Fantastic service and food was good and fresh! First stop in Florence! Staff was Amazing and very friendly!

tl;dr while a serviceable joint to trial bistecca alla fiorentina, the cold service and the remainder of the pan-Italian menu miss their mark When it comes to Tuscan cuisine, few dishes are as famous as bistecca alla fiorentina (Florentine steak): a T-bone cut of Chianina beef, cooked rare on the grill, seasoned only with salt and pepper. During my whirlwind trip to Florence, I was determined to try this regional delicacy, and our tour suggested Vecchio Mercato. The trattoria is just a stone's throw away from the Mercato Centrale. The modern, makeshift streetery outside felt oppressive with the summer heat, but the quaint, air-conditioned interior was immediately comfortable and relaxing. Austere wooden chairs are pushed up against sturdy tables. The exposed-brick walls are minimally decorated with warm lighting fixtures, wine bottles, and the occasional Florence-themed mural. English-language pop echoes around the room. We started our meal with complementary bread, which was dense, tough, and nearly inedible. No amount of balsamic vinegar could salvage these bricks. After about 20 minutes, a sizzling cast-iron skillet arrived at our table: the Bistecca alla Fiorentina. The meat was fattier than a normal T-bone, and it was served beside a mouthwatering pan sauce for dipping. Even a discerning palate would likely find it challenging to easily differentiate this steak from other choice cuts, but the comprehensive experience was equal parts delicious and exciting. Lastly, the Tagliatelle Tartufata was mostly forgettable. The cream sauce quickly pooled at the bottom of the bowl, and the semi-rich flavor was regretably subtle. Service started out friendly and strong, but we were left alone after the entrees arrived. The steaks are charged by weight, and even the smallest of them still are well over a kilogram -- expect either to share or to take home leftovers. While the bistecca alla fiorentina was a fun experience, I'm not certain that it (or, at least, Vecchio Mercato's version) is worth the price or the stomach space -- you'll find a better selection of far cheaper Tuscan eats and sweets at the Mercato Centrale just across the street. read more

Vecchio Mercato - Bistecca alla Fiorentina - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

We are here because they offered GLUTEN-FREE PIZZA and my daughter wanted a proper Italian pizza. It was near our hotel. My GLUTEN-FREE daughter loved her pizza. I tasted some and you wouldn't know it was gluten crust. She ordered the PIZZA WITH TRUFFLES AND FRESH MOZZARELLA. Truffles are a good thing to enjoy when in Tuscany as they are a local treat which are used liberally. I ordered PASTA WITH TUSCAN STEW. My pasta was ok but didn't wow me. The stew meat was a little tough and the stew flavors were ok but not extraordinary. We dined outside under their covered tent. It was an enjoyable dining experience. read more

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Favorite place in Florence! So many options to try! 10/10 will be going back again! Delicious food and many options to try!

It was okay. We were on a tour and this was recommended. We sat outside in an The server was good. A gentleman who'd lived in Las Vegas. Entertaining. The steak was the recommended. $6 per 100 grams. 1000 grams per T bone $60 for steak for 2 person. The potatoes and salad too. The steak was served rare on a hot plate to cook more yourself. It was good. I wish our tour guide had recommended the market across the street. read more

Great food, delicious ravioli homemade from a recipe from the owner's mom. Great service, lovely Prosecco and a very lovely vibe and seating area outside! read more

Traditional Tuscan fare is not typically vegan-friendly. Sometimes ribollita is made without beef stock or cheese (you can't request this to be veganized, obviously, because its preparation requires it to be made in large batches). Pasta might be fresh and so therefore made with eggs. You always have to ask. At Vecchio Mercato, vegan options are all clearly marked on the menu. This is so helpful because then I know what I'm dealing with at a glance. I didn't have to chance it and hear from the waiter that basically all I could order would be a side of sauteed vegetables. A beautiful, cozy little trattoria nestled back in the Piazza del Mercato Centrale. We visited in late winter, but the patio area is heated, so if that's your thing, go for it. We opted to sit inside because it's so inviting. I very much recommend the ribollita, the vegetarian penne and a side of slightly bitter but luscious chicory sauteed with olives and chili. All of it simple but delicious. Service is friendly and we enjoyed speaking with the owner who is the perfect host. He bidded us adieu with a limoncello. I expect to return on our next visit to Florence for sure! read more

The service was great and the food was amazing. Cute little restaurant with great flavors. Best dinner I had in Italy! read more

Vecchio Mercato - Meatballs - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

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Beautiful view of the Christmas lights on the Central Market. Service was excellent. The food was delicious. Best Mussels I have ever eaten. read more

