We returned frequently to the Central Market (Mercato Centrale) located in the appropriately named Piazza del Mercato Centrale. I checked our journal, and we ate at the market 6 times, including on the night we arrived. What we loved about this market wasn’t the fresh produce, wine and other grocery items for sale on the ground floor (though we did buy produce for our apartment from here, and it is worth a look around if you are into food), it was the eateries and bars located on the upper floor.
Heading up the wide iron stairs from inside the market, or you can take the escalator located sneakily off to one side of the building, you will find a fantastic array of dine in or take away food vendors. There is seriously something for everybody. The various stalls all specialise in something different: pizza, bakery items (sweet and savoury products, including bread), fried vegetables, cheese platters, pastas, meat dishes, seafood, gelato and a full bar. There is also a shop selling food related products and books and another selling bottles of wine.
Don’t Miss Trying The Pizza
The best pizza we ate the entire trip in 2018 was from the pizza stall in this market. The Capri pizza. It was loaded with fresh, sweet cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil. The base was smokey from the wood oven and just the right amount of chewy.
Tips for Your Visit
First step is to find a table. The market has a bar in the centre, and the eateries are located mostly around the perimeter walls. Tables and chairs fill the rest of the space. Grab an empty spot at a table first. Quite often this place is packed, it was crowded the evenings we visited, but it was quieter at lunch. You don’t want to be walking around with hot food going cold as you can’t find a spot to sit. So, assuming there are at least two of you, sort the seating first. One of you saves your seats whilst the other sources the good stuff.
To order your pizza, line up at the cashier, tell the cashier your order (you can also get a beer here, or order from the separate bar), pay, and you’ll be given a number on a paper slip. Then stand back and enjoy the ‘show’ while you wait for your number to be called. The pizza makers are quite the performers! They gave each other cheek the whole time, yelling and laughing. It was like organised chaos. Don’t be put off by the crowds, the pizzas are quick to make given the high heat of the oven. Plus, I must tell you it is worth the wait in any case.
Another tip is that there are bar staff who wander about and will visit you at your table, take a drinks order, and bring it back to you. This is a convenient option to save you time (or your feet). We found the beer was colder from the pizza place when we visited, but the bar serves a wider range of drinks.
We did buy fruit, vegetables, eggs, cheese, wine and also fresh pasta and sauce a couple of times from the ground floor market stalls (to cook in our apartment), but for fresh pasta and sauce, we found Pastificio Morioni (Via Palazzuolo, 56 Rosso) to be better.
But Note…
A word of warning: Rome also has a Mercato Centrale based on the same concept, but it was nowhere near as good as Florence’s market. We had visited with high hopes. but they were dashed. Skip it.