A close up of the famous lampredotto sandwich.
Looking for a quick, delicious sandwich on the streets of Florence, Italy? Stop by Tripperia Pollini for a lampredotto sandwich – a dish that is unique to this Italian city.
This famous sandwich contains salsa verde (a spicy green sauce) and small pieces of abomasum seasoned with salt and pepper. Abomasum is the fourth and final stomach of the cow. It is slow-cooked in a vegetable broth containing tomato, onion, parsley and celery. After this process, the abomasum comes out tender like roast beef.
Matteo Ardito, worker at Tripperia Pollini, preparing a lampredotto sandwich in Florence, Italy.
The soft bread roll that holds the sandwich together is soaked with the vegetable broth, so don’t wear your favorite shirt when tasting this juicy meal. Make sure to grab extra napkins because the plastic used to wrap the sandwich does little to stop the dripping.
You may be thinking that the stomach of a cow sounds far from appetizing.
Well, this sandwich is actually a favorite among the many Italian comfort foods and is a Florentine tradition.
Matteo Ardito, a lampredotto sandwich preparer at Tripperia Pollini, said he sees a large amount of people come to the shop every day.
Matteo Ardito, worker at Tripperia Pollini, holding a lampredotto sandwich in Florence, Italy.
This shop was covered by “BBC, National Geographic and the New York Times,” Ardito said. The worldwide attention from these major publications allowed a small shop like Tripperia Pollini to become well-known in Florence and other countries around the world.
Ardito has been working at Tripperia Pollini for twenty years but says the shop has been around for one hundred years. The shop is a father and son business belonging to Sergio and Pier Paolo Pollini. Pier is still alive and well – there is a picture of him hanging on the wall of the shop too.
Locals and tourists surround the shop for either breakfast, lunch or dinner. There is never a time that the shop isn’t busy. The menu features a list of drinks that go well with the renowned sandwich such as Coca-Cola and wine.
The menu at Tripperia Pollini in Florence, Italy.
Not in the mood for a sandwich? Ardito said that the ambomasum is also prepared with tomatoes and potatoes. If you are looking for real Italian street food, Tripperia Pollini is the way to go.
Customers usually eat the food prepared at Tripperia Pollini standing up, but the shop has a few chairs on the side of the cart if you would like to sit. Another option is to take your meal to the steps of a nearby bench or a landmark such as the steps of the Santa Croce. Eating a lampredotto sandwich and watching the beautiful scenery of Florence is the perfect way to eat a meal. You can also take a stroll down the streets of Florence as you eat your lampredotto sandwich too.
Centuries ago, lampredotto was a poor man’s sandwich. Florence’s poorest people could not afford anything but leftover cuts of meat. Lampredotto was how the poor survived. Then, in the 15th century, several places emerged near the Arno river that sold tripe, a type of lampredotto, for only a few cents.
During the 19th century, cooked offal (entrails and internal organs of an animal), began to be sold from wooden carts and bicycles. Now, in present day Florence, you can find lampredotto in convenient kiosks, like Tripperia Pollini. Besides the traditional sandwich, lampredotto can be seen prepared with leeks, artichokes or mushrooms. You can also find other specialties made with boiled meats or offal including beef tongue with green sauce at the kiosks as well.
Tripperia Pollini and other kiosks also have tripe on its menus. Tripe is one of the first three compartments of the cow stomach. It is usually cooked with tomato sauce (Trippa all Fiorentina), as a special pasta sauce or as part of a salad. With so many options at one kiosk, you will find yourself returning for your next meal.
Lampredotto has clearly come a long way from being food for the poor. It is now a traditional and favorite dish among Florentines; a must have for anyone visiting Florence. Don’t miss out on this one of a kind sandwich - Buon appetito!
General Information:
The price of one lampredotto sandwich is 3.50 euros. Add a glass of wine and your meal will only cost you around five to seven euros. A meal at Tripperia Pollini is the perfect, affordable way to experience a Florentine delicacy. Especially if you’re traveling on a budget.
You can find Tripperia Pollini at the Piazza Sant’Ambrogio. The shop is on the corner of Via de’Macci and Borgo La Croce.
The shop is open from 9:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. from Tuesday to Saturday as well as 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Monday. Tripperia Pollini is closed on Sunday. Many restaurants in Florence close their kitchens early, so the long hours are perfect if you’re looking for a late lunch.
The front of Tripperia Pollini in Florence, Italy.
Want to Make Your Own Lampredotto?
If you fall in love with this delicious sandwich and have to leave the beautiful town of Florence, then try making your own lampredotto. Plan to make this recipe in advance because it requires hours of preparation.
First, you need to find abomasum at your local butcher shop. This may be a bit difficult, so do your research. If you manage to find some, you will need to slow cook the entire piece. The lampredotto needs to be slow cooked for at least an hour in three-fourths cup of water and chops of tomato, onion, parsley and celery.
To prepare the salsa verde that gives the sandwich its spicy kick, you will need capers, anchovies, garlic, parsley, basil and extra virgin olive oil. A food processor is needed to turn the ingredients into a paste form.
To prepare the sandwich, slice the lampredotto into small pieces. Then, you will need to season the sliced pieces with salt and ground black pepper as well as a spoonful of salsa verde. Buy some soft bread rolls at your local grocery store to complete the sandwich. Try soaking the bread into the lampredotto broth for extra flavor too. Enjoy!
A close up of the famous lampredotto sandwich.
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