MaMa Florence Guided Market Tour and 4 Course-Pasta Cooking Class
Description
Embark on a captivating journey through Florence's bustling central market, guided by our friendly English-speaking guide. Witness a treasure trove of stalls overflowing with fresh produce, artisanal cheeses, and cured meats, all sourced directly from the lush green belt surrounding the city. Absorb the vibrant sights, sounds, and aromas of this foodie's paradise, gaining unique insights into local ingredients and culinary traditions. Your adventure continues at Mama Florence Cooking School, where you'll embark on a hands-on pasta-making class. Our English-speaking chef, a true pasta virtuoso, will guide you through the alchemy of transforming simple, fresh, local Tuscan ingredients into handcrafted pasta. You'll master the art of kneading, rolling, and cutting classic shapes like ravioli & tagliatelle and learn to create delectable sauces. This immersive experience offers a deeper connection to authentic Florentine cuisine, making your culinary journey truly unforgettable.
Tour Options
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Alcohol not allowed for those under 18 years of age
- No special food requirement can be accommodated without giving us notice. It is essential that you email us ahead of booking with any food allergies you may have. Should you show up without giving us notice unfortunately we may have to turn you down. In this case you are not entitled to a refund
Reviews(18)
Chef Luca was amazing and I finally learned how to make pasta!! Great class, and completely worth it.
This was the best cooking class I have been to and the market tour was so interesting! The staff was so knowledgeable and welcoming and it was a very hands on experience. I left feeling I could do this at home. The class was a great size and everyone participated. They have a beautiful kitchen with great appliances and dishes and you felt like you were in a Florence kitchen. I highly recommend Mama Florence for a true Tuscan experience!
Thank you so much for your incredibly kind words! To hear that this was the best cooking class you have ever attended truly means the world to us. We know there are many cooking classes to choose from, both in Florence and beyond, so receiving a compliment like that is incredibly rewarding for our entire team. We're especially happy that you appreciated the balance we try so hard to create: the warmth and comfort of being welcomed into a Florentine home, combined with the professionalism, expertise, and attention to detail of a dedicated cooking school. We believe authentic hospitality and serious culinary knowledge should go hand in hand. It was also wonderful to hear that you left feeling confident enough to recreate the dishes at home. Sharing authentic Tuscan food culture, techniques, and traditions is at the heart of what we do. Thank you again for choosing Mama Florence. It was a pleasure cooking with you, and we hope to welcome you back to our kitchen someday! Warmly, The Mama Florence Team
This pasta making class was absolutely incredible! Roberto is so friendly, knowledgeable and such a good teacher. We did the gluten free session and were taken care of very well. A beautiful day, an experience of a lifetime! Do a class like this and get to taste the real Italy, even better when you make the food yourself! Can’t wait to do this again at home ourselves. Thank you Roberto :)
Thank you so much for this wonderful review! We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed your gluten-free cooking class with Roberto. He has a true passion for sharing Italian cuisine, and we're thrilled that his knowledge, warmth, and teaching style helped make your experience so memorable. Since 2013, we've welcomed guests from around the world to enjoy the Original Mama Florence Experience, and it's especially rewarding to hear that you felt you had a taste of the real Italy through cooking and sharing a meal together. Thank you for choosing to cook with us. We hope your homemade pasta brings back wonderful memories of Florence, and we look forward to welcoming you back for another class in the future! Warm regards, The Mama Florence Team
This class was amazing! Emmanuel was the best — super friendly, patient, and made everything so easy to follow. He gave everyone personal attention and really made the whole experience fun. We laughed a lot, learned tons, and the pasta turned out so delicious. If you’re thinking about taking a pasta class, do it — and definitely go with Emmanuel and Mama Florence! 🍝✨
Thank you SO much for this wonderful review! 💛 We’re thrilled to hear you had such a fun and delicious experience with Emmanuel — he truly has a gift for making guests feel right at home while sharing his passion for pasta. 🍝✨ We loved having you, and we hope you’ll come back again soon to cook, laugh, and enjoy even more Tuscan flavours! 🇮🇹❤️ A big grazie from Emmanuel and the whole MaMa Florence team!
