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Is there really a better country for cafe culture than Italy? But before I go any further, by cafe culture I mean spending hours drinking coffee, eating, and people-watching — the classic Italian way! (Not the Westernized kind of cafe culture, folks)
That being said, I love that Florence has a mixture of the two actually. I think it’s down to the fact that there’s a more creative side to Florence plus the city also has a large community of international university students who come to study from the Renaissance greats.
This ultimate guide to the best cafes in Florence is a combo; classic, authentic Italian cafes and your more “Western” sort of cafes that you’re used to if you grew up in places like the States, Australia, the UK, or South Africa. One thing is for certain though, you’ll never experience bad coffee! For the lactose-intolerant among us, I also really appreciated that I could find cafes in Florence…with almond milk (I’m not religious but hallelujah!).
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- 1. Ditta Artigianale & Hario Cafe: For the best cortado with almond milk
- 2. La Ménagère: Romantic floral cafe since 1896
- 3. Santa Rosa Bistrot: A perfectly sweet date spot
- 4. Brunch Republic: All the classics
- 5. Floret: Healthy, delicious and holistic
- 6. Cafe Gilli: Established 1733
- 7. Melaleuca: From matcha to pukka tacos
- 8. Rivarno: The cutest Italian sidewalk cafe
1. Ditta Artigianale & Hario Cafe: For the best cortado with almond milk
When I say coffee and I are the best of friends, I mean it! I’m a proud coffee snob, and so naturally, I always find myself in seventh heaven in Italia. But I should be honest: I don’t drink espressos all the time, but when in Italy I kind of had to start doing so because I’m lactose-intolerant. My milk alternative of choice is almond milk, but it wasn’t too often I actually managed to find it.
Yes, I know drinking a cappuccino after 8 am is a sin in Italy, but I’m a cortado kind of person, anyway. And sometimes, you don’t feel like a strong espresso the way Italians do it when drinking as much coffee as I find myself indulging in when in Italy.
Of the best cafes in Florence, this one is undoubtedly my favorite!
Ditta Artigianale & Hario Cafe is literally at the square in the Jewish Quarter where we stayed two minutes away. When our driver dropped us off on the wrong street my first time in Firenze, we headed straight here for Wifi (and an espresso, obviously). Ever since, I’ve had a love affair with this place.
Every time I’ve been back in Florence we have purposefully stayed in the area, and have started most brekkie mornings here. The coffee is amazing and do yourself a favor with the avo toast, sweet potato fries, or the Caeser salad!! The menu is a combo of Italian and trendy Westernized cafe bites!
2. La Ménagère: Romantic floral cafe since 1896
Step inside floral bliss within the walls of the ultra-pretty (and tres chic) La Ménagère.
With garden workshops on the go — from tea time to learning the art of flower decorating — I fell head over heels for this spot. Even the stone walls are lined with shelves of vases and baskets filled with fresh and dried florals. There’s art, candles, gorgeous porcelain plates used for dishes, and a piano among it all.
For breakfast, enjoy pancakes, benedicts, or avo toasts, there’s tapas, toasts, and even fresh oysters. They’re open for brekkie, lunch, and dinner. Dine amid the flower shop, main restaurant, or in the small English-style library section, and they also do cocktails.
P.S. You can also find a La Ménagère in Rome!
3. Santa Rosa Bistrot: A perfectly sweet date spot
Florence is one of my favorite cities in the world, and I find it so utterly romantic in a really artsy sort of way. Case in point: Santa Rosa Bistrot — one of the best cafes in Florence for an outdoor cafe garden experience!
Situated directly across from the Arno, the cafe was designed to resemble a greenhouse vibe and it’s precisely the vibes I get from it. It’s perfect for a morning breakfast spot, light afternoon bite with some great wine, or a little date night with delish cocktails.
On certain days live music fills the air! What’s the food like? It’s a mixture of Italian and Western. For example, they serve burgers.
