Enjoy a break just like a local would do: here is all you need to know about the best, inexpensive, and authentic Tuscan street food.
The King of Tuscan street food: Panino con la Porchetta
Panino con la Porchetta (roast pork sandwich) can be found almost everywhere, especially in town festivals, weekly markets, and mobile stalls. Cortona makes no exception: you can find porchetta at the Saturday market, on Wednesdays afternoon on a mobile stall outside Porta Colonia, and even on the menu of some bars and trattorias… Porchetta is a boneless pork roast stuffed with wild fennel flowers, garlic, salt, pepper, and a bit of rosemary. Some tasty porchetta slices and an unsalted Tuscan panino are just a supreme combination you must absolutely try.
Ciaccia: Tuscan street food is a Bakery Experience
Our “Ciaccia” is the ultimate bakery product for anyone visiting Tuscany. It is a type of flat bread, either crunchy or soft depending on the style of every “forno” (bakery shop), with olive oil (a lot!), salt, and rosemary or sage. It is very inexpensive and very good just by itself, try it in the middle of the morning or as “merenda” (mid-afternoon snack). Different options also include tomato, olives, or onion, great also for vegetarians… yummy!
The Insider’s Tip: Tuscan Bread with Prosciutto is the best street food!
Another version of the Tuscan sandwich is made with our typical salt-free sliced bread. Ask for “due fette di pane” and have them stuffed with salty Tuscan prosciutto (ham). Fabulous! Try the bread also with different types of cold cuts and cheese: pecorino cheese, Tuscan salami, wild boar salami, finocchiona (typical salami flavored with fennel seeds), mortadella, mozzarella, and many others. This is the typical snack you’d order at “alimentari“, the little supermarkets that you can find in small towns around Valdichiana valley.
Classic and Delicious: Italian Ice Cream
Last but not least, the ultimate street food in Tuscany (and all around Italy) is handmade gelato – “gelato artigianale“. Our ice cream is a freshly-made product created from a few natural, raw ingredients, with no preservatives or artificial flavors. Milk, cream, fruit, and a few other variations. Each gelato shop – there are a few in Cortona – makes its own gelato, using seasonal ingredients or adding its own twist to classic flavors. Don’t be afraid of trying them all and discover which one is your favorite, either in a cup or a cone… it’s delicious!
Now that you know everything about our “walk and eat” food delicacies, all you have to do is try them all! Buon appetito!