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My husband and I went here as a last minute dinner idea. Oh my. It was amazing. He had the pasta with squid and I had the pasta with clams. They were both were amazing! The owner's brother who manages the place was a hoot! He was great at suggesting a wine to go with both of our dinners and was so entertaining. It was just amazing food, atmosphere and a pleasant dinner for two Americans abroad. For feeling so inadequate in a foreign country, this place makes you feel very welcome along with some amazing food. read more

Delightful introduction to Tuscan cuisine! We loved the wine selection (recommend splurging on the Cavalierno), wait staff was friendly, timely, and accommodating to our poor Italian! Elisa was a the best server with lovely recommendations for pasta and dessert. We ate outside on a July evening and it was beautiful with a cool breeze (the fans helped). read more

Vecchio Mercato - Pici with calamari and saffron. Yum! - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

2nd time to Florence and 2nd time to Vecchio Mercato. BEST dinner this entire trip to Italy Family owned restaurant for over 150 years. Best appetizers, best dinners, and best desserts. read more

A couple from our travel group happened to find this restaurant and we followed them over. We were lucky to stumble upon this restaurant. Everything was fantastic. Being Italian-American myself, and I have been to Italy before, they made great recommendations on what to order on the menu. They were very accommodating to Americans/travelers and truly valued the patrons joining them for lunch/dinner. The dry aged steak was excellent, my kids love their meatballs and truffle pasta dishes. Hopefully one day I will find myself in Florence again, I will be sure to stop by this restaurant. read more

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The place doesn't look like much from the outside, and the menu won't impress on first read, but the food punches well above it's weight class. The host made some terrific recommendations and was very knowledgeable about the food and what would be paired well. Would love to visit again and enjoy the rustic interior. read more

I had the best vegan pasta dish here. As you can expect, it is difficult being vegan in Florence. However, the pasta dish I had was so tasty. I finished my entire plate and am still thinking about it a week later. When I return to Florence, I will be eating here. The dish was called penne vegetarian. Friendly staff too! read more

Vecchio Mercato - Penne vegetarian - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

So many options to choose from in this part of town, but we have been here twice on two separate visits to Florence and it has been great both times. The food is really good and very affordable, particularly if you are truffle fans like us - the truffle pasta was only 16 euros - cheaper than the market across the road. Hard to pick a highlight, but the truffle eggs were cooked to perfection and the truffle was fresh, aromatic and tasted devine. read more

Vecchio Mercato - Truffle eggs - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

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Steak Florentine was fabulous. Francisco is the best waiter I've ever had. We love this place.

Wonderful service, multilingual, excellent ambiance, steak that melts in your mouth, wildly affordable for quality. Francesco and team killed it. What a lovely evening! read more

I saw the picture of the truffle noodles posted a year ago and knew I wanted to eat at this place. We had the mushroom truffle noodles which was good but not out of this world the mushrooms had a lot of flavor . I feel like at 18euros it was a expensive for what you get. But the service was amazing you get a lot of real attention from the staff and a good home feeling from eating there. The knochi my kids had was amazing, almost wish I ordered that for myself. The house wine was pretty good. The bruschetta tasted so fresh, crazy fresh.. It the mushroom truffle was more reasonably priced I would have given this more stars but everything did taste really fresh. My wife was very happy. I get truffles are you expensive but there wasn't as much as I thought was going to be there. I don't maybe if I had gotten just the truffle without the mushrooms it would have been different I don't know. The outside seating felt like inside with the heater which was great, we could see the lights outside it was a great setting for sure and like I said great service. They spoke great English. read more

Phenomenal. Didn't get the waiter's name (older gentleman), but he was very friendly and explained the filete fiorentino con erbas as well as the wild boar dishes so wonderfully. Had a feast paired with a bottle of Ruffino chianti, and I enjoyed each bite so slowly. The filete was so tender (cooked medium) and the boar so savory & moist with each bite. read more