The entire experience was magical, from the moment we took a guided tour through the main food market in Florence with our guide, Lavinia, to the four course cooking experience with Sarah and her team. I thought I might feel a bit clutzy, making pasta from scratch, or preparing a biscotti dessert, a yummy Ragu bolognese, etc. But Sarah also terrific and encouraging us to succeed and we did. We also bonded as a group even though we had never met each other before and that was great fun. If you want an authentic experience of Florentine food, I highly recommend MamaFlorence… worth every penny and more! Barbara
Dear Barbara, Thank you so much for your kind words — we’re absolutely delighted to hear that your experience with us was such a magical one! From exploring the market, to cooking alongside our team, it sounds like you truly embraced every part of the day — and we’re so glad you felt supported and encouraged throughout. Your wonderful spirit and openness clearly added to the joy of the group, and it’s always special to see new connections formed over great food. We’re thrilled to know the class exceeded your expectations and that it left you with such great memories (and hopefully some new cooking skills too!). Thank you again for recommending Mama Florence — it means the world to us. Warmest wishes!!
I did the Market Tour and the Pasta Cooking Course with the chef, and really, it exceeded all my expectations. The place is wonderful: warm, cozy, hidden in a quiet corner of the heart of Florence. The market tour was a great start, but the real magic happened in the kitchen. The chef was incredible: prepared, passionate and with a way of doing things that captures you. You could see how much he loved sharing the secrets of each recipe. Everything was practical, relaxed and super fun. The wines we tasted were fantastic, carefully chosen and perfect to accompany the dishes we prepared. But what really impressed me was the quality of the ingredients, the attention to detail and the human warmth. More than a course, it felt like cooking with friends. People from all over the world, laughter, stories and a lunch together that was just special. It is not just a cooking lesson: it is an authentic experience, one that you carry in your heart. If you are in Florence, I highly recommend it! Luca.
Grazie per la tua fantastica recensione! Siamo entusiasti che il tuo Market Tour and Pasta Making Cooking Class abbia superato ogni aspettativa. È bellissimo che tu abbia amato il nostro spazio e la "vera magia" in cucina. Il tuo apprezzamento per la qualità e il calore umano è ciò che ci rende più orgogliosi; è fantastico che ti sia sembrato "di cucinare con amici". Grazie per aver colto che è un'esperienza autentica. La tua recensione è preziosa! Speriamo di rivederti presto!
My daughter and I had a great time during the market tour and the cooking class. It was a great bonding experience. My daughter wanted us to get a pasta maker when we got home. She said making pasta was super satisfying. The entire team was phenomenal. Food was delish. So much fun. Can't recommend enough.
Grazie mille! Love hearing how you and your daughter shared this experience together — that’s exactly what cooking is all about: great ingredients, real recipes, and beautiful memories. Pasta making is definitely addictive — enjoy your new pasta maker and keep the Italian vibes going at home! 🍝🌿✨
Our Mama Florence fun began with Lavinia and her tour of Il Mercato Centrale Firenze. We learned about the various foods (produce, meats, baked goods, seafood and pastas) and the long-standing history of the vendors. A stop for tastes of local olive oil, vinegar and other treats was really fun and tasty. Then a nice walk through the neighborhoods to our cooking class experience. We were warmly greeted like family, and joined three other couples, all of us ready to learn, participate and enjoy a delicious lunch "made" by all of us. Making the pasta from flour and water to the finished product was a treat and something we'll always remember when we make and eat pasta. Chef Matteo along with Ochoa who took care of us and made sure our wine glasses were always full, made the day special for all of us. Our group had so much fun, learned a lot and enjoyed an exceptional meal. We can't wait to take what we learned from them and try it at home. We highly recommend this experience!
Hello! Thank you so much for your lovely review and support. Our kitchen's doors are always open to people form around the world and our table a place to share togetherness ! We hope to see you and your friends again soon! Grazie!
The teaching experience was professional and extremely informative. I learned several things about cooking that I had never learned before. It was nice to learn the correct way to prepare certain dishes. The dinner and wine after the cooking class was absolutely delightful. My family and I truly enjoyed this wonderful experience.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're delighted you found our cooking class professional and informative, and that you learned new techniques. It was a pleasure to have you, and we hope to welcome you back to MaMa Florence again in future!
We had an amazing experience with Mateo! The class was so much fun and the atmosphere was very welcoming. The food was delicious and we would recommend this class to anyone visiting Florence.
Thank you so much for your kind words! We so appreciate you taking the time to write such a glowing review about your experience and our lovely chef Matteo! Keep cooking MaMa’s recipes at home and stay in touch!