4. Brunch Republic: All the classics
Are you a brunch kinda person (guilty)? Just another reason to add to my list of the hundreds why I love Italy, I usually eat my first meal around 10 am. I feel like in Italy, and many places in Europe, the mornings start later, and brunch hour is sort of the norm for that first full-on meal. Otherwise, it’s coffee and a quick pastry to get the day going!
Brunch Republic, as you probably guessed by the name, is for us brunchers, although they do open up and serve breakfast, too.
Pancake stacks, smash burgers with waffle fries, fresh San Francisco Club Sandwich, huge benedict toasts, pumpkin spiced lattes, French toast, and even transforming into a “vegan hour”. It’s very much the type of cafe and food you’d find in the USA! Because sometimes, you simply cannot eat another pastry for brekkie!
On that vegan note, if you’re completely plant based and curious about the vegan scene in Firenze, dive into my favorite 9 vegan restaurants in Florence!
P.S. I’m a huge fan of the funky pink interiors. It’s like a trendy LA diner thing they’ve got going on.
5. Floret: Healthy, delicious and holistic
Feel like your tummy needs a break from all the heavy pasta and pizza and the copious amounts of meat and cheese? From cold-pressed juices to coconut water to nourishing salads, treat your health at Floret.
The last time I visited Florence was for my best friend’s wedding. We stayed at the Palazzo San Niccolò and the restaurant is on the ground floor. Whilst getting ready for the wedding, us bridesmaids and bride enjoyed our meals from here. I had the miso salmon (unreal) and my favorite bit about it was this insane delicious mango dressing that it came with!
Vegans? They have many lovely options for our plant-based eaters here, too, from mushroom bourguignon to beyond-meat burgers. Of the best cafes in Florence, this is the place to treat your body, mind, and soul!
6. Cafe Gilli: Established 1733
I personally feel like it would be locally incorrect to leave Cafe Gilli off our list of the best cafes in Florence simply due to the iconic status of this cafe. Not only is it nearly 300 (!!!) years old, but this famous chocolate shop is also now that quintessential Italian/Florentine cafe experience.
By this, I don’t mean the cafes we know today. In Italy, traditional cafes are still very much reserved for (strong) coffee and sweet pastry stops, enjoyed with a side serving of people-watching on the streetside, or around the buzzing espresso bar.
This is exactly that! However, it’s also a bistrot and the lunch menu is Italian traditionals celebrating seasonal ingredients. Oh, and you simply cannot leave without buying or tasting a chocolate creation from here…
7. Melaleuca: From matcha to pukka tacos
For all your international brunch, specialty coffee, and bakery needs, head to Melaleuca; a travelers’ favorite among the best cafes in Florence (it often appears on the social feeds).
You’ll notice that they keep up with global holidays, so around America’s Thanksgiving, they do pies, from sweet potato to pecan to key lime. But the entire counter is a mouthwatering, alluring part of this cafe, and I always want to grab one of everything!
The interiors are bright and inviting.
Coffee as you’d expect is divine — but then again I’ve yet to have a terrible coffee in Firenze — and they also have extras like matcha and golden chai lattes. It all makes sense as it’s Aussie/American-owned.
8. Rivarno: The cutest Italian sidewalk cafe
Prosciutto crudo boards, seasonal vegetable tarts, i.e., quiche, huge slices of fruit cake, freshly pressed orange juice, and fantastic coffee — whether hot or cold — Rivarno defines all the things to love about Italian food and the best cafes in Florence.
If you’re looking for the ultimate Italian experience, I say ditch the indoors and pull up a table and chair on the roadside beneath the umbrellas.
Food is well priced, and apart from the main food menu, there’s also a baked goods counter if you’re feeling something on-the-go or want to take home a treat with you after the main meal.
Another stand out here are the multi-grain croissants, which are different from the usual all-buttery laminated creations.
While we’re on the whole “light bites” train, if you’re on the move or love trying street food in every new destination you hit, here’s how to eat your way through the best street food in Florence! So, what’s next on your agenda? If you’ve got Milan planned, take notes from our local Milanese Insighter right here!
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