Great coffee and pastry in Florence?

[niclaf77]

I have searched here and cannot find any posts that have to do with this. Can someone direct me or provide recommendations for places we can stop in the morning for good coffee and great pastries?

Thanks!

[mangio_gelato]

Two of my favorites are:

Gilli- very famous, right in piazza della repubblica on Via Roma, expensive, but has delicious and beautiful pastries. if you're looking to make it economical, just stand at the counter and eat your pastry while drinking your coffee

Loggia degli Albizi- on Borgo degli Albizi, just further down from Via del Corso this place is much smaller and less popular, but always great coffee and big selection of pastries. My favorite always was bombolone (Tuscan doughnuts)

[mnosyne]

I'm attaching a website address from Melinda Gallo, an American who's been living in Florence since 2004. She loves to eat good food and has published recommendations.

http://www.dininginflorence.com/pastr...

[summerUWS2008]

It would help if you specified where you are sleeping, since you mentioned you wanted to go to a pasticierria for breakfast. Cafffe San Marco is an atmospheric spot with much-loved bombolini (it's masculine), but it may not be convenient for breakfast (it's opposite the Museo San Marco).

[mangio_gelato]

yes, it is masculine, but also irregular. Singular is bombolone, plural is bomboloni.

[summerUWS2008]

Thanks!

[sinjawns]

I must say that I have tried many different places looking for a really good pastry; so far they are quite generic: too sweet and sticky, not enough flavour. Some stale-tasting. Nothing in the league of what you would find in Paris (yes, I know this is a different beast). Would be keen to know if you identify a place. As for coffee, we have only found one bad one of the 40 or so places we have tried, so the odds are in your favour.

[jamesviola]

Also in Piazza della Repubblica, but a better (and cheaper) bet than Gilli, is Pasticceria Donnini: fantastic coffee and pastries in the morning. I spent many a morning sitting outside on the pavement with a cappuccino and la Gazzetta. Don't be roped into sitting on the wooden decking or they'll charge you extra. Avoid Le Giubbe Rosse next door: it's a snooty rip-off joint.

Another option if you love great cakes is Patrizio Cosi, Borgo degli Albizi, 15. http://www.pasticceriacosi.com/

[niclaf77]

thanks everyone for the replies and recommendations! and great website - i bookmarked that one for other references!

[thinks too much]

I found good coffee and ok pastry in the Nuovo Mercato. I liked having my cappucino in the company of the fishmongers too. When I strayed away, the coffee was almost as good and the pastries got stale.