Restaurant Alternatives

Restaurant Alternatives

Rosticcerie & Tavole Calde

Rosticcerie and tavole calde are good alternatives to the more-formal trattorie, osterie, and ristoranti dining options. You can assemble an entire meal at a rosticcerie, which has antipasti, pastas, roasted chicken and other meats, vegetable side dishes, and desserts; sometimes seating is also available. Tavole calde (literally, "hot tables") are sometimes synonymous with rosticcerie, but while a rosticceria almost always has whole roast chickens, that's not always the case with a tavola calda. Both are significantly less expensive than full sit-down service -- another part of their appeal.

At Alfio e Beppe (Via Cavour 118-120/r, San Marco. 055/214108), you can watch chickens roast over high flames as you decide which of the other delightful things you're going to eat with it. The daily specials at Da Rocco (Piazza Ghiberti, Santa Croce. No phone), in the Mercato Sant'Ambrogio, can include polpettine alla pizzaiuolo (veal meatballs in tangy tomato-oregano sauce). Portions are generous. In summer, try the panzanella, a salad made with bread crumbs, tomatoes, and basil and doused with extra virgin olive oil.

Near the Uffizi is Guiliano Centro (Via de' Neri 74/r, Piazza della Signoria. 055/2382723), with a mouth-watering assortment of food including crisp pollo fritto (fried chicken). If you want to mingle with locals, grab a sandwich and an inexpensive glass of wine at their enoteca directly across the street. La Ghiotta (Via Pietrapiana 7/r, Santa Croce. 055/241237) sells whole and half chickens, grilled or roasted, among other things. The baked fennel is also a treat. Near Santa Maria Novella is La Spada (Via del Moro 66/r, Santa Maria Novella. 055/218757). Walk in and inhale the fragrant aromas of meats cooked in the wood-burning oven. La Spada also has a complete line of take-out.

Salumerie

Salumerie, specialty food shops strong on fine fresh ingredients such as meats and cheeses, are great for picking up a picnic lunch or assembling dinner.

Antico Salumificio Anzuini-Massi (Via de'Neri 84/r, Santa Croce. 055/294901) shrink-wraps their own pork products, making it a snap to take home some salame di cinghiale (wild boar salami). If you find yourself in the Oltrarno and hungry for lunch or a snack, drop into Azzarri Delicatesse (Borgo S. Jacopo 27b/cr, Santo Spirito. 055/2381714) for a sandwich, meat for the grill, wine, or French cheeses. The cheese collection at Baroni (Mercato Central, enter at Via Signa, San Lorenzo. 055/289576. ) may be the most comprehensive in Florence. Conti (Mercato Centrale, enter at Via Signa, San Lorenzo. 055/2398501. ), closed Sunday, sells top-quality wines, olive oils, and dried fruits; they'll shrink-wrap the highest-quality dried porcini for traveling. Looking for some cheddar cheese to pile in your panino? Pegna (Via dello Studio 8, Duomo. 055/282701) has been selling both Italian and non-Italian food since 1860. It's closed Saturday afternoon in July and August, Wednesday afternoon September through June, and Sunday year-round. Perini (Mercato Centrale, enter at Via dell'Aretino, San Lorenzo. 055/2398306), closed Sunday, sells prosciutto, mixed meats, sauces for pasta, and a wide assortment of antipasti. They're generous with their free samples.