Bar Caffè Desiderio
Sitting on the main piazza of Settignano since the early 20th century, Bar Caffè Desiderio is the social hub of the village — a place where stonemasons, professors from the nearby European University Institute and dog-walkers share the same zinc counter for a morning espresso and a warm cornetto. It is as authentically Florentine as it gets.
What to Order
The espresso is pulled short and strong in the Florentine style, and the house schiacciata — a flat, olive-oil-glossed bread that comes plain or filled with local cured meats — is baked fresh each morning and sells out by 11 am.
In summer the granita al limone is made from real Sicilian lemons and served in a tall glass with a brioche on the side; it costs under €3 and is one of the most refreshing things you will eat in the Florentine hills.
The Atmosphere
The bar has a small terrace on the piazza shaded by a canvas awning, from which you can watch the No. 10 bus disgorge its cargo of university students and elderly signore with shopping trolleys — a slice of ordinary Florentine hill life that the city centre has long since lost.
The walls inside are lined with black-and-white photographs of Settignano in the early 1900s, when the village was a colony of Anglo-American expatriates including Mark Twain, who rented the nearby Villa Viviani for a summer.
More of Settignano
Discover where to stay, what to do and the best deals for your trip.
Explore Settignano →
