually really good and the smashed bread (Schiacciata) was yummy. It was also a decent size. The line is pretty long due to all the activity at the station but it goes fast and the service is friendly.
My one regret was not buying a box of the Nutella B-ready breakfast bars. Oh how I miss Italian snacks! read more