Trattoria da Rocco

We had lunch at this family-run spot inside the market and it felt super local and down to earth. The food was good, the staff was kind, and the dessert was our favorite part. Only thing to note everything came out kind of lukewarm, not hot. But the flavors made up for it. Don’t skip the pere cotte for dessert. So simple, so good.

Trattoria da Rocco is located within mercato Sant'Ambrogio and is open for lunch. During our vacation in Florence we stayed in an apartment nearby, so we visited da Rocco a few times and tried several dishes. Menu is not substantial, but that’s a good thing because what they offer is prepared fresh and with care. They also offer daily specials so make sure to ask about those. This place is very casual and busy. More likely than not you will share your table with some other people, but that was a great experience in both occasions having had a chance to meet some awesome people. Food is not fancy, just honest italian food and prices are very affordable. We were there with our toddler and the waiters were very accommodating and we were able to get half a portion for him. You hardly need to wait more than 10 minutes to get you food, which is was a plus. All in all a good location to get something tasty to eat cheap. Recommended!

Best lunch spot of our last visit. Kept us coming back. Cold salads and daily specials were all good.

Very busy shop! It took awhile to get seats for two. We were seated between the other two tables. Literally Back to back with other customers. Love their peposo! Good service but could be better, and great price for food!

Very friendly waitress. No waiting at all to get a table. The food was reasonably prices and tasted good.

Located right at the entrance to Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio, trattoria is a lively, noisy, with humor - a typical Italian place to come, eat, say hello to people you meet first time at your table and go on with your business. The menu is short - 3 zuppas and a few pastas (each priced at 7.50), followed by about 10 main dishes (each priced at 8.50), a few side dishes (priced at 4.50 each) and a few desserts (priced at 5-6). Very down to earth, fast, fulfilling and cost-effective. I liked being able to take half portions to try more things. Liked their Lamperdotto, stuffed zucchini, ribollita, peposo, and the caramelized pear. Unfortunately, the roasted chicken was too dry - hence a star dropped. Their house wine was good. As well as the service. Very good value for your money. Recommended.

The only place I ate in Firenze that didn’t feel targeted at tourists. Located right at the entrance to Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio, I found this trattoria to be lively, noisy, and slightly chaotic on a Saturday lunch service. That’s the beauty of it. The food was simple but very tasty, and the price is well worth it. Filled with locals, down to earth, fast paced and fulfilling. The only down side for me was my seating arrangements which weren’t ideal but I took the chance of not waiting longer in line (and it was a long queue!). Good value for your money. Recommended.

This Trattoria was awesome! Our accomodation host suggested we eat lunch here if we wanted to try a local place…we loved it! It was chaotic, loud, diners everywhere but still managed to seat us with only waiting a couple of minutes. Food was simple yet beautifully cooked and plenty of it, the house wine was delicious and was just what we needed after a big morning walking around Firenze! We went back and ate here a couple of times during our stay! The ricotta chocolate cake was divine!

Picture this. You walk into a food market and there's a train car that looks like it's been converted into a modern eating space with benches. A friendly woman scoots out of her bench seat so that you may make your way to sit on the end. A smiling server comes over to great you with a huge bottle of wine and tells you, "You pay by the glass". There are metal food stands containing buffet style food. You order spaghetti and your waitress explains to you that since you are wearing white, she suggests I tuck a napkin into my shirt. This was an enchanting and charming experience. I fell in love with this place immediately. You can feel it's place in the community when you are a part of it. Great people watching.

Excellent food at very reasonable price. The owner, his son and staff are very friendly to tourists and locals alike. We stayed in a nearby apartment, and the food was so delicious that we ended up eating here twice in our 4 day stay. Very vegetarian friendly. The table set up is quite neat, with a narrow serving alley in the middle and tables on both sides. Tables are shared and we ended up meeting two very friendly local people. We ate the pesto lasagne, eggplant parmigiana(best anywhere in Firenze per our local friend),carreteire,panzanella,papa al.pomodoro and a few side dishes. Great food and great way to eat like a local and make friends!!

We figured out how to ride the bus in Firenze and ended up riding the C3 to Sant' Ambrogio. We checked out the flea market, then went inside to find Trattoria da Rocco, which had been recommended by an American student on the bus. We immediately were greeted and seated by Rocco himself. He bustled some diners who were lingering out of the family-style booth to make room for us. I suspect that my charming dining/travel companion inspires the wonderful service we get. Blue eyes and a great smile bridge the language gap, I'm sure... I really like the seating arrangements in Italian trattorias; you never who your table mates will be. Since my wife has never met a stranger and is a great conversationalist, we always end up sitting with interesting people! Our host turned on the charm, suggesting, cajoling and winning us over so that we placed our trust in him. Here's what we ate: Pomodoro e patate- very good flavor, but filling! One feels obliged to clean every plate because Rocco seems to take it as an affront and looks disappointed, so you must dutifully pick up the spoon and make him happy. Panzello (bread salad)- oil and vinegar-dressed pieces of bread, cucumber, onion. Delicious! Bacala salad- very fresh salad with olives, grape tomatoes, and salt codfish. Yum1 Polpete- beautiful meatballs in marinara sauce. Zucchini Ripieni- over-the-top squash stuffed with veal in a sauce of a little pan drippings and wine. Dolce- our gracious host then went into overdrive, bringing out a magnificent poached pear with a hard sugary glaze, drizzled with chocolate... I couldn't say no to an espresso; it came with a tiny bit of pastry. Service is rendered from a narrow runway between the booths; the trattoria is built like a kiosk in the covered market with sides that roll up to open, down to close. I must mention the wine; big straw-covered jugs of Toscana Rossa are set on the tables. If you are drinking, they charge 2 euro for a 1/4 liter. I have not had a bad glass (or bottle) of wine in Italy; it must be the lesser amounts of preservatives in wine for local consumption. I am happy to have the house, the seasonal, the local wines. Rocco's vino de tavolo goes perfectly with the well-prepared, un-fussy food. Bravo!

