Forget stale buffets and sad spritzes; Florence’s aperitivo scene is where you’ll find next-level mixology in Piazza della Signoria, rare bottles of natural wine in a sound-system haven, and the city’s best coccoli served with XL spritzes. The Italy Segreta Team has done the legwork, trading in the overpriced, watery tipples around the Duomo for the city’s best bars, enotecas, and birrerie. Here are the 20 best places to go for drinks before dinner. 

COCKTAILS (AND SPRITZES)

Piazza Santo Spirito

Piazza Santo Spirito

The heart, both literally and metaphorically, of the Oltrarno district, this piazza is its aperitivo hotspot. By sunset, the steps in front of Brunelleschi’s Basilica di Santo Spirito and the bars lining the edges of the piazza fill with a young and bohemian crowd—a scene that’s maintained until the places all shutter at 2 AM. Try Volume or Pitta M’Ingolli. 

Bar d’Angolo

Piazza della Calza, 3r

At Porta Romana, this straightforward, no-frills local bar is an oasis in an otherwise quiet part of town. You’ll find groups of Florentine 20- and 30-somethings flocking here for honestly-priced simple cocktails, wine, and beer before scattering for dinner. Don’t miss checking out the rare outdoor fresco above the entrance. 

Dorsoduro 3821

Via San Gallo 41r

Florence’s premier Venetian bàcaro, this intimate Via San Gallo bar transports lagoon aperitivo culture to Tuscany with top-notch cicchetti and a plethora of well-priced Spritz variations crafted with Select, Cynar, Rabarbaro, and the like. Reserve one of the few tables outside for a chill aperitivo in a quieter part of town.

Enoteca Alla Sosta dei Papi

Borgo la Croce, 81r

A neighborhood stop on Sant’Ambrogio’s main drag, this little enoteca’s unpretentiousness is matched by its extremely fair prices. The real draw here is the coccoli—fried dough balls—served warm with creamy stracchino cheese and prosciutto, paired perfectly with an oversized house spritz. We’d skip the wine (cheap as can be, in both senses of the word).

Loggia Roof Bar (Palazzo Guadagni)

Piazza Santo Spirito, 9 

This upscale spot, on the top floor of the 16th-century Palazzo Guadagni (which is an Italy Segreta Selection property!), is the first loggia in Florence to open as a public panoramic terrace. An elegant, airy vantage point for a sunset spritz, with a substantial menu of accompanying food, you’ll get sweeping views over the terracotta rooftops and the Santo Spirito basilica without the frenetic energy of the square below.

Il Conventino Caffè Letterario

Via Giano della Bella, 20 

In a 19th-century monastery complex, this literary café, with artists’ studios upstairs, is a chill cultural hub away from the tourist throngs. Straightforward wine and spritzes are served with potato chips (and pinsa to order), best enjoyed in the leafy cloister-garden where you can grab a table or sit on mats in the grass. Keep an eye on their Instagram for the occasional book presentation, jazz evening, or vintage market.

L’Angolino

Via delle Caldaie, 8r 

This tiny cocktail bar just off Santo Spirito punches above its weight with a creative, color-coded menu (literally matched to Pantone chips); try the Arabesque, a play on a paloma with rhubarb bitter and both tequila and mezcal, and the Macaw Green, a herby gin sour lightened up with prosecco. Before dinner, and even more so after, you’ll find an international crowd, with a strong Polimoda contingent, socializing on the street outside. 

Procacci 1885

Via de’ Tornabuoni, 64r

Founded in 1885 and now owned by Marchesi Antinori, this historic delicatessen offers the chicest aperitivo in town. We recommend pairing a glass of bubbles, be that Franciacorta or a spritz, with the finger-sized truffle sandwiches (we also love the one with a touch of scrambled egg). Inside, marble counters and early-20th-century wood paneling keep the feel resolutely old-Florence, while a few outdoor tables are great for people watching in the warmer months.

Gucci Giardino

Piazza della Signoria, 37r 

With an expansive seating area in Piazza della Signoria in the summer, the fashion house’s all-day café and cocktail bar is part of the Gucci Garden complex conceived by Alessandro Michele. Martina Bonci helms the drink program with a collection of signature cocktails that are as artful as they are inventive. Among its best-known serves are the Mémoire di Negroni, a riff on Florence’s classic with gin, yuzu sake, grapefruit bitters, and butterfly pea flower, and the Gucci Spritz, which pairs Cocchi Rosè with grapefruit liqueur, Angostura, and Franciacorta. This is one of few spots in the city for real world-class mixology, and it’s priced accordingly.

