Where to Buy Specialty Food Items and Gifts In Florence - A Local's Favorite Shops

Last updated on December 9th, 2024

If you’re visiting Italy and trying to decide where to pick up foodie gifts and souvenirs, know this: Florence is one of the best cities in all of Italy to shop for food items and gifts. Bella Firenze is overflowing with of some of the country’s best wine, cookies, olive oil and regional specialties.

As a Florence resident for over a decade, I’ve had plenty of time to scope out the best shops in the city for specialty food items and gifts. These places are stores that I come back to time and again when I am looking to for a little special something to share with friends and family here in Italy or when I go back to visit family in the US.

Let’s take a look at my favorite shops to buy food items and gifts in Florence, including my favorite items to purchase at each one.

Curious to learn what else you should bring back from other cities and regions in Italy?
Find the best souvenirs and gifts from Amalfi Coast – Cinque Terre – Dolomites – Emilia-Romagna – Florence – Milan – Naples – Piedmont – Puglia – Rome – Sardinia – Sicily – Tuscany – Umbria – Veneto – Venice.
Or, check out my Condensed Region-by-Region Guide.

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Via del Tè

frontal image of store via del te in florence from side street with green sign in middle.

Three locations in Via Santo Spirito, 11 and Via della Condotta, 28r and Piazza Lorenzo Ghiberti, 22/23r

Good To Know: The Santo Spirito location has a large inner dining area and outdoor courtyard where you can sit down for tea time, other cocktails and a dessert. It’s a quiet corner of Florence relatively unknown to tourists (for now!).

Via del Tè is the tea shop in Florence for non-coffee drinkers or tea lovers. They have some of the most fun and exciting tea blends made specifically for their brand, making them unique and hard to come by abroad.

Their packaging is gorgeous, making it one of the nicer food gifts to bring back from Italy in my experience.

My Favorite Tea: The Moroccan Mint Tea

Torrefazione Caffè Magic

Via Pietrapiana, 63r

Torrefazione Caffè Magic is my favorite place in Florence to buy food souvenirs when I am looking for chocolates and candies. This hole in the wall shop, not far from the Sant’Ambrogio market, is always re-stocking its shelves with seasonal specialties and treats.

Come here if you want panettone for Christmas, Colomba and chocolate eggs for Easter or any other day for a bag of candy sold by the weight or pre-packed in fun tins.

What I Buy: Lollipops for kids or holiday specials

Pegna

Via dello Studio, 26r

Pegna is a small independent grocery store specializing in regional gourmet products. You can find anything you need to cook at your apartment in Florence including condiments, meats, cheese, bread and staples such as pasta and rice, most of which is sourced locally. They do sell some mainstream bands but for the most part their products are unique, one of a kind food items, ideal for souvenirs and food gifts. They even have a small beauty and self-care department with local soaps, toothpaste and deodorants.

Pegna is one of those stores that you could spend hours in, browsing all their different products and specialty times, despite its small size. Tucked away just behind the Duomo, Pegna is one of the best places in Florence to buy food souvenirs if you are staying in the Historic District and want to stay central.

What I Buy: Artisan cake mixes

Enoteca Alessi

Inside a specialty food store in Florence, Italy. Jars and bottles of food products on wooden shelves.

Via dell’Oche, 27r

Just down the street from Pegna, is the Enoteca Alessi, the best enoteca and food shop in Florence for buying specialty liquor, digestive and wine in the Historic District.

What sets Alessi apart from other shops is their attention to detail and passion. Family managed, this shop makes it a priority to help customers really find the right bottle for them, allowing for samples and tastings paired with regional products.

If you aren’t in the market for alcohol, Alessi is a great shop for sweets, making it my favorite shop to get sweet treats in Florence.

What I Buy: After dinner digestifs

Wine Lover? Be sure to read Where to Drink Wine in Italy and Where to Buy Wine in Italy!

Sforno

Woman at cash register at bakery in Florence, Italy. Breads and other baked goods in baskets and on display all around her.

Via Santa Monaca, 3r

First and foremost, Sforno in Florence is actually one of the best bakeries and places to eat breakfast. Secondly, it also has a small gourmet grocery section with highly curated items hand selected by Francesca, the owner, who makes it her job to continually change up their selection of food items. Much of what they sell at Sforno packs up well and can be brought back home overseas (many canned and dried goods).

