Curious about the most famous panino in Florence

You know what we're talking about

Intro written by Coral

One of the hottest topics regarding food in Florence is: panini from * that place. * Look, I’m not here to smear any one businesses reputation and I’m sure the marketing team of this panino empire if not ambivalent would at least be pleased to see a post talking about them. After all, bad publicity is still good publicity. As the marketing slogan goes: “talk good about me, talk bad about me, just talk about me.”

Last year, me and Georgette aka Girl in Florence collaborated on the Infatuation guide to Florence, which let me tell you was so fun to do with one of your favorite Florence loving friends. I honestly can’t believe this was actually work!

Given we both have lived in the city for many years, many things bubbled to the surface about the food scene (past, present and future) while bobbing around from restaurant to restaurant. The topic of * that panino shop * inevitably came up since it’s kind of like the toxic Prom King elephant in the room you can’t avoid.

Our respective readers are always asking about panini in Florence, our thoughts on AV and if it’s really worth it. So we thought, why not do a joint review on our personal platforms? If you want to see the TLDR video review- check it out on IG HERE.

Admittedly, I have refused going over the last (nearly) decade because its been too heartbreaking to watch its (de)volution spiral into pop commercial erosion. From the once hole in the wall to bring friends in town to, throwing back glasses of wine on stools chatting with the staff as they made sandwiches.

Fast forward a decade later and you find that once local-loved gem a sort of fast food assembly line with kiosks replacing the humans we talk to face to face, eye to eye.

The kiosks at the original location breaks your heart in a way if you’ve known Florence for a while. They signal a sort of end of an era and the brave new world we currently live in with technology creeping deeper into every day life’s crevices.

In the kiosks defense, they have reduced wait times and lines wrapping around the block. But I find them erosive to some elements of Italian food culture which is very human oriented.

That is, if I had ordered the same panino with pistachio spread and honey atop lardo, gorgonzola and rocket (arugula), the counter person taking the order would tell me in a very unfiltered Florentine fashion by raising an eyebrow to ask “are you sure about that?”

Without the human element to challenge our questionable combo choices, we are left eating panini full of blasphemy vs tradition, or even something sensibly gourmet.

Suffice to say, this visit was a bit of a shock for me personally after all this time. And I can happily wait another 10 years before putting my digestive system through the same trauma. Or instead visit one of these other alternatives (listicle on my food blog).

Continue reading for our respective reviews, all in good fun and humor!

Georgette’s (poignant) take:

The only ones happier than those holding a coveted square of Florence’s most wanted stuffed flatbread schiacciata panini are the numerous pigeons fighting for droppings of stale crumbs, sliced tomato and mystery goop spread-covered salumi scattered along the street that All’Antico Vinaio may as well be mayor of. You know your (TikTok) man vs food panino pilgrimage is about to reach its apex when you start stepping over unmistakable AV’s white and red vintage logo branded panino wrapper crumples lining Via de’ Neri that parlay into the clusters of people hoping to get a taste of this enigmatic panino shack empire at Florence’s flagship that is the brainchild of the massively successful Tommaso Mazzanti.

Families, young people, groups, deliveroo and various food delivery bikers.. it feels like you’re clamoring to join the hottest ride in Disney. And just like Disneyland, you see kids in strollers crying, arguments about queue jumpers, decision dilemmas (will you choose the best panino combo?) and a general feeling of “is this worth it” combined with .. where the hell am I going to eat this thing.

The cameras are out as people try to capture the moment. The background noise is chatter and every few minutes the ruckus is interrupted by the beeps of taxis inching their way down the street through the numerous patrons with sandwiches in one hand, selfie stick in the other serving as their own voyeurs. The smell of petrol from idling cars nearby isn’t exactly the most appetizing scent.

As we waited in line, the pigeons were getting feistier by the second as a family wearing flip flops tried unsuccessfully to shoo them away while juggling sandwiches, phones and cokes and dodging poop bombs from above. Luckily the birds jumped ship to the next overfilled nearby trash can with plenty of bounty to keep generations of them fed. The next obstacle is to make sure you don’t get bird droppings mixed in your truffle drippings if you plan on snacking in the streets as there is nowhere to sit. In fact, there is ban on it with hall monitors and all.

The hall monitors who were actually volunteers have been replaced with passive blue laminated signs plastered over residential doors asking pathetically in Italian (albeit not the prominent language spoken in this microcosmo) asking patrons not to eat and drink their food on the steps. A laughable request considering sidewalk space seems to double both as the line and a place to plop down for lunch.

