Living in one of the many Florentine apartments that overlook the quarter of San Lorenzo you could happen to see a knot of people standing around a kiosk right at the entrance of the market.

That is not unusual. Actually at lunch time it is a very common scene. That kiosk, like some other spread in the streets of Florence, sells so-called street food and is widely renowned and appreciated both by Florentines and tourists.

What is street food ("mangiari di strada" in Italian)?

The name "mangiari di strada" refers to some traditional Italian dishes and recalls the time when people mostly worked outdoors.

During your holidays in Florence, you can try mainly three kind of street food: migliaccio, tripe and lampredotto.

Migliaccio, also known as "sanguinaccio" or "roventino" is difficult to find. Usually you can find it during some feasts in Florence hinterland. It is a sort of black pudding made of pork blood and flour. It is fantastic with two slices of Tuscan bread.

Tripe is a part of the stomach of beef cooked with a mix of vegetables. Kiosks serve it in plastic bowls, which have replaced the traditional earthenware pots ("tegamini" in Italian).

Lampredotto, too, is a part of the stomach of beef. It is cooked like tripe, but it is served in a sandwich. It is similar to another Italian traditional dish: "u pan` cà meusa" you can eat in Palermo.

Obviously, you can taste migliaccio, tripe and lampredotto sitting in your apartment in Florence.