Vecchio Mercato - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

Italy is renown for good food and wine. More has been written on the subject than I can can contribute with authority. But I can tell you this. It is easy to get your fill of good, wholesome food without EVEN trying. I chose this place as a tourist, without my friendly yelp app. My traveling companion and I had been recommended to a nearby restaurant that took up half of a city block, by our inn keeper. Now, as a seasoned traveler, I told my starving hungry traveling companion that we should look around. The place our innkeeper had chosen was a bit suspect. It had photos of the food posted on several tent posts, with people standing at several entrances, like carnival hawkers trying to draw hapless, starving, wandering tourists in, those who were too hungry to make lucid decisions anymore. The desperate. I told my friend that I don't eat anywhere that has photos of the food on the menu. Plus, one sniff of the air told me to move on. Nothing but putrid, stale oil. Now on to Vecchio Mercato. Right down the block within eye shot of the tourist trap restaurant, sits Vecchio Mercato. Just a hop skip and a leap from the aforementioned TT. I looked around, beginning to be more comfortable about not speaking a bit of Italian. And felt immediately comfortable, even though the menu was in Italian. We chose simply. Sauteed Spinach Tuscan beans and sage. Wow. If I could have moved upstairs above the restaurant, I would never cook. Sauteed spinach had more flavor and was cooked to perfection. A nice balance of flavors including garlic and olive oil. The Tuscan beans and sage were simmered to the point that the beans had broken down and offered a little substance to the jus, kissed with tomato and garlic. the sage providing that little something special. The trick to these simple ingredients is the portion and sultry simmering. Not rushed in the preparation, paired with whatever the house wine... divine. Let me tell you about house wine in Italy. You don't have to be a snob. It is impossible, impossible to get a bad glass of wine in Italy. You see, I am not a red wine gal. Always thought the tannins in reds were like drinking liquid rust, leaving your tongue gasping for a smoother coating. Let me tell you. after a week of eating almost every meal out, I could not find a bad glass of house wine ANYWHERE. I'm a convert. The Italians know how to feed you. AMBIANCE Nice inside and out. Sort of quiet inside. Sit outdoors to soak up the ambiance while you're supping on your second bottle. WAIT STAFF Efficient, cordial to staff. There was one man who was exceptionally happy, who made me smile. FOOD Simple, reasonably priced and Divine. read more

Amazing. Probably the best pasta I had for a week stay in Florence. Highly recommend the Paccheri al Ragù Toscano Antica Ricetta. Our waiter was so friendly and attentive and gave amazing suggestions. read more

Hotel recommended this place, and it's decent & reasonable price! lasagna and fried pork chop lunch - decent size and came with a glass of wine and water floretine steak lunch - yummy One of their waiter spoke English and he is very helpful and nice read more

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Don't even think of eating at this restaurant. My wife and I ordered the Tuscan Steak, which was OK at best, but that's not the worst of it. We ordered a Brunello de Montalcino that the waiter, one Raffaele, said was an $18 bottle. When he told me this I specifically checked that was the correct price, he confirmed it was $18. When the check came, lo and behold, the bottle turned out to be $80. I blame myself, I'm from California and I know wine. This wine did NOT taste like a fine Brunello and no Brunello I've ever heard of goes for $18. And this guy somehow opened the wine out of my sight. So in summary, I got hustled and paid $80 for a cheap table wine. Don't get hustled like I did, choose another restaurant. read more

Service was amazing and the food was delicious! The waiter was very attentive even though the place was very busy. Highly recommend the gnocchi 4 cheese. Left happy and with a full belly! read more

My wife and I were going to go to Trattoria Za Za, but it was crammed outside with a horde of people trying to get in and we were too hungry to wait that long, so we walked back towards our hotel to find someplace closer, and stumbled by this place. They had a €29/pp bistecca alla fiorentina set menu, and bistecca was on my gustatorial bucket list, so we stopped in. We shared the steak, which came with roasted potatoes, a bruschetta starter, and a glass of red. It was late and we wanted to be able to sleep, so we passed on the caffe that was also offered. The steak was huge and thick, and grilled to medium rare perfection. The pepper grinder they gave us was about the size of my arm! Delicious. read more

Vecchio Mercato - Bistecca alla fiorentina - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

One word horrible. The food was not literally edible. Greasy and yuck. I will never come back.

What really stood out to me was the service. We had a great waiter and he was not just accommodating to us but to everyone who made it in. I would say eating here was worthwhile just for the service. The food was only ok, but mostly due to being outshined by some of the food in the central market. We had a pizza and a salad and enjoyed it. read more

Service was amazing, food was terrible. From the very beginning I should have known because the bread was awful. Food was flavorless and below average. read more

One of the things I love about Italy is their love of patios, even in the rain. It has rained just before we got there, but the patio was bone dry due to being completely closed in with a plastic cover. It's a great spot for people watching in the market. Our server was very friendly and funny. He really made the meal an experience for us. We ordered the wild boar pappardelle, a Florentine steak (for one) and a side of spinach, all to share. This was one of the meals that made me very angry. Why doesn't all food taste like this?! Everything was cooked and flavoured to perfection. Our conversation became all about the meal and how good it was. With a great deal of effort, we finished the half kilo of steak meant for one person. The spinach was garlicky and creamy soft. The meal and service were perfection. I would return in a minute. This is one of our top three meals during our visit to Italy, which is saying a lot, since we went out for nearly every meal in two weeks. read more

Great break for lunch on our free day in Florence. Homemade pasta and very friendly and fun staff.

