Florence Food Tour: Street Food or Central Market

The comparison table

Both tours are run by professional local operators. The street food walk is by Food Raphael Tours and Events. The market tour is by Florence Food Tours by Eating Europe.

Choose street food if

You like eating standing up. The Street Food Tour with Wine & Local Guide hits street stalls over 2.5 hours. One well known route of this type starts at Finisterrae near the Basilica of Santa Croce with macchiato and croissants, then works through a lampredotto sandwich from the Pollini truck. It costs $46 per person, so it is the budget pick.

Street food means less variety per stop but more stops. Wine is included, so you still get a drink.

Choose the Central Market if

You want to sit, taste several dishes with wine, and browse stalls between stops. The Florence Central Market Food & Wine Tour with Eating Europe runs 3 hours at $105.97 per person. Eating Europe claims 14 years in Florence, 500,000 clients and 60,000 five-star reviews, and drinks are always included on their premium tours.

If you prefer a market closer to the locals, Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio is where locals have shopped since 1873, about half a mile east of Palazzo Vecchio, and it appears on some independent routes.

The price gap explained

The $105.97 market tour costs roughly 2.3 times the $46 street food tour. You pay for a longer run, seated tastings and the Eating Europe brand. Travellers who only want a snack crawl should not pay the premium.

Travellers who want a meal's worth of food with wine pairings should.

The dishes you will meet

Lampredotto is the defining street food. It is a tripe sandwich sold from trucks, and the Pollini truck is known for the best quality sandwich of this kind. Expect a warm roll and a strong flavour.

At markets and seated stops, the tasting platters feature three salamis including finocchiona, a fennel cured salami, and two types of pecorino cheese. Most tours finish with gelato. Pasta also appears, since most pasta experiences in Florence include making two or three pastas and three sauces if you add a class to your plan.

One honest warning

Not every dish wins everyone over. One reviewer disliked lampredotto, calling the texture chewy and slippery. If tripe is not for you, tell your guide at the start and skip that stop.

The street food format still gives you plenty else to taste.

On the street food tour

A typical street food route starts near the Basilica of Santa Croce with coffee and a croissant, then moves to street stalls. You stand, you eat, you walk, you repeat. The lampredotto truck stop is the centrepiece.

Wine is included and the whole thing runs 2.5 hours for $46 per person.

On the Central Market tour

The Eating Europe tour spends its 3 hours in and around the Central Market with food and wine at seated stops. Guides skip tourist traps and choose local vendors. At $105.97 per person it is the fuller sit-down experience, closer to a progressive meal than a snack crawl.

What your money buys

On the Street Food Tour with Wine & Local Guide, the $46 per person covers the street food tastings, the wine and the guide for 2.5 hours. On the Florence Central Market Food & Wine Tour with Eating Europe, the $105.97 per person covers market tastings with drinks always included for 3 hours.

Both offer free cancellation 24 hours before departure, so a change of plans costs nothing if you cancel a day ahead.

What costs extra

Extra food or drinks beyond the scheduled tastings are on you. Tips are at your discretion. Shopping at market stalls is optional and separate from the tastings.

The case for booking

Florence has more food stalls and markets than you can judge alone in one visit. A guide selects the good ones. The Pollini truck, the right pecorino, the stall locals have used since 1873. The street food tour has 1,974 reviews at 4.8. The market tour holds a perfect 5 from 296 reviews.

Worth also depends on appetite. If the tour replaces lunch or dinner, the $46 or $105.97 stops looking expensive.

When it is not worth it

Skip it if you hate walking and standing for hours on the street food option, or if tripe and cured meats hold no appeal. Skip both if you would rather spend the money on a cooking class, such as the Oltrarno classes limited to 12 participants.

Best fit for each

The Street Food Tour with Wine & Local Guide at $46 suits backpackers, first timers and anyone who wants a taste of several stalls without a long commitment. The Florence Central Market Food & Wine Tour with Eating Europe at $105.97 suits couples, food lovers and travellers who want wine matched to food at seated stops.

Who should skip

Vegetarians should check before booking, since cured meats and lampredotto anchor both routes. Travellers who dislike chewy textures should remember the lampredotto warning. Anyone wanting a private experience should ask Curious Appetite, which runs private and small group tours.

Value winner

The Street Food Tour with Wine & Local Guide is the best value Florence food tour. At $46 per person for 2.5 hours with wine and 1,974 reviews averaging 4.8, nothing beats it for cost per stop.

Experience winner

The Florence Central Market Food & Wine Tour with Eating Europe is the best experience. It holds a 5 rating from 296 reviews, drinks are always included, and Eating Europe claims 60,000 five-star reviews across its operation. Pay the $105.97 when the occasion matters more than the budget.