Where is the Best Sandwich in Florence?

5 alternatives to All'Antico Vinaio: the best sandwiches are off the beaten path

The unassuming sign above the entrance to Da' Vinattieri.

I'll go ahead and say something that will immediately start a fight in some corner of the internet where the Venn Diagram of "sandwich lovers" and "been to Florence multiple times" crosses over, and this is: I don't think All'antico Vinaio's sandwiches are all that.

To be clear, I think they're good. They're a fantastic representation of the classic Florentine sandwich.

The best sandwiches in Florence, though? So good that they've expanded to most major cities in Italy, even to cities where clearly superior sandwiches exist? So good that they're worth waiting in line with (no word of a lie) a few hundred other people?

I would say that crown goes to a little hole-in-the-wall south of the Duomo by the name of Da' Vinattieri. This tucked-away nearly impossible to find (not because it's off the beaten path but because you might miss it while blinking) served up some of the best sandwiches we've eaten. Not just in Florence, but eaten, like, at all (my other favorite being Duecentigradi in Rome near-ish the Vatican).

The counter for Da' Vinattieri.

Now, before you go there and send me a message, I will say that if you end up in front of Da' Vinattieri and you're like, "This is the place? This?" I totally get that.

As you might be able to see from the photo (I'll explain it either way, don't worry), its a small counter with a few bowls of toppings and creams (like pistacchio cream or radicchio cream), deli meats, some greenery, and a stack of bread (or, schiaciatta (pronounced skee-ah-cha-tah), the only bread used for sandwiches in Florence).

Nothing about the place immediately says "best sandwiches in Florence." But let me break it down for you.

You know how when you're making something to eat, like a sandwich, and you start to realize that you've gotten really particular? You don't want the spread too thick in any one area? You don't like holes in the bread (who does?). You want that slice of juicier looking meat to coincide with the especially ripe slice of tomato? Da' Vinattieri (and I think it's only two people who work there) makes the sandwich as if they're going to eat the sandwich. I've never gotten the sense that any of them keep the best ingredients back for the unknown "next" sandwich. There's not a sense of "just throw it together and sell it" but one more of "If I had to eat this sandwich, how would I make it?"

But that's not all!

"Fourth-stomach window," as Nathaniel calls it, or walk-up window where you can order tripe.

Do you or someone you know enjoy eating a cow's fourth stomach? If so, I have great news for you! Da' Vinattieri has a dedicated trippa and lampredotto window.

The first time we went, we saw a pot cooking in the back. Big metal pot, simmering away. Couldn't figure out what it was until someone ordered it. Then one of the two guys working there scooped out some pieces of the tripe, cut it up on the cutting board, slopped it into a bun, added a little green sauce (called salsa verde, with no relation to the tomatillo-based salsa) and that might have been the most beautiful thing I've seen in a while.

Not because it looked amazing (let's be honest, if something has the fourth stomach of any animal in it, chances are it won't look beautiful), but because it was unapologetically itself. I know that sounds like a weird thing to say about a sandwich. But think about it: in a world consumed with Instagram-worthy display and viral clickbait posts, this sandwich was the antithesis. Italians have this cookie called "Brutti ma Buoni" which translate into "Ugly but Good" and this sandwich was that. It's not supposed to look Instagram-worthy, it's supposed to be amazing.

You can't say this isn't beautiful. Literally. I will not even deign to look at messages that say otherwise.

And when you're standing there in a 500-year-old alleyway literal feet away from where Dante (the Poet) was baptized, eating one of the foremost traditional Tuscan dishes, you can't help but feel overwhelmed by the history.

If you do want to see what a normal sandwich looks like, take a peek at the image. Super simple: chicken, mozzarella, tomato. 5 Euros like all their other sandwiches.

Where: Google Maps Link

Cost: It used to be 5 euros a sandwich, but that was in 2023, so it's probably gone up by now.

If you're looking for a handful of other sandwich places that aren't All'Antico Vinaio, then look no further! Below is a short list of other, not-as-famous sandwich shops that are all in Florence.

Il Bufalo Trippone: Another hole-in-the-wall dishing out great sandwiches. Google Maps Link.

La Schiacciata: On the same street at Al Antico Vinaio with a fraction of the wait. Google Maps Link.

L’Antico Trippaio: If the thought of tripe was interesting, check out this little kiosk/cart near the Dante Museum. It's been there forever and a half. Google Maps Link.

Antica Porchetteria Granieri 1916: One of the few places to get porchetta (slow-roasted pork with herbs) in Florence, and one of the best. If you're a vegetarian, I recommend not going as there are no non-pork options. Google Maps Link.

As a final note, if you had your heart set on All'Antico Vinaio, please don't let this article dissuade you. You'll still be very happy with an sandwich from there, this article is mostly designed to spread around the love a little bit and try to cast a light on some of the lesser-known sandwich spots that do (in my humble opinion) offer up better sandwiches.