Trattoria Mario Florence: The Lunch Counter Locals Love
Updated October 2026
If a friend has one lunch in Florence, I send them to Trattoria Mario. It sits on Via Rosina, on the corner of the piazza in front of the Mercato Centrale in San Lorenzo, and it has been feeding the neighborhood since 1953. There is no view, no tasting menu and no hush. There is a small room under an old wooden ceiling, a kitchen you can see from your seat, a menu that changes every day and a family that has done this for three generations. It is the closest thing I know to eating lunch at a Florentine nonna's table.
This is my guide to how Mario works, what to order and how to get a seat, along with the opening hours I checked in October 2026. For the bigger picture, see my guide to the Best Restaurants in Florence and my list of 20 Florentine foods to eat.
A family trattoria since 1953
According to the family, it was 1953 when Romeo, Amelia and their son Mario opened on Via Rosina, in the historic San Lorenzo quarter. It began as a mescita di vini, a simple wine shop where the workers of the Mercato Centrale gathered: porters, butchers and greengrocers. In 1957, when Mario married, the shop became a trattoria with table service and hot dishes cooked in the tiny kitchen: bean and vegetable soup, trippa alla fiorentina, pappa al pomodoro, arista, spezzatino and stewed salt cod.
Look up when you sit down. The coffered oak ceiling dates to the middle of the 1500s and once belonged to the stables of Palazzo del Gattamelata, today Palazzo Alessandri. Mario and Elena passed the trattoria to their sons Romeo and Fabio and the rest of the family, who still run it today. Students, market traders, office workers and travelers from all over the world now share the same tables.
What to order at Trattoria Mario
The menu changes every day with what is good at the market, and it is written up for the day rather than printed. The family says three things are always there: the bistecca alla fiorentina, their slow cooked ragù and the ribollita. They also say they have no freezer, so what you eat was bought fresh.
Bistecca alla fiorentina
The house bistecca is a thick T bone, grilled over coals and served only rare, al sangue. That is the rule at Mario, so do not ask for it well done. One steak easily feeds two or three people, so order it for the table and add a side of white beans or roast potatoes. If steak is your main reason for coming to Florence, compare it with the places in my guide to the best steakhouses in Florence.
The ragù of the day
There is always a first course with their ragù, which they cook in the pot for at least four hours. Depending on the day it might come on penne, tagliatelle or another fresh pasta. It is the dish I order on my first day back in Florence, and it is why Mario sits at the top of my list of the best pasta in Florence.
Ribollita and the Tuscan soups
Ribollita is the thick Tuscan bread and vegetable soup made with cavolo nero, so it appears only when the cabbage is in season, roughly autumn through early spring. In warmer months look for pappa al pomodoro or a bean soup instead.
Daily dishes and dessert
Beyond the three constants, expect old Florentine dishes that rotate through the week, such as trippa alla fiorentina, arista, spezzatino, tortelli di patate or baccalà. Finish with cantucci and a small glass of vin santo, and an espresso, never a cappuccino, after lunch.
How the shared tables and lunch rhythm work
Mario is a small room, and the tables are shared. A waiter will point you to free seats, and you may find yourself elbow to elbow with a market butcher, a pair of students and a couple from Tokyo. That is part of the fun, so say buongiorno to your neighbors. Service is fast and friendly but not leisurely: it is a working lunch place, and people waiting at the door are hoping for your seat.
Read the menu of the day, order a first course to share and a main or a bistecca for the table.
Ask what the house wine is today. A carafe of it suits the food.
Expect to be in and out in about an hour. Linger over coffee somewhere else.
Opening hours and booking
Lunch: Monday to Saturday from 12:00 until about 15:00 to 15:30, depending on the listing. Closed on Sunday.
Dinner: Friday evening only, except in July, according to the trattoria's own website.
Booking: The family's website asks you to call 055 218550 between 7:00 and 11:00 in the morning to book, because they cannot answer the phone during service, or to email 1953@trattoriamario.com. Older listings say they take no reservations, so if you cannot get through, do what the locals do and arrive right at noon, when the doors open.
A note on Mondays: Most current listings, including its Tripadvisor and Yelp pages, show lunch on Monday, but at least one map listing shows Monday as closed. If Monday is your only day, call that morning to be sure. Hours can also change around holidays and in August, so check Trattoria Mario's official website before you go.
Where it is, near the Mercato Centrale
Trattoria Mario is at Via Rosina 2r, on the corner of Piazza del Mercato Centrale, 50123 Florence. It is a five minute walk from the Medici Chapels and San Lorenzo church and about ten minutes from the Duomo and Santa Maria Novella station. Come early, browse the stalls on the ground floor of the Mercato Centrale, then walk across the piazza for lunch.
Nearby, I also like Trattoria Sergio Gozzi for another family lunch and Da Nerbone inside the market for a lampredotto sandwich. If you want to stay close by, see my Florence hotel guides and where to stay in Florence by neighborhood.
Frequently asked questions
Is Trattoria Mario open for dinner?
Only on Friday evenings, and not in July, according to the trattoria's own website. On other days it is a lunch place, Monday to Saturday.
Can you make a reservation at Trattoria Mario?
The family asks you to call 055 218550 between 7:00 and 11:00 in the morning, or to email 1953@trattoriamario.com. If you cannot book, arrive at noon when it opens.
Is Trattoria Mario open on Monday?
Most current listings show lunch on Monday, but one map listing shows it closed. If you plan to go on a Monday, call that morning to confirm.
What should I order at Trattoria Mario?
The bistecca alla fiorentina, served rare, the ragù of the day, which cooks for at least four hours, and the ribollita when cavolo nero is in season. Finish with cantucci and vin santo.
Where is Trattoria Mario in Florence?
At Via Rosina 2r, on the corner of Piazza del Mercato Centrale in San Lorenzo, a few minutes from the Medici Chapels and about ten minutes from the Duomo.
Keep exploring
All photos in this post are courtesy of Trattoria Mario, used with their kind permission.
Comments