Caffe Paszkowski in Florence's Piazza della Repubblica is the 1846 Polish-founded cafe that became the haunt of the early-20th-century literary set, with a piazza-side terrace and live piano nightly.
Must order: Espresso at the bar, panna cotta in the dining room, an aperitivo Negroni on the terrace.
Tip: Open daily 07:00 to midnight. The terrace seats 80; live piano from 19:30 nightly.
Address: Piazza della Repubblica 35r, 50123 Firenze, Florence
Caffe Le Giubbe Rosse in Florence's Piazza della Repubblica is the 1897 cafe that hosted Marinetti and the Futurists in the 1910s, with a daily literary salon program intact since reopening in 2024.
Signature drink: Espresso at the literary terrace
Order: Espresso at the marble counter, panforte di Siena, an aperitivo Americano.
Tip: Open daily 08:00 to midnight. Look for the Futurist plaques in the back salon.
Scudieri in Florence sits directly across from the Duomo's Baptistery, a 1939 cafe-pasticceria with a terrace looking onto the cathedral and a daily-rotating pastry case in the back.
Signature drink: Espresso facing the Duomo
Order: Espresso, schiacciata alla fiorentina with chocolate cream, the cantuccini.
Tip: Open daily 07:30 to midnight. Terrace pricing reflects the Duomo view; counter is half.
Cantinetta da Verrazzano in Florence's Via dei Tavolini is the bakery-and-wine-bar of the Castello da Verrazzano estate, with a wood-fired oven baking schiacciata and focaccia, served with estate Chianti.
Signature drink: Bakery espresso and Verrazzano Chianti
Order: Schiacciata stuffed with prosciutto, the daily focaccia and a Verrazzano Chianti Classico.
Tip: Closed Sunday. Wine-by-the-glass list goes deep into Tuscan estates; ask for the Sassello.
Caffe Le Giubbe Rosse in Florence's Piazza della Repubblica is the 1897 cafe that hosted Marinetti and the Futurists in the 1910s, with a daily literary salon program intact since reopening in 2024.
Signature drink: Espresso at the literary terrace
Order: Espresso at the marble counter, panforte di Siena, an aperitivo Americano.
Tip: Open daily 08:00 to midnight. Look for the Futurist plaques in the back salon.
Scudieri in Florence sits directly across from the Duomo's Baptistery, a 1939 cafe-pasticceria with a terrace looking onto the cathedral and a daily-rotating pastry case in the back.
Signature drink: Espresso facing the Duomo
Order: Espresso, schiacciata alla fiorentina with chocolate cream, the cantuccini.
Tip: Open daily 07:30 to midnight. Terrace pricing reflects the Duomo view; counter is half.
Procacci in Florence's Via Tornabuoni shopping street is the 1885 truffle bar, with the white-tile counter, the panino tartufato and a Prosecco glass for €5, owned today by Marchesi Antinori.
Signature drink: Truffle panino and Prosecco
Order: The truffle panino (€7), a glass of Antinori Prosecco and a tagliere of Tuscan salumi.
Tip: Closed Sunday. Counter only; standing-room two-deep at 18:00 aperitivo.
Cantinetta da Verrazzano in Florence's Via dei Tavolini is the bakery-and-wine-bar of the Castello da Verrazzano estate, with a wood-fired oven baking schiacciata and focaccia, served with estate Chianti.
Signature drink: Bakery espresso and Verrazzano Chianti
Order: Schiacciata stuffed with prosciutto, the daily focaccia and a Verrazzano Chianti Classico.
Tip: Closed Sunday. Wine-by-the-glass list goes deep into Tuscan estates; ask for the Sassello.
Ditta Artigianale Oltrarno in Florence's San Frediano quarter is the Sprone-corner sister room of Sanapo's flagship, with the same single-origin filter coffee, cocktail program and a small breakfast carte.
Signature drink: Single-origin filter coffee
Order: Filter coffee of the day, the avocado-on-sourdough breakfast, a Negroni at aperitivo.
Tip: Open daily 08:00 to midnight. The Oltrarno room runs the cocktail program later than Via dei Neri.
Santarosa Bistrot in Florence's San Frediano sits inside the Arno-side park on Lungarno di Santa Rosa, an all-day cafe with a garden terrace, breakfast, lunch and aperitivo until 23:30.
Signature drink: Cappuccino in the garden
Order: Cappuccino in the garden, the daily focaccia plate, an aperitivo spritz at sunset.
Tip: Open daily 08:00 to 23:30. The park-side garden seats 80; closed when it rains.
