Florence & Tuscany - Italy - page 998

TOP CAFES
Good cafes are a dime a dozen in Florence. Prime squares to sit and people-watch from a pavement
terrace are Piazza della Repubblica, Piazza Santo Spirito and Piazza della Signoria. Note that a coffee
taken sitting down at a table is up to four times pricier than one drunk standing up at a bar (a cap-
puccino costs around €1.40/5.50 standing up/sitting down).
Caffè Rivoire OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP (Piazza della Signoria 4; Tue-Sun) The golden oldie
to refuel at inside or out after an Uffizi visit, this pricey little number with unbeatable people-watching
terrace has been serving coffee, cocktails and delectable hot chocolate since 1872.
Gilli OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP ( www.gilli.it ; Piazza della Repubblica 39r; Wed-Mon) The
most famous of historic cafes on the city's old Roman forum, Gilli has been serving utterly delectable
cakes, chocolates and fruit tartlets to die for since 1733 (it moved to this square in 1910 and sports a
beautifully preserved art nouveau interior).
Caffè Concerto Paszkowski OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP ( www.paszkowski.com ; Piazza della Re-
pubblica 31-35r; Tue-Sun) Born as a brewery overlooking the city's fish market in 1846, this
Florentine institution with heated terrace and elegant, piano-clad interior lured a literary set a century
on. Today it pulls the whole gambit of punters, mobile-touting Florentine youths, suit-clad business-
men and well-dressed old women sipping tea.
Cuculia OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP ( www.cuculia.it ; Via dei Serragli 11; 10am-midnight Tue-
Fri, 10am-1am Sat) This hybrid bookshop-cafe is a wonderfully serene spot in which to while away a
few hours in the company of classical music and shelves loaded with books. The vibe is very much
old-world refinement and the tiny candlelit nook out back is perfect for a romantic moment over a
cocktail. Food too.
Gucci Museo Caffè OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP (Piazza della Signoria 10; meals €25;
10am-11pm; ) Everything from the crockery to G-shaped sugar 'cubes' is emblazoned with the
Gucci monogram at this recently opened cafe next to Palazzo Vecchio. Over-zealous branding aside,
this smart laid-back cafe is one of the city's hippest place to hang over coffee, lunch, aperitivo, news-
papers, design books or in-house iPads. A huge table hooked up with plugs makes it a laptop-user fa-
vourite.
Le Renaissance Café OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP (Piazza Strozzi; 9am-8pm Fri-Wed,
9am-11pm Thu) A high vaulted ceiling, sleek black Panton chairs and exquisitely low drink prices se-
duce a mixed crowd at this artsy hangout in Palazzo Strozzi, plumb on Florence's most designer-chic
street. The chocolate-swirled cappuccino (€1.40 sitting down) is among the best in town.
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