Caffè Gilli

We've come here quite a lot, always for takeaway because sitting in doubles the price of the food. Ordering can be a little chaotic, because sometimes we've ordered over the counter and other times at the till and brought a receipt to the counter. Either way, the process is relatively easy once you get the hang of it (and can pronounce the Italian food!) Everything has been really tasty! I'd especially recommend the croissants as they're only €2 and delicious.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Caffè Gilli is an iconic spot in Florence, and our brunch experience here was nothing short of amazing! The atmosphere is elegant and historic, with beautiful decor that makes you feel like you’ve stepped back in time. The food was excellent—we had brunch, and everything was fresh, beautifully presented, and full of flavor. The pastries were delicate and delicious, the coffee was rich and perfectly brewed, and the overall quality of the ingredients was top-notch. Service was professional and attentive despite the busy setting. It’s clear why Caffè Gilli has been a staple in Florence for centuries. Whether you’re looking for a relaxed brunch, a quick coffee, or a luxurious pastry experience, this place is a must-visit. Highly recommended for anyone visiting Florence!

I visited the historic Caffè Gilli in Florence to soak in its timeless vibe. The interior and furniture are beautifully preserved, and the music adds a modern touch. Tomas’s warm and attentive service is something I’ll never forget. While standing at the bar is nice, I recommend sitting down to truly enjoy the atmosphere. Don’t miss the sponge cake—highly recommended!

While the pastries and croissants are truly exceptional, some of the best I’ve had in Europe, the overall experience is let down by the overly touristy atmosphere. It’s crowded, loud, and sitting down means paying significantly more in a way that doesn’t feel justified. A great stop for takeaway, but not ideal if you’re looking to relax or enjoy a quiet moment alone or with your partner.

A great dessert spot near Piazza della Signoria! I came here with my family, and while the desserts were a bit small, they were absolutely delicious. We ordered a macaron and a cheesecake, both beautifully presented. The macaron was different from the usual ones I’ve had—it came as one large piece, decorated nicely with raspberries, and tasted amazing. Personally, I think this place has a more unique touch compared to Caffè Florian in Venezia. However, a pigeon flew inside, which was a bit scary! Still, overall, a fantastic place for desserts.

While staying at Hotel Savoy, we enjoyed an amazing breakfast directly across the street. We ordered a cappuccino, red orange juice, pancakes with maple syrup and fresh fruit, scrambled eggs with bacon, toast and a pastry that was topped with strawberries. All of the items were delicious and prepared with care. The restaurant was extremely busy and service was a bit slow. However, our server was very friendly and accommodating, which made up for the slow pace of service.

Really enjoyed the relaxed, elegant atmosphere overlooking the piazza. It can get busy because of all the tourists, so service can be a little slow during peak hours, but it’s nice to just sit back, relax, and people watch. The cheesecake and cafe gilli drink were amazing, and our server was very kind.

Absolutely the best pastry shop and cafe in all of Florence. The location is excellent for people watching at the square. As for me of the lounge chairs, order your favorite drink and pastry and take it all in!

Very beautiful interior as well as nice large outdoor seating. Outdoor seating towards middle tables where people walk, the floor shakes when people walk by (probably platform assembly issues - sit more inward). The hostess was a bit rude when I asked for a table for one. Everyone else was nice. The restaurant is kid friendly, one of the staff brought someone's child a pillow since the chairs were lower than the table. Enough space to park a stroller near your table. Two waiters dropped two separate things. The iced cappuccino didn't come with a straw or stick or spoon to stir, so it was awkward trying not to spill. The Tartare di Salmon was delicious, but it was more like cubed and could've been colder. Food was decent, the sauce made it better (the chicken was bland, but juicy).

Definitely overpriced and underdelivered. Ordered Aperol Spritz's during the day to take a break from walking all over town and the drink price was outrageous compared to the quality of drink you receive. While the environment is nice, it feels manufactured versus the authentic older beautiful Italian cafes and restaurants throughout the city. Additionally, the wait staff were rude and made your feel like you were in a rush.

We were recommended to come here by our Car service driver as well as our cooking lesson instructor and we passed by on many walks, we knew we had to go! Some of the very best people watching with delicious gelato and exquisite pastries! The best affogato my husband tried to eat all of mine. He ordered the eclair and other delicious cake. We loved it all and grateful to have come, and thank the excellent staff for a great spot inside.

Ambiance -you're in Italy. They have sliding glass walls and roof that open to air when the weather is good. I'm sitting here early Mov with with sides open, enjoying music in the square, people watching & this is the piazza with the carousel. Had a couple drinks and they were very good. They speak English if needed & cake cash or cc A nice place to stop. Service slower

Pros: location is nice. Cons: everything else, basically. The desserts are at least a day old. It's obvious. Nothing looks remotely tempting. The service is extremely bad. The waiter never looks you in the eye, try look away and just throw the cups on the table. The coffee was cold. You call the waitress and she doesn't not acknowledge you, just runs away, the other one nods, like it's coming, but never comes. Finally they come change it. Very rude all-around. Maybe they're so badly paid no one feels like serving. I feel for them at one level but people are here to be serve their food with at least a smile. Not smiles for you here.

