Let’s see where to find specialty coffees in Florence, in the form of bars, but also culture centers, and maps!

In Florence, as in all of Italy, the model of coffee-related venue was the super-traditional “Italian bar”. For a few years there was a growth of the Starbuck model and of its copies (to the birth/death of these copies we dedicated the below video ):

Then Starbucks (the real one!) arrived in Florence. The copies closed and specialty coffees arrived!

What’s a specialty coffee?

Complex question! To put it simple, a specialty coffee is a café focused not only and not always on high quality coffee, but also and above all on traceable coffee, which refers not to the brand of a roastery, but to the place. At the farm where the coffee is grown, we will therefore not find a Lavazza coffee, but a washed red bourbon from Finca Esperanza in Guatemala, perhaps complete with the name of the gentleman who manages the plantation.

In addition to this, the packets of coffee used do not report indications of “medium body and high aroma”, indications that have practically no technical sense, but defined aromatic notes and above all, often, a score called “cupping score” which defines the degree of quality technique of the best coffees. In short, places where coffee is not a service, a certain amount of caffeine, but a real experience, placed halfway between sensoriality and storytelling.

This type of coffee shop, even if less numerous compared to the classic bars (and this might always be!) is still growing.

An updated map on where to find specialty cafes is always available at our school, the Espresso Academy, which is a true center of specialty culture, such as courses, micro roastery (with the Caffelab brand) and with the wonderful possibility of tasting a nice espresso while visiting our roasting facility. We are not located in the very center of town, but a visit is worth the trip!

Other specialty coffee shops in Florence are:

Coffee Mantra

Melaleuca

SimBIOsi Organic Cafè

Fluid Specialty Coffee

Ditta Artigianale

The Espresso Academy map can be downloaded here UPDATE OCTOBER 2023

The Espresso Academy map can be downloaded here