Sforno is a place I come primarily for baked goods, schiacciata and other sweet treats but it’s rare that I leave the store without something from their gourmet canned goods section.

What I Buy: Canned anchovies or sun dried tomatoes packed in olive oil (depending on availability)

Shops in Sant’Ambrogio Market

inside market of sant'ambrogio in Florence with the sign Il Cernacchino selling dried goods on shelves.

Piazza Lorenzo Ghiberti

If you have enough time to tour around the authentic and off the beaten track outdoor farmer’s market Sant’Ambrogio then you are in one of Florence’s hot spots in terms of food and food souvenirs. Within the market (and also in the covered outdoor sections) you will find so many amazing stands selling items perfect for bringing back home.

Inside the market, for example, La Botteghina Dell’Augusta di Aglietti Leonardo, sells fine truffle goods, all packed up and ready to go at the right price. Just next door is another small shop, Il Cernacchino, with a wide variety of bulk food items (not great for travel but good for snacks and cooking while in Italy) and canned goods.

Learn more about Italian Markets:
How to Shop at Markets in Italy
10 Rules for Shopping at Markets in Italy
Incredible Food Markets in Italy
My Favorite Markets in Florence
Food Markets in Florence
Top Markets In Tuscany
Food Markets in Venice
Rialto Market in Venice

What I buy: Truffle good such as truffle cream for crostini or sandwiches

Eataly

Via de’ Martelli, 22r

Eataly, originally born in Torino, is the country’s largest chain gourmet grocery store, stocking products made from local producers and farmers. Although it comes with a price tag, you know that no matter what you eat and buy at Eataly it is the best out there. Eataly sells everything you could want in terms of food items including kitchen gifts and utensils such as dishtowels, peelers, food gadgets, placemats. etc.

Good To Know: You can also sit down and eat a meal or have a coffee, gelato or other snack at Eataly in Florence (either indoors or outdoors).

Unlike other small food shops in Florence, Eataly stocks the most well known and high end, local brands and products. Other small shops like Pegna and Sfrono will stock a wider range of local products but not necessarily the most expensive ones on the market.

What I Buy: Artisan cookies or Eataly canvas bag

Other Food Shops in Florence To Buy Souvenirs

Woman sits at a table in front entryway of Carduccio restaurant in Florence, Italy. Plants hang on either side. — *Carduccio is another favorite shop of mine to buy food souvenirs in Florence.*

Above I have listed my absolute favorite shops to buy food souvenirs in Florence but there are so many others located within the city walls to explore such as these:

Mercato Centrale – Florence’s largest farmer’s market with several stands selling the top food souvenirs to bring home like dried mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, truffled goods and olive oil.
Carduccio – vegetarian cafe selling canned food items like olive oil and dried pasta located in Santo Spirito
Gurdulù Gastronomia – gourmet deli (great for takeout in Florence) with a small artisan grocer section Oltarno.
Ditta Artiginale – best for locally roasted coffee with several locations
Biscottificio Antonio Mattei Museo Bottega – best for cantucci cookies
Vestri – best for artisan chocolates
ODstore – best candy store with widest selection with three locations (best to get fun food items for kids in Florence)
Procacci – best for truffle goods

Best Food Souvenirs And Gifts To Buy In Florence

I could spend a whole day in Florence just shopping for food items. There is so much to choose from and because Florence has so many tourists, stores try to stock Italian specialties, not just regional Tuscan food items.

Consider these popular food souvenirs to bring back from Florence and buy at one of these shops on your next trip:

Extra virgin olive oil
Truffle goods
Chocolate
Italian candy
Panforte
Torrone
Cookies
Wine (Chianti Classico or Brunello)
Vin Santo
Ceramic pottery
Olive oil wood items (cutting board, pepper mill, spoon)
Artisan pasta
Aged cheese (get it vacuum packed)
Local jams and honey
Dried mushrooms

Gifts and Souvenirs: Be sure to check out all of my gift guides and souvenir guides!

Food Items To Avoid Bringing Back From Italy

side view of several wedges of pecorino romano cheese for sale at an open air market with sausages and other cured meats around it with man in background.

You will need to check with your home countries regulations for what is and is not permitted back but generally speaking when traveling outside of the EU, you should avoid these food items: