Cafe Life in Florence

Florence is a great city for good coffee and cafe life…

Caffe Gilli The Grand Dame of cafe life sits on the Piazza della Repubblica in the center of Florence. A premier historical cafe with sumptuous details of a more elegant era that maintain the stylish traditions of its city. Polished counters, cream coloured table cloths remain true to the altar of a classic caffe. Outside on the piazza you will find a more modern vibe with a glassed in terrace spritzing cool air in the summer months, and a trendy aperitivo crowd. Here is the best of both worlds serving excellent coffee.

Le Menagere For a trendier spot, dare I say a bit hipster, this place is has a great cafe and boutique shop. The cafe and bar is a lively area spread out over a fairly large space than encompasses a local florist and home design space offering tasteful dessert dishes and negroni glasses.

Ditta Artigianale On the other side of the river, not far from the Pitti Palace is a coffee shop that the locals and ex-pats love to go to. Serving international coffee (Columbian, Costa Rican, etc.) and cold pressed brew, it could be argued that this is where Seattle coffee style and the Italian caffe connoisseur meet. Lounge seating as well as counter space by the window, means you will find bloggers working and friends meeting but not too many tourists.

Caffe Scudieri On the Piazza del Duomo this refined cafe makes for a welcoming rest stop. Fastest service is standing at the counter, but the small outside terrace does offer impeccable views of the Baptistry and Duomo.

SottArno For a cozy neighbourhood cafe with a bite to eat, this little place near Santo Spirito is a great option. It packs a lot into a small space, the panini are tasty, and the coffee smooth.

Rivoire Not to be outdone by Gilli a piazza over, Rivoire is also a beloved historic cafe. It got its start from its chocolate and pastries, which are fantastic and worth indulging on. This sweet cafe has wonderful pride of place right on the Piazza della Signoria with fantastic views of the Palazzo Vecchio, reflecting that indeed this IS a Florentine cafe.