Restaurant
Enoteca Pinchiorri
Florence's three-Michelin-star dining room, opened in 1972 by Giorgio Pinchiorri and Annie Féolde, famous for its formal service and extraordinary wine cellar.
Trattoria Mario
A family-run lunchtime trattoria beside the Mercato Centrale since 1953, serving a daily menu of Florentine dishes to market workers, students and visitors.
At a glance
- Type
- Lunchtime family trattoria
- Area
- San Lorenzo, Florence, Italy
- Price
- $ · Budget
- Official site
- trattoriamario.com
Good to know
- Lunch only
- Daily menu
- Family run since 1953
Why we recommend it
Trattoria Mario is a Florentine institution, a lunchtime trattoria on the corner of Via Rosina and Piazza del Mercato Centrale that has been in the same family since 1953. It was started by Romeo, Amelia and their son Mario as a wine shop serving workers from the Central Market, and it became a trattoria with table service in 1957. Mario and Elena passed it on to their sons Romeo and Fabio, who run it today.
The room is small and busy, under a restored oak coffered ceiling from the mid-16th century that came from the old stables of the Palazzo del Gattamelata. The menu changes every day and is written up according to what is in season and available at the market. Expect simple, hearty Florentine cooking: soups such as ribollita made with cavolo nero in season, pasta with a meat ragù cooked for at least four hours, stews, roast meats and, for those with an appetite, bistecca alla fiorentina, served only rare. Prices are low, which is why the room fills with a mix of market traders, students, office workers and visitors.
Mario is essentially a lunch place, open Monday to Saturday and closed on Sundays and public holidays. The family takes reservations by phone in the early morning, between 7:00 and 11:00, and by email; outside those times they cannot guarantee a reply. If you have not booked, arrive early, as the queue builds quickly after midday. Expect to sit close to your neighbours, possibly at a shared table, and to eat at a brisk pace; it is a lunch for enjoying the food rather than lingering.
It is ideal for budget travellers, solo diners and anyone who wants an authentic Florentine lunch near the main sights. Children are welcome, but space for pushchairs is very limited. Vegetarians will usually find a soup or pasta option on the daily list.
The trattoria is right beside the Mercato Centrale, about five minutes' walk from Santa Maria Novella station and the Medici Chapels. Combine it with a morning at the market and an afternoon at San Lorenzo or the Accademia, which is around ten minutes' walk east.
Trattoria Mario FAQs
When is Trattoria Mario open?
For lunch from Monday to Saturday. It is closed on Sundays and public holidays.
Can I book a table?
Yes, by phone between 7:00 and 11:00, or by email at [email protected].
How old is Trattoria Mario?
The family started it as a wine shop in 1953 and it became a trattoria in 1957.
What should I order?
Check the daily menu; ribollita, pasta with long-cooked ragù and bistecca alla fiorentina are classics.
How is the bistecca cooked?
Only rare, in the traditional Florentine way.
Is it cheap?
Yes, prices are low for central Florence.
Where is it?
At Via Rosina 2r, on the corner of Piazza del Mercato Centrale.