‘Ordering in' or ‘getting take-out,' that very American and British habit (or guilty pleasure), might seem foreign in food-sacred Italy, with its traditionally food-loving culture and hours-long family meals. Increasingly, however, Florence eateries have been offering consegna a domicilio (‘home food delivery'), and surprisingly, the emphasis is on quality. Here are just a few examples.

The (not so) usual

Let's start with the predictable sorts of take-out food: ‘fast food,' brunch and Chinese food.

For a high-quality take on fast-food take-out, try Principe delle Delizie (via dell'Agnolo 93r; 055/240350; www.ilprincipedelledelizie.it). Always a great place for a quick bite, it also offers home delivery and reasonable prices. Choose toppings and bread for your made-to-order burger, order a pizza or try the tasty piadine.

With a menu focused on fresh bagels, burgers, salads, muffins and the like, I assumed that the clientele of Panino Tondo (via Montebello, 56/r; 055/5385465; www.ilpaninotondo.it/eng), which opened last year, was largely American. I was surprised to learn from the owner that 95 percent of his clients are Italians. Panino Tondo uses the healthiest and freshest ingredients. Orders are usually filled within 40 minutes and you can call earlier in the day to arrange delivery at a specific time.

For those who love Chinese take-out, I suggest Xing Wang Rosticceria (via degli Alfani 26/r; 055/2639182; no website, so stop by and pick up the to-go menu). Try the spring rolls, soy noodles, chicken dishes and, yes, the fried Nutella. Gallo Bianco (via Antonio Scialoia 4/r; 055/2476289; www.gallobianco.it) offers a variety of meat, rice and noodle dishes, and soups at reasonable prices.

The aggregators: one-stop shopping

Florence is also home to some businesses that coordinate and provide food-delivery services for a group of restaurants. The Food offers delivery from restaurants that include Tijuana 2, Mama's Bakery, Kome Japananese, Niwa Thai, and even gelato and wine (055/6812477; www.thefood.it; fidelity card option for frequent customers). Room Service offers delivery from local ethnic restaurants (Turkish, Chinese) as well as Italian food; there is even a mini-market selection and DVD rental service (055/6800460; www.roomservice.it).

Meeting you halfway: ingredients at your door

Although shopping for food in Florence is in itself a wonderful experience, those squeezed for time can avail themselves of delivery services from the markets. Esselunga supermarket offers a delivery service from Monday to Friday (6.20 euro/five bags; http://bit.ly/HGvVgk). For fresh fruit and vegetable delivery, check out L'[email protected], where everything is available to order online (www.ortoacasa.com). Have fresh Tuscan produce brought directly to your door with Fresco in Città, a group of organic farmers, bioecological companies and social cooperatives whose goal is to connect producers and consumers (055/7322620; www.frescoincitta.it).