The interior of Gilli is beautiful and definitely the old world you expect. Wonderful customer service. You can sit on the enclosed patio year round which is by the nightly music. Might I say, the nightly music is amazing. Literally, the best place to go every night if you want to guarantee blowing your mind while being in Florence. The interior is where I wanted to be. Something about more that old world experience. As a note, it costs more to sit. Standing at the bar having your coffee is the same as anywhere in the city so a good alternative if you just want to try what they have to offer. I loved it here. I would definitely go back again. I had a selection of their sandwiches and a shakerato. So good!!!! I want that drink again .

Gilli is beautiful, historic, and has an Old World elegance to it. It's also a very popular place and pricey too. We opted to sit inside due to extreme heat. The terrace in front is lovely, weather permitted. I ordered the spinach omelette with toast and a cappuccino. Husband had the eggs with bacon, OJ, and a cappuccino. Service is a bit slow. We actually had to stop someone to take our order. They are that busy. All in all, it was a good experience. The food was good, but the experience of being in the oldest restaurant in Florence was amazing. It's not to be missed.

Love the machiattos. Like Giada says anybody who orders a cappuccino after 10am is a nitwit tourist. Expressos all day are fine.

Food/pastries and drinks are always great here. Great atmosphere when sitting outdoors. Service is the absolute most hit and miss that I have ever seen at a restaurant. They are either the most attentive people that will help immediately, or you will be sitting in the empty cafe, they will look you dead in the eye and not serve you for up to 20 minutes at times. Good thing I'm patient, so my 4 stars is for the food/drinks and beer, not for service.

This would have gotten 5 stars because we tried about 6 desserts and they were all amazing, every single one, why the four stars instead of 5? I went to the bathroom and was asked to show my table receipt to enter. 3 men did not have to return to their tables to get their receipts but I did. Other women had to go to their seats and get their receipts too. Not the men. When I cam back with my receipt, she was letting other men in the bathroom with no receipt. I questioned this. She told me she didn't speak English. I got a boss over to question why the disparity. She said I looked liked a tourist and the men didn't. I let them know that either everybody shows a receipt to gain bathroom access or nobody should. He apologized. So, if it would not have been this, they would have gotten 5 stars because the desserts, cookies, food, chocolates were amazing. But please, let everyone pee in peace.

If you are in Florence and are an espresso lover you will love Gilli! It is an experience in itself to walk up to the bar and order an espresso, alongside the locals. The drinks ordered at the bar are sipped standing (but they also have a lovely seating area where you can order breakfast). I had seen the Italian woman next to me order an espresso that looked more like a mini cappuccino and when I asked the barista he told me it was a macchiatone. I wasn't able to find this at most other bars in Italy. It was so delicious and gave me the perfect little caffeine boost I needed.

Great location for a drink came for desserts Staff very snotty pastries were good and the seating outside OK. I'm not sure if I come back.

Great Coffe and Pastry. There is a long line but it goes really fast. Great ambiance too

5 stars for the ambience and location. 0 stars for the food and service. Our servers did not have any desire to provide service. They acted like it was a hassle to take our order. My chocolate tort cake was at best from the morning, but could have been from the day before. It was like a chocolate hazelnut biscuit. I wasn't expecting much as I figured that the location was the main attraction. However, the food and service were worse than expected.

The perfect spot for food & Drinks! If you plan on visiting Florence, Italy, I highly recommend checking out this wonderful spot. You won't be disappointed. I've been there twice, and I must say they have excellent food, drinks, and music. I definitely plan to return when I'm in Florence next time.

This place is definitely a tourist trap. We walked inside seeking AC and a dose of caffeine. There was a fair amount of customers both in the dining area and at the bar. There was no clear hostess stand so we stood around looking lost for a bit. We had several staff members walk past us, including servers and people who appeared to be hostesses, without saying a word to us. We had to flag someone down who finally let us know we could seat ourselves. It took another 15-20 minutes to be approached and offered menus or water. Then another 20 minutes after that to be served our iced tea and espresso. Our order was taken by two different people and therefore our drinks were brought out at different times. The prices were absolutely absurd. I think it was 8 euros for my iced tea? If you are looking for a quick refuge from the heat, this place is OK. But it's definitely not an authentic Italian experience. Factor in the disjointed, slow service and the overpriced menu, I wouldn't recommend it to others. The only silver lining was that the inside is really beautiful.

As a great and central restaurant, Gilli serves tasty food and drinks. The service is a little stiff. However, for the location and food, it's a great spot for brunch. The seats are comfortable and music was fun. I thoroughly enjoyed their Bellinis and rum baba.

The bartenders were busy and professional looking. They were dressed well. Just ordered two cokes. Served on ice with lemon. Bathrooms were busy but clean.

