Ditta Artigianale in Florence's Via dei Neri runs a sourdough-and-pastry programme alongside the roastery, with a daily-baked focaccia, sourdough loaves and the brunch carte every weekend.
Must order: Sourdough toast and avocado, the daily focaccia, the brunch eggs benedict.
Tip: Open daily 08:00 to 22:00. The roasted-bean retail counter ships internationally.
Address: Via dei Neri 32r, 50122 Firenze, Florence
Forno Pugi in Florence has been the wood-fired neighbourhood forno since 1925, with three shops across the city baking schiacciata, pizza al taglio, focaccia and the classic Florentine pastries daily.
Order: Schiacciata alla fiorentina (chocolate cream during Carnevale), the daily pizza al taglio.
Tip: Counter only; cash and card. The Viale De Amicis original is the largest; smaller shops on Via San Gallo and Piazza San Marco.
Worth the queue: Schiacciata alla fiorentina
Pasticceria Gualtieri in Florence's southern Oltrarno corner has run as a family pasticceria since 1937, with the bignoletti cream pastries, a daily cake counter and a chocolate praline lab.
Order: Bignoletti panna (cream-filled choux), the schiacciata alla fiorentina in Carnevale, chocolate pralines.
Tip: Closed Monday. Standing-room counter; bignoletti sell out by 11:00 on weekends.
Worth the queue: Bignoletti panna
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, daily pralines and the original wooden counter intact.
Order: Dense hot chocolate (€7), cioccolato fondente bars, daily pralines.
Tip: Counter pricing is half of table; the piazza terrace fronts the Palazzo Vecchio.
Worth the queue: Cioccolato fondente in tazza
Forno Pugi in Florence has been the wood-fired neighbourhood forno since 1925, with three shops across the city baking schiacciata, pizza al taglio, focaccia and the classic Florentine pastries daily.
Order: Schiacciata alla fiorentina (chocolate cream during Carnevale), the daily pizza al taglio.
Tip: Counter only; cash and card. The Viale De Amicis original is the largest; smaller shops on Via San Gallo and Piazza San Marco.
Worth the queue: Schiacciata alla fiorentina
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, brunch plates and the slow-rise sourdough loaves.
Order: The daily-pressed focaccia, the slow-rise sourdough loaf, a cappuccino in the park.
Tip: Open daily 08:00 to 23:30. Bakery slows from 14:00 onwards; arrive before 11:00.
Worth the queue: Daily focaccia by the slice
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 in September and a Vin Santo bottle for pairing.
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
Pasticceria Gualtieri in Florence's southern Oltrarno corner has run as a family pasticceria since 1937, with the bignoletti cream pastries, a daily cake counter and a chocolate praline lab.
Order: Bignoletti panna (cream-filled choux), the schiacciata alla fiorentina in Carnevale, chocolate pralines.
Tip: Closed Monday. Standing-room counter; bignoletti sell out by 11:00 on weekends.
Worth the queue: Bignoletti panna
Amble in Florence's Santa Maria Novella corner runs the bakery-cafe-bar format inside a Renaissance courtyard, with a daily sourdough programme, focaccia and the breakfast-to-aperitivo all-day carte.
Order: The slow-rise sourdough loaf, the daily focaccia, the breakfast tartine.
Tip: Closed Monday. The courtyard seats 25; loaves often sold out by 13:00 at weekends.
Worth the queue: Sourdough loaves
