If you have ever been to Florence or are planning a trip to go there you have no doubt heard about All'Antico Vinaio. Originally a rosticceria (where they sell whole roasted chickens), the place has turned into one of the most famous sandwich shops in the world. They originally didn't have enough space, so they bought the wine bar across the road which is where their name comes from (the old wine bar). It definitely turned into a success and you can now be sure to always find yourself at the back of a long queue which you can find in Via dei Neri (close to the Piazzale Signoria and the Galleria degli Uffizi), but don't worry - it's worth it!

Summer & La Jean George

I've now been living in Florence for just over a month and I have been here a bunch of times. At lunch time there's always someone who hasn't tried it yet so obviously it's the number one place to go. There are so many different flavour combinations that you can ask for, and most of them are only 5 euros (some speciality meats etc are 6/7 but honestly you can get so much for 5). If you're not hungry maybe think about ordering a half or asking them to half it for you so you can eat the rest later because these sandwiches are HUGE. Oh and there's also a self-service wine bar which you can use for two euros (yay).


Check out all of those fillings! My absolute favourite is La Jean George (la Vegetariana) which has mozzarella, tomatoes, spicy eggplant, courgettes, basil, mint and fresh artichokes (I ask for the artichoke cream instead of the fresh ones because it adds so much flavour). I don't eat meat but all of my friends that I have brought to this place have assured me that they are absolutely buonissimi (delicious!) The bread is also a really nice schiacciata (Florentine for focaccia, a yummy flatbread). You can see fresh batches being brought in by the workers every couple of minutes because that's how many sandwiches they make! Apparently they have an agreement with a bakery close by which ensures a constant stream of happy customers leaving with their massive sandwiches (this amazing Tuscan food really isn't great for the waistline but when in Rome... or in this case when in Florence!)

Carbs galore

There are two shops opposite each other on Via dei Neri, one has some tables to sit at but to be honest I would recommend to take your sandwich made by the gods somewhere in Florence to eat it (also I doubt any of the tables will be free because it's so popular). My favourite place to go is on the steps of the S. Firenze church (2 minutes walking around the corner and found in Piazza di San Firenze) where you can enjoy the sunshine and the hustle and bustle of Florence (which to be honest these days is only tourists).
It's obvious that we're not the only ones who love it because they have won so many awards and have been reviewed almost 14,000 times on TripAdvisor, check out their profile here. You will probably have to wait (i've waited for up to 50 minutes) but it'll be worth it. Just a tip: try to go earlier rather than later because if you go around 12/12.30 you may only have to wait 10/15 minutes as opposed to closer to an hour if you go anywhere after 1.30. And at 5 euros it won't break the bank whilst you're exploring Florence!

P.S. If you check this place out for lunch feel free to walk a little further down the street to one of my favourite gelaterias (which you can read about here): Gelateria dei Neri !

Gelateria dei Neri: Peach and Hazelnut (left), Raspberry and Hazelnut (right)

Alexandra x