Almond biscotti baked twice for a hard crunch, dipped in a small glass of Tuscan dessert wine called Vin Santo: the canonical end-of-meal Florentine ritual for over 400 years.
Where to eat it: 4 restaurants across 1 city.
Cantucci trace to medieval Prato, 20km north-west of Florence, where the Mattei pastry shop has baked the canonical cantucci di Prato since 1858. The almond-and-egg dough is shaped into a long log, baked once, sliced into 1cm strips and baked again to dehydrate, producing the hard biscuit that survives the dip in Vin Santo. Vin Santo means 'holy wine'; it was originally a Tuscan dessert wine fermented in small barrels in attics for at least 3 years.
Common allergens: Tree nuts, Gluten, Eggs, Sulphites
Tip from the editors. Cantucci keep 3 months in a tin; they only soften when dipped, which is the whole point.
Cantinetta Antinori in Florence's Palazzo Antinori is the 26-generation Antinori family's wine bar and restaurant on Via Tornabuoni, with a 150-bottle list.
Signature pour: Tignanello by the glass
Wine focus: Marchesi Antinori estate Tuscan reds
Food: Tuscan small plates and tagliere
Order: Crostini misti, tagliere di salumi, a glass of Tignanello.
Tip: Closed Saturday and Sunday. Book the cellar tasting flight (€45) two weeks ahead.
Caffe Gilli in Florence's Piazza della Repubblica is the city's oldest breakfast room since 1733, with the morning brioche-and-cappuccino set.
Order: Brioche con crema, espresso, cantuccino with cappuccino.
Tip: Counter price is half of table service. Open daily until midnight; brunch carte 10:00-12:00.
Pasticceria Buonamici in Florence's Santa Maria Novella has run a family-owned pasticceria since 1971, with the daily cantucci, the schiacciata con l'uva.
Order: Cantucci con mandorle, schiacciata con l'uva in autumn, the chocolate panforte.
Tip: Closed Monday; cash only on small purchases. Cantucci ship vacuum-packed.
Worth the queue: Cantucci con mandorle
Cantinetta da Verrazzano in Florence's Via dei Tavolini runs a stand-up schiacciata counter alongside the wine bar, with wood-fired bread stuffed-to-order.
Try: Wood-fired schiacciata sandwich
Order: Schiacciata calda con prosciutto e stracchino, focaccia, a glass of Verrazzano Chianti.
Tip: Closed Sunday.
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