Florence
Florence's craft-beer scene runs deeper than the tourist taps. These ten are where locals drink. The craft beer bars on this list span every neighbourhood worth a trip, Oltrarno, Santa Croce, San Niccolò, Centro Storico all show up, and every price tier from a $5 local pour to a $25 hotel-bar tasting. Each bar earns its spot for a different reason.
CENTRO STORICO · $$$$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Inside Palazzo delle Seggiole. Order: Negroni (the original). Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded, book ahead or arrive early.
OLTRARNO · $$$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Speakeasy hidden behind an unmarked door on Borgo Tegolaio. Order: Negroni (the original). Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
CENTRO STORICO · $$$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Italian-spirits-only bar near Santa Maria Novella. Order: Negroni (the original). Best time: Sunday from 6pm, when it's the room's quietest premium night and the kitchen is unhurried. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Avoid post-match nights if the local team is playing, the upstairs gets loud.
OLTRARNO · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Smaller Oltrarno cocktail room with a serious back bar and a young engaged crowd. Order: Negroni (the original). Best time: Thursday late or Friday early, when you'll catch the room building toward its weekend tempo. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. First-Friday traffic in the district can mean a 20-minute wait at the door.
CENTRO STORICO · $$$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Restaurant-bar-flower-shop hybrid. Order: Negroni (the original). Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded, book ahead or arrive early.
CENTRO STORICO · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Where the Negroni was invented. Order: Negroni (the original). Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
Use this guide either as a single curated route through Florence or as a checklist to revisit over a long weekend. Reservations are flagged where they matter. Otherwise, walk in. Below: the ten craft beer bars that any serious drinker in Florence would tell you to put on the list.
Inside Palazzo delle Seggiole. Order: Negroni (the original). Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded, book ahead or arrive early.
Speakeasy hidden behind an unmarked door on Borgo Tegolaio. Order: Negroni (the original). Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
Looking beyond Florence? See our guide to the best craft beer bars worldwide, or compare craft beer bars city by city. Or find craft beer bars near you.