PANINO al LAMPREDOTTO

Lampredotto is considered the king of Florentine street food. Taking its name from the lamprey (a type of fish that once inhabited the Arno river), lampredotto is usually eaten with a type of bread called “rosetta” and can be served with just salt and pepper, with hot sauce or with “salsa verde”, a condiment that includes olive oil, parsley, capers, stale bread, and anchovies. The meat is boiled for hours in a broth made with carrots, celery, bay leaves, onions, garlic, pepper, and a few juniper berries: the more it cooks the better it tastes. Despite taking its name from a fish, lampredotto comes from cows. More specifically, lampredotto is one of the four stomachs of the cow, the abomasum. Being part of the cow’s entrails, lampredotto has a particular consistency that not everyone likes, but we encourage you to try it!
Where to eat it: Tripperia Pollini (Via dei Macci, 126); I’Trippaio di Firenze (Via Gioberti); Il Trippaio di Sant’Ambrogio (Piazza Lorenzo Ghiberti)

BISTECCA alla FIORENTINA

The origin of the world-renowned bistecca alla Fiorentina, can be traced back to the Medici family, who ruled Florence between the 15th and the 18th century. During that time it was tradition for the family to light up bonfires in squares around Florence to celebrate St. Lawrence (August 10th) when people would gather in the streets to admire the shooting stars that crossed the night sky. On the night of St. Lawrence, the people would gather around the bonfires and enjoy the steak, courtesy of the Medici family. The bistecca is cooked on hot coals without any condiments. Once cooked, it should be salted, put on a wooden tray, and then covered, so that the “juices” can be properly re-absorbed. It is eaten rare and asking to have it well done is often frowned upon.
Where to eat it: Trattoria Zà Zà (Piazza del Mercato Centrale, 26r) – Ristorante La Giostra (Borgo Pinti, 10/18R) – Trattoria 4 Leoni (Via dei Vellutini, 1r)