If an Italian nonna sees her grandchild waking up at midday after a late night, she’s going to be pretty disappointed when they skip breakfast and go directly to lunch.
And she won’t miss the chance to say sarcastically, “Having spaghetti first thing in the morning isn’t good for your health.”
But no need for Nonna to worry—these days, brunch is working itself into the Florentine weekend tradition. Here’s where to find the best brunch in Florence!
In the good old days, having brunch used to be the type of thing that would scare your fellow Italians away. As scary as having a savory breakfast, or drinking cappuccino after 5 p.m., in fact—when it comes to eating in Italy, you must respect a bunch of sacred rules.
But luckily for you, even Florentine nonne have now gained more international habits. This strange tradition has become more widely accepted and Italians have discovered the real pleasure of a great brunch.
So get ready to go crazy for brunch! Here are our favorite places to have the best brunch in Florence.
Le Vespe Cafe
If you’re aiming for a traditional North American brunch in Florence, here’s your first choice: Le Vespe Cafe.
You can find students from the US enjoying their time abroad and sipping their much-awaited American coffee, as well as adventurous Italians exploring eggs Benedict. (Eating eggs so early? How exotic.)
The service is friendly, warm and welcoming, and as for the location? It’s magnificent. Le Vespe is located in an old house overlooking one of the most ancient Florentine streets, just a few steps away from Piazza Santa Croce.
Rooster Cafe Firenze
Another place that brings some of the States into the Florentine mix is Rooster Cafe Firenze, with two locations: one at Via Porta Rossa, 63R, and the other at Via Sant’Egidio, 37R.
We prefer the one in Via Porta Rossa—it’s in a lovely old building and it has a more intimate atmosphere. But they’re both charming.
The whole American experience is combined with Italian raw materials here. Definitely one of our top picks for the best brunch in Florence.
Melaleuca Bakery + Bistrot
Maleleuca Bakery + Bistrot (Lungarno delle Grazie, 18) is THE place to be for the best brunch in Florence. The café is owned by an Italian-Australian chef, Chloé Guest.
Here, savory and sweet are of the same, high-quality level. Just choose your side, sweet or savory, and let the brunch experience take you away. Our must-haves: the avocado toast and the cinnamon buns. Head here for a nice brunch by the river and enjoy the morning sun with an exquisite coffee.
Insider’s tip: Love brunch? We have a hunch you’ll also enjoy our post on the secret bakeries in Florence!
Ditta Artigianale
Ditta Artigianale is the temple of coffee. The smell of roasted and grained coffee beans is enough to punch you out of your Sunday sleepiness.
(Just as long as you don’t try their selection of gins—a thing to behold.)
On Sunday mornings, they offer a lovely brunch. It’s the kind of brunch that experiments with American twists on Italian traditional recipes—and the experiment is more than successful, we must add.
Note: There are three venues of Ditta Artigianale around the city. The one with gin is at Via dei Neri, 32R.
1950 American Diner
It may come as a surprise to you, but US gastronomy has a certain allure for Italians.
The greasy food, the ginormous Cokes, all the different kinds of sauces… stereotypes, maybe, but we find it almost cute! It’s the kind of meal you only see on TV or at the movies, and every Italian wants to experience it at least once without having to go all around the globe.
That explains how a place like 1950 American Diner can exist. The Diner is as stereotypical as they get—but boy, it does make you dream.
Black and white tiles, an old jukebox, waitresses roller-skating around… your perfect pin-up, old movie fantasy. You can have fun here and discover how Italians think Americans should really have brunch.
