Curious Appetite

Aperitivo

Where to eat & drink outdoors (all’aperto) in Florence

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(post originally written in 2020, and gets updated annually. Last update August 2024)

Whenever warm temps roll around, locals tend to want to lounge and linger over meals and drinks outdoors. This post is a round-up of my personal picks on where to eat outdoors Florence (all’aperto in Italiano) for Aperitivo hour and naming names for restaurants in Florence with outdoor seating. I will say, if temps are giving hot hot hot vs comfortably warm, I would suggest to opt for indoor dining if they have air-conditioning…

If you’d like to experience some of these spots on a curated walking tour, check out and book a seat on Curious Appetite’s Aperitivo Tour or our Progressive Dining Crawl of Florence. 

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Budget-friendly Aperitivo ideas in Florence, Italy

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Aperitivo might be the culinary ritual that cemented my love for living in Italy. When I first moved to Florence in 2012 to pursue my dream to live in Italy, I came on my own without help from anyone. So let’s just say I had a student budget and lived in a shoebox of a room in a shared house for the first 2 years.

To stay within my means, I did a LOT of aperitivo nights. That’s what I was able to afford if I wanted to socialize over food and drink, which is one of the most admirable aspects of Italian culture. I can’t think of how else I could have networked and made friends as a newbie.

Drinking well with a pre-dinner snack (the basis of an Italian aperitivo) shouldn’t have to break the bank. And thankfully for me, it didn’t. This post will give you some tips on where to aperitivo on a budget while not having to sacrifice quaffable hooch or tasty snacks to match. Continue Reading →

Negroni turns 100: Where to drink Negroni in Florence, Italy

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I hope that in landing on this page you know what a Negroni is and adore it as much as I do. If you don’t know what a Negroni is, indulge this quick (unjust) version of a explainer (this longer one may deal more justice) plus some of my picks for where to drink Negroni in Florence at the end

The Negroni is equal parts sweet vermouth, Campari (or bitter of choice) and gin. It was considered created exactly 100 years ago in 1919 thanks to a man named Count Cammillo Luigi Manfredo Maria Negroni who asked his bartender Fosco Scarselli of Cafe Casoni to supplement gin to his Americano (bitter, vermouth and soda water)- a legend was born! Continue Reading →

Aperitivo in Florence – UPDATED!

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Photo Credit: Sam Engel (contact me to get in touch with Sam- he’s a great photographer!)

Man oh man, it’s been a painful few months knowing I had a very popular/read post just dying to be updated. Mostly, I wanted to update my article on Aperitivo in Florence because there were some spots that have gone horribly downhill and it took some personal visits to realize horrifically how disgusting they were in both terms of service and quality. It’s a real bummer when recommendations get outdated, usually due to a rise in popularity, If people catch on to a good place in Florence, it usually doesn’t stay secret for long (which should usually be a good thing!) Unless locales are prepared for the increased volume, they usually can’t keep up with providing consistent quality and service.

Here is the link to my updated post:

Aperitivo in Florence- a round-up

And while I was at it, I realized the article I wrote on Where to Eat in San Niccolo (the area near Piazzale Michelangelo) was also a bit outdated so I cleaned it up, with a realization that most places in that area suck. Florence, what is wrong with you?! (Sometimes) Continue Reading →

New Opening: Locale on Via delle Seggiole (Florence, Italy)

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smokey. mezcal. negroni. And I usually yuck at tequila- not at Locale on Via delle Seggiole.

A recent fixation of mine has been with craft cocktails, for many reasons. Mostly for an article I was doing research for, but also because I love them. It goes without saying that there is an art of being a barman. In addition to the product, but also the sort of social interaction and place involved with the ritual. If we look at old sitcoms, such as Cheers and even the Simpsons, the bar or the pub was a place where you could let it all hang out. Your barman is your confidant, your hooch peddler and the one who will banter with you when you have no one else to- and never judge you no matter how much whiskey and lager you sling back. Continue Reading →

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