The Vegetarian Tart: In the market for tasty food!

Having just returned from a week in Tuscany I can't wait to share my new found favourite foodie place with you. Having visited many cafes, bars, restaurants and gelaterias, my favourite is on the first floor of the Central Market in Florence, in the San Lorenzo quarter.

The building itself is very impressive with its two storeys made of glass and cast iron from 1874. It has, in recent years been renovated. The ground floor market itself sells an array of meats, fish, cheeses, fruit, vegetables, pastas, nuts, spices, olives, oils and some takeaway Tuscan foods.

Move upstairs and you will find a large airy space flooded with light, vibrant with colour and echoing with the chatter of people enjoying good food. There's a choice of 500 seats so you can be right in the heart of the dining or tucked into a quiet corner to read and eat in solitude or merely people watch in fascination. You will be surrounded by 12 food shops selling ready to eat cheeses, breads, pizzas, pastas, truffles, vegetarian burgers and salads, cakes and pastries (as well as meats and fish). There is a beer bar, coffee bar, Chianti tasting and refreshing juices. Cookery books are sold in one area and a cookery school is tucked into another. It has a great vibe with people from all nationalities coming together and enjoying good, healthy, tasty food.

The strapline is "Quality is a value. Spread the word!"

The tables were kept clean and clear by a number of staff sporting logo t-shirts and the Mozzarella Man could be heard tooting the horn of his trolley as he moved amongst the customers with his wares. There was a definite sense of pride amongst the people working there. A map showing the layout of the market could be picked up at various points as well as the Information Desk where bookings for the cookery school were taken and a green home service ensured delivery within 3 hours.

I overheard an American lady exclaim how great it would be to have the same set up back home in the USA and I wanted to shout "no, bring it to the UK first!" Many of our markets have become tired and underused and it would be wonderful to re-energise them by bringing people in to eat locally produced and prepared food. Yes we have local farmers markets but how wonderful to be able to go to one central place in the towns and cities and enjoy a quick, nutritious, good value bite whilst on a lunch break from work, shopping or sightseeing.