We put a timer on and it took roughly 23 minutes for us to get our sandwiches, which is arguably pretty quick for one of the most popular eateries in town. I have to hand it to the staff inside to manage the chaos pretty well but the experience feels uncomfortably like fast-food Florentine style and there’s not much room to stop and chat.

The menu lays out options in a pretty clear-cut, easy-to-read way with categories including the most popular, limited editions, truffle options, historical pics and of course drinks which are fairly limited to wine and soft drinks and water. Ingredients are inclusive of Italian favorites such as mortadella, Tuscan porchetta, Capocollo dry-cured pork, prosciutto.

My panino was filled with a special truffle salami, pecorino cheese and honey and I opted for nduja as an addition. The size itself was quite big, and as we searched for a spot, our food quickly got cold as eating this coveted panino in Florence is a challenge within itself.

The bread was way too hard and could arguably chip a tooth, every bite overflowed with nduja and salami serving as a test on how not to ruin my shirt. It was ok but a bit underwhelming and after a few bites it felt like my mouth was being sliced and diced with the hard bread and I just simply lost stamina and desire. If you still have a yearning to go, choose from the classical menu and keep it simple, think mortadella and pecorino as the add-ins can quickly overtake the flavors.

The question begs: Is it worth it being on my list of must-eats when in Florence (or now anywhere with an outpost, as it has grown to 20+ since opening in 1989 in the flagship store on Via de’ Neri)? I would say other panino shops in Florence are worth your attention and after our AV experience we head to I Fratellini, a family panino outpost open since 1875 on nearby Via Cimatori for a sublime schiacciata with mortadella, pecorino and some fragrant carciofi and Campari spritz.

We agree- I Fratellini (pictured above) wins!

Coral’s (unfiltered) take:

Apart from the fact I find the concept of this panino brand as one of the top antagonists in Florence’s cultural demise, the sandwich itself is at best edible and honestly not worth it. The sandwich is in the snack or quick lunch outfit options of schiacciate ripiene (stuffed Florentine focaccia-like flatbread panini) filled with meat and/or cheese, perhaps some tomato or arugula and/or pickled/oil preserved vegetables like artichoke or sun-dried tomato. Perhaps a slather of truffle to pair with slices of mortadella if one is feeling gourmet.

That said, the bread and the fillings should be the highlights of a legit schiacciata. In AV’s case, they are able to bank on its gargantuan size and social media appeal to pummel over the actual quality.

(mine was with lardo, rocket, gorgonzola, pistachio spread and honey- too sweet and I bet a human at the counter would have advised against, a type of rationale a kiosk lacks)

The bread tasted mass produced and made in an electric oven. It was giving an over salted cracker with a loofah-like crumb designed to slough off the roof of your mouth. A true schiacciata should have some pillowy give, AV’s did not for me. It dried up as soon as it left the counter, giving only a mirage of a warm, soft flavorful Florentine focaccia.

The fillings I found: blasphemous. They forget the fact that Italian food is premised on simplicity and a few good ingredients. The fillings at AV are mostly indigestible, of costco quality lacking virtually any distinct flavor. Smoke and mirrors!

It’s as if they thought wedging together a bunch of overly processed nothingness aided by copious amounts of sodium and a drizzle of honey for the sweet predilections of the American palate (the demographic that dominates these lines) would be their cash cow and international hit- and they were right.

AV’s owner and face of the company is Tommaso Mazzanti. You see his face plastered on a lot of branding with his tagline (and viral hashtag) “bada come la fuma” something along the lines of “pipin’ hot like it smokes.”

In all honestly, I respect the man. I may not like his product but the fact he has been able to be wildly successful despite all red tape obstacles in a frustrating system full of arbitrary road blocks that ultimately stifle economic health, discourages growth and punishes aspiring enterprise is something worth (dare I say): admiring.

When asked where the bread comes from, the staff gives mixed answers (they bake it? Re-heat from frozen? Or they outsource it from a cards-to-chest baker?).

When you grab the panini, it is indeed warm to touch and there is a glimpse of hope. But after circling around to find a corner to munch, it quickly grew stale.

Make sure to stay hydrated- these salt licks will leave you parched.

Anyone have thoughts to share? We’d be curious to know. Grazie for reading!