If heaven had a pasticceria and served schiacciata alla fiorentine, this would be it…read more I knew Giorgio's was famous, because it meant that people actually took the bus to visit and eat there, when they might not ever visit friends or family if they don't live in the same town ;-). Located in Soffiano, it is a totally doable bus ride on the 6, in about 20 minutes you're there. Why is it amazing? They have perfected the art of traditional Tuscan sweets, no bullshit, just sugar, and love, and whatever other drug they put in their 'mille-foglie' cakes. I highly recommend the schiacciata, cenci, sacher cake and their tasty panini, I had one with prosciutto and artichoke which was awesome. Take some to go and your life will never be the same. During carnivale season, you will see the line snake out the door as people pick up their treats, I was there for over two hours and there was a almost constant stream of people, I don't know how they could even make that many cakes! To my waistline's horror, they also serve an abundance aperitivo and weekend dish dinner. When Florentine's tell you a place in the city serves good fish, you should be listening since well, Florence is nowhere near the coast.

This Pasticceria was my first in Florence and it remains at the top of my list after all these…read moreyears. This is a quite famous bar in Florence but not so much to tourists because it is out of the historical center and in a residential area. I love this place because not only do they have amazing pastries, but the staff are the real deal, they don't fool around. Coffee is made to perfection every time. I like taking my coffee outside and enjoying the neighborhood characters who pass by, enjoying a few more rounds of coffee while I sit back and relax. I see a lot of locals meeting here, unfortunately it isn't my zona so I am not a regular, but it's definitely a spot that is worth the trek to. To me this pasticceria is the real deal!

Brisk and damp on a November afternoon, it took me a few turns before I finally found my way into…read morethe courtyard of Cafe Letterario. It was well worth the walk from the center of the city. The outdoor space was largely, though not entirely, abandoned given the weather, but even with a large group inside there were plenty of tables to be had. For a former prison, Cafe Letterario feels warm and intimate. The space is large, with wood throughout and walks the line between restaurant, cafe, and book repository perfectly. The menu is diverse and affordable. Offerings are relatively casual even though they are listed in the traditional primi, secondi fashion. I found the portions were more than ample, more than I could eat in fact. I ordered the tagliatelle with fagioli (thick, long noodles in a sort of thick tomato, carrot, and white bean soup) and a side of the spinach. Both were really delicious and well priced considering the large portions. I found the waiter service polite and attentive. Pro tips: 1) As you walk in you will see a counter with a register and signboard, don't go over here to order if you are taking table service, this is where you go to pay afterward. 2) The bread is actually free here. If you're out all day traveling like I was, don't be too ashamed to pocket it. 3) They are familiar with "prendere via" or takeaway here, so if you over order like I did they will wrap up your meal for you. They were especially kind to wrap my soupy tagliatelle up like For Knox so it wouldn't spill in my bag. Travelled half a day with it and no leaks! 4) Free wifi and scattered plugs to charge up with!

We wanted some coffee on our second day and decided to stop at this cafe on the way to the Piazzale…read moreMichelangelo (a hill overlooking Florence). It's not centrally located and there isn't much around it. As such, when we went in, it seemed like most of the customers were locals. The cafes were only 1 EUR here and tasted pretty good. You can sit outside in the courtyard below. As you can see it was pretty quiet. I would recommend this if you are looking for a more local vibe or happen to be walking from the city to the hill like we did. read more about our food tour on my site

Excellent breakfast and lunch…read more Fantastic cappuccino, great pastries and fruits, and the lunch food looked fabulous. Friendly service. Good prices.

My favorite place in Florence. The most welcoming , lovely staff and casual cool vibe. We all love…read moreMatt. So sweet. So accommodating!

Went here for some dinner and ordered the eggplant and house wine…read more Both very good and reasonably priced. Will return

I started coming here this year and I really love it as an internet point/lunch spot. Super fast…read moreWifi and great coffee and sandwiches. I am a big fan of Illy coffee brand and the staff is super friendly and fast. It gets super busy in here during the lunch rush hour 12:30-2pm, but before or after it's really chill and I always find a spot. They also offer a variety of sweets, but personally nothing that great. I recently tried their veggie mini-panini which consisted of cheese and spinach and it was really good. Great place to come and wait on a Questura day (it's nearby) ... just don't miss your ticket number ; (

We stumbled upping I' Bandito while exploring around the surrounding area where we stayed in…read moreFlorence. This is a permanent food stall at the corner of a decently busy intersection. Thankfully they had an English menu and their food was inexpensive! I liked how my pork w/ veggie sandwich came with an option of which type of grilled veggies I preferred! It's not advertised on the menu, but it looks like there's a discount if you purchase a sandwich and a beverage. :)

The first time I went there, I had no problems. However, the next time not only was I overcharged,…read morebut the woman at the stand didn't give me correct change. She added 2 extra euro for me wanting to sit and tried to say I gave her 5 euros instead of my 10 euros. After 10 minutes of arguing with her in my broken Italian, I got my change back and left. Never again. Customer service is rude, unfriendly, and tries to take advantage of tourists.

The ex-Caffè Michelangelo just reopened this week with a lux lounge atmosphere... chandeliers and…read morefrescoes included. Open everyday from 6 am to 9 pm, great since most bars in this area are closed on Sundays. The pastries (€1.10) were fresh and tasty but the cappuccino (€1.30) was just okay. Serves lunch and I'm definitely looking forward to try their nightly Aperitivo. They're still waiting for the permit but hopefully they'll soon have outdoor seating. The service was friendly and no extra charge for sitting. L'ex-Caffè Michelangelo appena riaperto questa settimana con un atmosfera lounge lux ... lampadari ed affreschi inclusi. Aperto tutti i giorni dalle 06:00 alle 21:00, perfetto perché la maggior parte dei bar in questa zona sono chiusi la domenica. La pasta (€ 1.10) era fresca ed il cappuccino (1,30 €) così cosi. Servono anche il pranzo e non vedo l'ora di provare il loro aperitivo serale. Stanno ancora aspettando il permesso, ma si spera che presto avranno i tavolini all'esterno. Il servizio era gentile e senza alcun costo aggiuntivo per sedersi al tavolo.

I ordered a coffee and a sandwich, the coffee was ok but the sandwich was a joke: just old bread…read morewith few slices of brie cheese and speck so thin that you can see trought it. Basically it was just a paperboard taste sandwich. Hopefully on the other side of the river there is a nice bar with good sandwiches and free tables on the river edge, owned by two nice women that they are not so greedy like the officina's ones.

One of the most amazing foods we had in Florence (in fact, the only place we visited twice), was…read moreCiapetti, and for breakfast. The coffee and pastries are unbelievable. The owner(s) are great people, welcoming and attentive. On your way to visit Accademia gallery, definitlely stop for a coffee and bite here. Worth it!