The counters in Florence worth queuing for: bread, pastry, and the morning ritual.
Bakery counters in Florence worth queuing for: levain breads, laminated pastry, regional bakes and the morning ritual.
Forno Pugi in Florence has been the wood-fired neighbourhood forno since 1925, with three shops across the city baking schiacciata, pizza al taglio.
OrderSchiacciata alla fiorentina (chocolate cream during Carnevale), the daily pizza al taglio.
TipCounter only; cash and card. The Viale De Amicis original is the largest; smaller shops on Via San Gallo and Piazza San Marco.
Santarosa Bistrot in Florence's San Frediano runs an Arno-side bakery inside the park on Lungarno di Santa Rosa, with a daily-baked focaccia.
OrderThe daily-pressed focaccia, the slow-rise sourdough loaf, a cappuccino in the park.
TipOpen daily 08:00-23:30. Bakery slows from 14:00 onwards; arrive before 11:00.
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.
OrderCantucci con mandorle, schiacciata con l'uva in autumn, the chocolate panforte.
TipClosed Monday; cash only on small purchases. Cantucci ship vacuum-packed.
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Pasticceria Gualtieri in Florence's southern Oltrarno corner has run as a family pasticceria since 1937, with the bignoletti cream pastries.
OrderBignoletti panna (cream-filled choux), the schiacciata alla fiorentina in Carnevale, chocolate pralines.
TipClosed Monday. Standing-room counter; bignoletti sell out by 11:00 on weekends.
Amble in Florence's centro storico runs the bakery-cafe-bar format steps from Ponte Vecchio, with a daily sourdough programme, focaccia. Booking recommended.
OrderThe slow-rise sourdough loaf, the daily focaccia, the breakfast tartine.
TipClosed Monday. The seating is limited; loaves often sold out by 13:00 at weekends.
Cantinetta da Verrazzano in Florence's Via dei Tavolini runs a wood-fired forno inside its wine bar, with bread, focaccia and warm schiacciata.
OrderSchiacciata calda con prosciutto e stracchino, focaccia, a glass of estate Chianti.
TipClosed Sunday. The schiacciata-to-order counter is on the right of the entrance.
Scudieri in Florence's Piazza San Giovanni is the 1939 cafe-pasticceria facing the Duomo, with a daily-rotating pastry case, the chocolate-cream schiacciata.
OrderSchiacciata alla fiorentina (in Carnevale), the daily bignoletti, a chocolate praline.
TipOpen daily until midnight. Pastries are €2.50 standing; €5 at the Duomo-side terrace.
Caffe Gilli in Florence's Piazza della Repubblica is the city's oldest cafe-pasticceria, opened in 1733, with the original baked-on-site cantucci.
OrderCantucci con mandorle, panforte di Siena, cioccolato fondente in winter.
TipCounter price is half of table service; cantucci ship vacuum-packed.
Ditta Artigianale in Florence's Via dei Neri runs a sourdough-and-pastry programme alongside the roastery, with a daily-baked focaccia, sourdough loaves.
OrderSourdough toast and avocado, the daily focaccia, the brunch eggs benedict.
TipOpen daily 08:00-22:00. The roasted-bean retail counter ships internationally.
Rivoire in Florence's Piazza della Signoria has poured the city's benchmark hot chocolate since 1872, with a chocolate-making lab in the back.
OrderDense hot chocolate (€7), cioccolato fondente bars, daily pralines.
TipCounter pricing is half of table; the piazza terrace fronts the Palazzo Vecchio.