Atrium Bar (Four Seasons Firenze)

Borgo Pinti, 99

We recommend bypassing the interior lounge for a seat in the hotel’s garden—the largest private park in the city, a sprawling oasis of manicured lawns—and sinking into the white-cushioned wicker armchairs next to a centuries-old weeping beech. While the menu features elaborate cocktails, it’s best to stick to the classics. The barmen make a mean Negroni—potent enough to warrant the premium price tag.

WINE BARS

Il Santino

Via Santo Spirito, 60r

The smaller, more casual sibling to the acclaimed Il Santo Bevitore, this narrow wine bar focuses on high-quality sourcing and is favored by an international/creative crowd that spills into the street. The menu eschews generic snacks for the likes of Cantabrico anchovies with butter or chicken liver pâté on toasted bread, as well as top-notch crostoni; try the one with pancetta, pecorino, and honey or the one with mozzarella and ‘nduja.

Vineria Sonora

Via degli Alfani, 39r 

At this natural wine bar, the vintage sound system is treated with as much reverence as the cellar. The focus is strictly on low-intervention, small-producer labels—think skin-contact whites and unfiltered frizzanti—and small bites of well-sourced food to accompany. Keep an eye out on their Instagram for aperitivo-time DJ sets, often played on vinyl. 

Enoteca Bellini

Via della Spada, 52r 

Run by the third generation of the Bellini family, this buzzing spot—with an approachable mix of natural and conventional wine—serves as a necessary antidote to the stiffness of the nearby Via dè Tornabuoni. Pair a glass of crisp white, recommended by the owner Camilla, with one of the best burro e acciughe (butter and anchovy) crostone in town; it’s finished with little curlicues of lemon peel.

Formaggioteca Terroir

Via dei Renai, 19

Run by a French-Danish couple, this San Niccolò spot (a sit-down affair) breaks the Tuscan monopoly on aperitivo by offering a meticulous education in French and Italian dairy. Ask for a flight to compare a 24-month Comté with a Pecorino di Pienza, served with distinct jams and honeys. The wine list is equally cross-border, making it the only place in town to properly pair a creamy Langres cheese with a glass of Champagne.

Casa del Vino

Via dell’Ariento, 16r

Buried behind the aggressive leather stalls of the San Lorenzo market, this tiny, wood-paneled shop is peak old-world Florence. Seating is sparse, so expect to fight for elbow room with older locals at the marble counter. Order a glass of natural wine alongside a small panino or crostini, customized from the smattering of ingredients behind the glass. Note that while the place is open for lunch every day except Sunday, the evening aperitivo is strictly a Thursday through Saturday affair.

gattaccio.

Piazza Ghiberti, 16r

A hip new addition to the city’s drinking circuit, gattaccio. offers a tight menu of natural wine by the glass or bottle, cheap beer, and unconventional snacks, as well as a selection of books and zines. On the corner of the Sant’Ambrogio market, the vibe is decidedly new school; standing room outside only.

Vino al Vino

Borgo Ognissanti, 70r

This sharply curated natural wine bar offers a deep selection of Italian labels, with a food menu that features an exceptional rotation of French cheeses; ask for a board featuring a ripe Saint-Félicien or Roquefort to pair with a glass of something Tuscan. It serves as both a shop and a tasting room, where the knowledgeable staff also offers tastings.

BEER

Birreria ART. 17

Via Borgo la Croce, 64r 

This craft beer haven is named after Article 17 of the Italian Constitution—the right to peaceful assembly—part of the owners’ philosophy. Fittingly, you’ll always find a crowd of locals here, both before and after dinner for a rotating tap list of Italian and international microbrews. A range of beers—from sours, IGAs, and Goses to interesting IPAs and stouts—means there’s always something for everyone. The pub food, served in the space next door, is top-notch, with quality sourcing underpinning the likes of a kimchi grilled cheese and a mortadella and mostarda panino.

Archea Brewery

Via dei Serragli, 44r

Holding down the fort of the Oltrarno beer scene, Archea is one of Florence’s longest-running craft beer pubs. Open since 2012, it brews its own beers—like the Hydra IPA and a delightful blanche with sage—and serves them alongside a solid guest tap list. The divey digs make it perfect for long sessions sampling their latest batches. There’s also a covered outdoor seating area.

PanicAle

Via Panicale, 7r

Under the porticos around Mercato Centrale, this eclectic spot blends a craft beer bar with a literary café vibe. A range of bottled and on tap beers (including house brews), seasonal cocktails (some made with homemade bitters), and seating under the porticoes make it a good option on this side of town.