My favourite cheap restaurant in Florence. To be honest it's more like a canteen, situated in a groceries market opposite a university. It was pretty cute. You enter via the side doors which will take you straight into your own little open booth. It was designed to maximise the use of the little space they have so the center are only for the staff to take your order and to serve you. Excellent idea. All their dishes are cooked in advance and then reheated in a hot buffet display. They even go the extra mile to label which of their dishes are made from frozen products so you can ensure your dish is made using fresh ingredients. it was all packed full of locals shoppers in the market area. I don't blame them when all mains werel priced at €5.50. Bargain! Tripe in tomato sauce This was lovely and tender, all cleaned properly so it didn't taste strong of offal for those who are worried. It had a lovely soft bite and took on the flavours of the herby tomato sauce nicely. Meatballs in pizza sauce The meatballs were a bit mushy. It was almost like school dinners, being made from processed meats and not really tasting of meat itself. But in a weird way it was nice as it made me nostalgic of my childhood times. The basic zesty tomato sauce wasn't bad either and was a great addition to have with my mash. Vegetables stewed Thiswas lovely and soft. Simple flavours coming together in a chicken broth and simple herbs and seasoning. So comforting to squeeze some healthy greens into our diet without the heaviness of the dressing or oil. Mush potatoes This was incredibly creamy and thinner in texture, almost like polenta texture. It could have been made from powder now looking back at it. But it was nice and milky making it a lovely side to eat along with the mains Baked lasagna with pesto You can really tell this dish was reheated as the pasta tasted like it came out of a ready made meal. But it was simple and still tasty. Layers of soft lasagna pieces filled with pesto and cheese in between. Still very good for the price we paid Tagliatelle zucchini and bacon The pasta tasted freshier here. The dish was lovely and simple like home cooking. The pasta was al dente topped with a lovely tomato stew of zucchini and bacon although the bacon was a bit hard being overcooked but still a nice addition to the overall flavour Cream Catalana This was amazingly velvety, soft and bouncy made from custard and eggs topped with alcohol and then set on fire to char it on top. Beautifully presented and delicious too. Creme caramel It came a bit burnt on top which gave it it's rough dense texture due to the loss of moisture. Quite disappointing but could have been a bad batch Although the price is cheap and more convenient food than gourmet, it was a fun concept and to be blending in with the locals. Service was efficient and quick although lacked smiles from some of the staff. But for the price we made and coming out all full and satisfied, I can't really complain. A great place overall.

Yum! Tried their Florentine tripe here in a take-away container for 5 euro. So worth it! A lot of their prices are dirt cheap; 4 euro for a primi piatti (pasta, salad, etc.) and 5 euro for a secondi piatti (more heartier, meatier dish). All desserts were about 3 euro which isn't bad. For a full meal here, you'll probably spend less than 15 or 20 euro; how good is that?! I've tried Florentine tripe once here in a sandwich, but I wanted an actual dish without the bread and eating it by itself. Generally, Florentine tripe isn't as flavorful compared to lampredotto i've had before, but comparing this tripe from the sandwich I had before from another place, they make it really good here. It's soaked in a tomato-like sauce with a bunch of herbs and spices. When the lady packed it in my container and sealed it off, I was able to open it later and it was still steaming hot. Mmmm. I would recommend coming here if you're in the area for a cheap and authentic Tuscan meal!

My favorite lunch place hands down. Love everything about it. Food always delicious and fairly priced. But most of all, love the energy of the staff. It makes all the customers eat with joy and happiness. Everyone smiles. Convivial it at its best. The pear for dessert is a great way to end a yummy and nourishing lunch experience.

This is a wonderful Florentine experience! We love going to this boisterous trattoria, housed in the San Ambrogio Market! You sit at long tables which fill up with other diners, many locals and others from many country's. The fare is typical of the city and always tasty! They bring a large jug of wine and eyeball how much is consumed at the end of the meal. The prices are very reasonable and it is entertaining! When we visit Florence we go to Rocco's many times and are always happy we did!

The restaurant is in the middle of mercato sant'ambrogio. The food is excellent. We took a couple of small plates: pumpkin soup, an eggplant dish, some ravioli and dessert. The food was better than any that we had in the touristy areas in Rome , Florence and Venice. After having pizzas and pastas for many days in a row, I welcomed the fresh and simple ingredients with a smile and a huge meal. The service is really quick and efficient. This was the first time we had visited a restaurant which did not have a door and instead required you to enter the booth where you would sit directly. So, every booth had a little door. It was a fun experience!

Great little place located in the San Ambrogio market. Ridiculously inexpensive and extremely casual. It's very busy, so if you're in a small group expect to be sat next to strangers, if you're in a large group expect to wait for a table. But so worth it. The food is great!

At the far corner of the market sits the main reason to come to Florence once one has satisfied the cultural gods and made obeisance to all those Renaissance artists that have so enriched our lives. The unique glass-doored booths, the jolly atmosphere, people from all walks of life, locals, tourists, blue-collar and white-collar folks join in an informal, efficient eatery that reminds this American of the best American "diners". The food is delicious. Trattoria Rocco might be the first thing you will talk about when you get back home, when someone asks you about Florence. Great fun.