*This article has been updated since its original publish date.
Note from Coral: I credit living in Seattle for my low key picky tastes for coffee, considering the city boasts a strong coffee culture. My fondest memories of coffee in Seattle include baristas pulling a shot 6 times before deeming it just right.
Florence, when I moved to the city in 2012, was a let down in terms of finding quality-driven coffee with cozy atmospheric vibes to match. Little more than a decade later, Florence has become THE PLACE for specialty coffee in Italy. I hope to share the best spots for coffee in Florence with you with this blog post!
Italian coffee culture 101
Coffee (espresso) in Italy is taken at the bar. There are many ways to order a coffee but generally you will hear caffe macchiato (espresso with a stain of steamed milk), caffe lungo (a long pull of espresso), caffe al vetro (espresso served in a glass) and a cappuccino. It is hopefully common knowledge by now that a cappuccino is not to be had with meals other than breakfast or after meals. Why? Because the milk in cappuccino is considered a meal component in itself and putting it on top of savory lunches and dinners disrupts digestion.
This whole “no cappucino after 12” is nonsense rumor. There are plenty of Italians who have cappuccinos at all hours of the day and evening even. The nuance is that cappuccinos aren’t had right after a major meal beyond breakfast for reasons described above.
Espresso, deriving from "quick", is a concentrated extraction of very fine ground coffee beans. Usually a mix of 2 species of coffee: arabica and robusta. Some coffee shops in Florence make their espresso from 100% arabica while some add 20-50% robusta for added depth and body. A curious fact about the robusta species of coffee: it contains a slightly higher amount of caffeine. In agriculture, this added feature of elevated caffeine levels acts as a natural pesticide. Apparently bugs don't like getting buzzed! Apologies for the pun...
Why quality driven coffee is worth the extra cents
Coffee is a serious business- there are professional coffee tasters who have insurance policies on their palate! Coffee is estimated to command over $60 BILLION dollars globally. As a result, the way it is sourced should also be of importance.
Quality-driven coffee means fair compensation to growers and better sustainability outcomes, which considering that the coffee industry contributes to a major source of deforestation, is super significant.
Shade grown beans is also a better choice than sun-grown. The latter is more susceptible to pollination and pest problems, which means more agricultural chemicals affecting the environment, the farmers and the consumer.
And finally, most industrial coffee that Italy pulls is robusta, while craft purveyors tend to favor arabica, which is costlier to grow but has notable organoleptic differences in smoothness and acidity. In other words, specialty tastes better!
With all that being said, these are my picks in Florence if you’re looking for a flat white (basically a double shot with a flat layer of velvety microfoam) a V60 pour over, cold brew or a calculated espresso.
Summer travel hack: Traditional coffee shops don’t do cold or iced coffee. They might do caffe shakerato or give an glass of ice with espresso thinking you’d want to put an ice cub in a scaldinghot espresso cup (not sure why they just don’t pull the espresso right over ice). The hack for ice cold coffee is at specialty coffee shops. This mitigates frustration for everyone as imposing iced coffee culture on a traditional shop seems like a classic tourist mistake/flop.
For more coffee tips and cafe treats in Florence, check out our Hidden Gem’s Food Lover’s Tour and/or our Street Food Market Walk!
Ditta Artigianale
Original location: Via dei Neri, 32/R (now expanded to multiple locations, my favorite is in Sant’Ambrogio and Piazza Ferrucci)
I distinctly remember when Ditta opened in 2013 of via de’Neri. It was one of the few trailblazers who hedged their bets on specialty coffee in Italy and was known for caring deeply about the farmers, sourcing and 3rd wave techniques that’s not just burnt espresso from underpaid purveyors They do all sorts of trendy 3rd wave tricks with coffee like cold brew, vacuum, chemex, flat white and a cold coffee tonic. The decor is fresh, solid music selection, vintage feel and reminds me of an artsy hang-out. They have grown a lot over the years and deserve every drop of success. They paved the way to a specialty coffee shop culture Florence finally has.
Caffe Piansa
Via V. Gioberti, 51/R
It’s worth noting that Florence has been home to other players in the specialty realm aside from Ditta who share caring ethos for coffee quality and fair sourcing. Caffe Piansa has been around for 40 years! They distribute their beans to locales across the city so definitely check out the map of where you can find Torrefazione Piansa beans pulled into espresso. They have their own-branded coffee bar/ caffe in Via Gioberti and there is a cook there who does probably the best lunch on that boulevard besides the street-food lampredotto stand towards Piazza Beccaria.