We found this place when walking around and decided to try it. I would definitely recommend this place. The service was good and the staff were very friendly. Everything we tried was good. I recommend the tomato soup and the ravioli. The chicken liver bruschetta was delicious. read more

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Very disappointing experience at this restaurant. First, the seafood risotto was bland and flavorless. My sister ordered fettuccine and really disliked the flavor. We hardly ever send things back to the kitchen but the flavor was not tasty and so we asked to send it back. The owner talked to us and got a little upset about why she didn't like the food. They brought her something new, but charged us for both meals even though she has one bite of the mushroom fettuccine. All three of our meals were decent at best. The restaurant was full of tourists, so don't come here for the decent food and touristy atmosphere. read more

Great staff, excellent food. We ate there 2 times, & enjoyed both meals. The steak Florentine for 2 is the way to go though! That with some potatoes & spinach, you can't go wrong. We also ordered ice cream & I believe it's with whiskey, but by the recommendation of the couple sitting next to us, we switched out the whiskey for amaretto. It's not on the menu, but it was delicious! read more

Amazing dinner selections and accommodating to large parties. I showed up with a party of 13 and no warning and they were able to fit us in immediately. I got the hamburger with truffles which was great, although the meat seemed to be cooked a little unevenly. My sisters for the fettuccini with truffles and it blew me away - crazy good flavors. Other family members got the veal, spaghetti olio peperoncini, spinach ravioli, and pasta with meat sauce, all with great reviews. The one thing I must say is skip dessert... I tried to order the mud cake but they were out, so I got the traditional chocolate cake. There was nothing on the menu that warned about nuts and it came out covered in pine nuts (that may just be me not knowing the traditional desserts, but oh well). I didn't have more than a bite, and the ice cream that was served with it came in a small cracker bowl that I saw the waiter touch with his bare hands (again, I'm possibly an American being too picky about who touches me food!), my sister and Mom got the creme caramel which was extremely burnt on the bottom, and on my sisters there were green spots on the side. The tiramisu had good reviews, but in my opinion there were too many negatives to outweigh that positive! Again the dinner was fantastic and I would highly recommend it, but just find a local gelato place for dessert! read more

Vecchio Mercato - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

Let's be real here, if you're reading this review in English then you're probably a tourist as well. But that's okay! Florence is a wonderful city that really needs a bigger yelp presence. Had dinner at Vecchio Mercato twice, and in a place with so many great restaurants, that's a testament to how much we liked it. Especially: -Bistecca alla Fiorentina (aka Florentine steak, aka porterhouse cut): as a Californian I've often heard the commercial that ends with "...and Happy cows come from California." But the real cow center of international fame is Florence, and that's obvious from their legendary leather markets to the gigantic slab of delicious steak landing on your table. Florentine steaks are almost always served large enough for two people, but oh my god Vecchio Mercato's is a beast, dripping with juices and olive oil with that perfect wood-fired crust holding in yet more juiciness. Oh geez there's just no doing it justice so I won't even say more. -Wine: knowing nothing about Tuscan wine regions or local winery reputations, I just picked at random. That worked well enough -Truffle pasta with mushrooms: excellent, a strong tasting side -Carbonara: mmmmmmm. Pretty amazing -Various side dishes like sauteed spinach and Tuscan beans were pleasant Service was friendly and efficient, with a touch of showmanship. Ambiance was nice, nothing over the top and in keeping with the feel of the surrounding neighborhood. read more

It's a restaurant it is A market and believe it or not it's a cooking school also it's one fantastic adventure in food outside is a market up and down the street to buy any type of leather goods your heart desires the food is fantastic you can easily buy a lunch for under $10 the meat ,the fish The cheeses are displayed like a work of art you can bring back to United States all the cheeses candy cakes your heart desires but all that beautiful meat even vacuum pack forget it it will be taken away from you once you reach the American Shores read more

Trattoria al Vecchio Mercato was recommended by our hotel. We spent only two nights in Florence and loved Vecchio Mercato so much that we had dinner there both nights. The food was reasonably priced and absolutely DELICIOUS! The waiter was very friendly in helping make a great selection. The atmosphere was great and if I were ever in Florence again I would definitely drop by Vecchio Mercato. A very highly recommended place for any travelers in Florence! read more

Excellent atmosphere, service, and food. This is definitely not a tourist trap restaurant even though it is right next to the public market. It is mixed in with a bunch a kabap stalls so it isn't expected and your typical tourist will walk right by it. Having sad that, 80% of the tables were English speakers. There must be a guide book somewhere that they used to find it. read more

Known for its florentine steak and truffle (which Firenze restaurant isn't!?) this restaurant serves very tasty food. Not the absolute best, but very good. We had two pasta dishes - seafood and truffle cream. The truffle sauce pasta was my first in Florence, so hard for me to compare but it was very nice and very flavoursome! The pasta is homemade, which makes every pasta dish taste fresh. Waiters are friendly and prompt. They also promote a jazz / tango entertainer on selected night. Definitely one of the better places to eat in the piazza central mercato area read more