Dini Caffe
Via dei Bastioni, 38
Another veteran of the speciality realm, Dini Caffe is the only coffee roastery located in Florence’s city center. Run by the dynamic duo of sisters Serena and Benedetta Nobili, and established by their grandfather in 1939, this family-run establishment holds a rich tradition in the art of coffee crafting.
Cold Brew at Fluid. Photo: Coral Sisk.
FLUID
Borgo la Croce, 59/R
FLUID is a collaborative project created by Le Piantagioni del Caffè - artisan specialty coffee roasters based in Livorno. The cafè has an extensive all-day menu, including focaccia sandwiches, quiches and simple salads. They have cakes and cookies too, and gluten-free options. They have an impressive selection of extraction options and roasted coffees from around the coffee growing world, and always have a steady flow of cold brew. Great spot to take a break with a book, too.
Coffee Mantra Firenze
Borgo la Croce, 71r
A small coffee stand/nook in Sant’Ambrogio which is the only spot in the micro-quarter for specialty coffee and 3rd wave cups like cold brew and single-origin espresso. This is a spot for the evangelists of specialty coffee, they might judge if you put sugar in your espresso and they don’t have wifi. It’s a needed caffeine hub for shopping the markets nearby. Their chocolate chip cookies are dangerously addictive- and I’m not much of a cookie person.
Melaleuca Firenze
Original location: Lungarno delle Grazie, 18
A darling Australian-American style bakery/bistro with a bright, positive atmosphere and a serious craft coffee program. Their rotating fresh lunch options are tempting (fish tacos with homemade tortillas) as well as their cakes, cinnamon rolls and bagels too. While not easily swayed by anglo-concept bistros, Melaleuca is exceptional and belongs to Florence’s food and coffee bar scene. I’m happy they are here!
v60 at Melaleuca. Photo: Coral Sisk.
SimBIOsi Organic Cafè
Via Guelfa, 13
In this cafe you’ll find yourself mixed in with the locals and the tourists, all waiting for a nice cup of joe. They make a mean oat milk flat white and have plenty of vegan options on the menu - a rare sight in Florence.
Cardamom rolls and savory egg danishes and flat whites at Wild Buns. Photo: Coral Sisk.
Manly the Office
Via Pisana, 48r
Fiesole-born barista Maykol Martino brings a cupful of Australia with speciality coffee shop Manly The Office. The tiny hangout has enticing curb appeal. A duo of blackboards parked outside get to the point with punchy white writing: “Breakfast, brunch & specialty coffee” and “Good coffee here”. While some customers prefer to perch in the outdoor seating area, the interior promises laidback vibrancy, Aussie style.
Wild Buns Bakery
(various locations)
Wild Buns Bakery is Scandinavian artisan bakery. It’s the spot to go for Nordic-style pastries like semlor (cardamom flavored bun with homemade almond paste, toasted almonds and vanilla flavored whipped cream) and sandwiches packed with salmon and dill, all served with speciality coffee and cold drinks.
Ben Caffè
Via Santa Margherita, 2R, 50122 Florence, Italy
It's just a 2-minute walk from Casa di Dante and about 5 minutes from Piazza della Signoria and Florence Cathedral, making it convenient for specialty coffee and brunch things if hitting up museums and cultural sites.
Historical cafes like Rivoire
Piazza della Signoria, 5
These are historical cafes which may not do 3rd wave coffee, but are classic establishments with centuries of history. They deserve to be recognized and visited at least once to fully understand the food and coffee culture history in Florence. In the winter, Rivoire, who also doubles as a chocolatier, is a prime spot for hot chocolate, fried rice frittelle during Carnival and a traditional Italian cappuccino. The service is always polite and the staff are pretty jolly. This cafe is more for the cultural experience and for some of their baked goods. The coffee beans may not be sourced from a fair trade producer, but again they deserve respect and recognition as crucial fixtures to Florence's cafe history. The view of the fake David and Palazzo della Signoria from Rivoire is not bad either.
Other historical and classic pasticceria coffee shops worth noting are Nencioni, Caffe Gilli and Dolci e Dolcezze.