Came for drinks on a beautiful Saturday afternoon and was able to get a seat within a few minutes! Tried the original Negroni with jelly and it was really good along with some other drinks

Such elegance and good pastry.. a bit expensive but worth it. Staff very polite... Hard to choose pastry as there are so many and all look like piece of art

I didn't eat the food only the chocolates and desserts! It was only okay in my opinion. It wasn't just something to go crazy about. I walked in the pouring rain for it and it just wasn't what I thought it would be. I have picture the two desserts I tried. One of the chocolates were amazing and I love it's I believe it was salted caramel but unfortunately I don't have a picture of the chocolates.

Very very bad experience. The waitress in charge of desserts was very rude and impolite to Asian tourists. She even bullied us because we couldn't understand Italian and didn't provide us with the desserts we originally purchased. She also pushed the desserts on the plate to us very rudely, causing the food to spill. Not recommended! Unless you want to be discriminated against!

If you're just going to get coffee and stand at the bar and watch the Brisas make a wonderful cappuccino, but the omelettes sandwiches and brioche if you sit down have some time don't rush.

We have been coming to Florence for decades and Gilli's is always a favorite spot!!! The people watching is amazing, coffee and drinks are superb, food is always delicious. Also love to buy a sweet treat or chocolate inside. The best part about Gilli's is the service! Special shoutout to Gulia, our lovely server, and the men Aledio and Tommaso. Thank you for always welcoming us!

As it sits in Piazza Republica, this place definitely caters to tourists. Prices are much higher than what you would find in Florence as you are paying for location. Services are overwhelmed with the number of tourists they get, so it is VERY slow. Just be prepared for it. Coffee is very good, hot chocolate is very European style (much thicker than in US), desserts are good

Came here two days in a row and already planning on going back for a third. Our server the first day was super kind and we had Carmelo the second day. Both servers were extremely kind and as attentive as possible. It is obvious they are understaffed so don't expect to be in and out within an hour. Slightly touristy, but the outdoor seating area is a cool and great place to have breakfast or lunch. We originally came because we saw it was the oldest cafe in Florence and wanted to give it a try. Overall it's good food in a great location and our servers were nothing but kind to us! Will be back

The service and ambience are amazing - highly recommend. We were in Florence for three days and came here each night. Everyone is very attentive and friendly.

Atmosphere is why people put up with the horrible service I just want a drink! Worst service in Florence.

Very nice place to take a break and "people watch". Of course, an Aperol Spritz is pretty much required.

This cafe was a highlight of our Florence experience. The ambience is old-world unique, food/drinks were amazing, they were able to accomodate gluten free breakfast for me (and even served gluten free bread) and the shakerato coffee was to die for. We hung out for an hour plus and never felt hurried or rushed. We are planning to go back to florence and the very first thing we'll do is go here as our starting/resting point.

The most miserable service and bellow standard food served with attitude by exhausted overheated waiters There are hundreds of places with much better food for a half price DO NOT COME HERE!!!

Pastries are not bad but service is SLOW and know you're paying for the location and the misting. Walk farther for better and cheaper food, but stay here for people watching and to cool off in the mist they spray all over. Nice view from the tables.

Understaffed and overpriced...but worth it for the view and people-watching. Lovely displays of delicacies. Delicious pastries and small sandwiches. The outdoor covered patio in the square is the place to be. A little luxurious breakfast for all tourists.

We were so glad we found this place. The food was amazing along with the coffee and desserts ...

I wish I had four hands so I could give this place 4 thumbs down. We walked in earlier today, a hot summer afternoon in Florence for a quick bite and a few drinks. The host seemed friendly at first, and there appeared to be tables in the patio area that had yet to be cleared, but I assumed they were overwhelmed. They asked for us to seat ourselves inside, and we obliged. The AC was a bonus but then came along our server who commenced to roll his eyes at us incessantly and throw menus, silverware, and our order items on the table like a petulant child. I could see around us that others were being neglected, yet he was sugar-sweet to an American by herself. At first, we figured he must be having a rough day and we're cordial, but it did not get better. He was terrible and negligent, and quite possibly the LAST person you want on front end service. Holy ****. This dude would reinspire Dante's Inferno if he was alive today because this place is the 7th circle of hospitality hell. We spoke Italian up until it was time to leave and was just over all the aggressive attitude. We would have stayed longer to just be out of the heat but figured we'd rather melt like ice cream than be in the same room with this guy. I was with my two kids and they were taken aback at how rude the service was. And we say this after having an amazing time in Paris. We legitimately got the "Paris treatment" in Florence, and for what? Purely pointless. You are better off at literally any local fast food place than Gilli.

Giulia was our hero. Gillis is such a special place. Sure it's touristy but the food is great, the people watching is epic and they never rush you out so it's a great place to relax and recharge. But back to Giulia. We encountered her several times over a month long visit and she was incredibly kind, helpful, professional and friendly. Thanks so much to her and the rest of the lovely staff!

Made a stop at this beautiful cafe for a quick coffee and pastry - my favorite combo when in Europe! I had a cappuccino and cannoli which I highly recommend! The cappuccino had that foamy top which I love and the cannoli was excellent! The shell was flaky and the filling wasn't overly sweet. The interior of this cafe is brightly lit, the desserts and pastries are beautifully presented, and the staff was friendly as well.

When we first walked in, we were worried because of the reviews we read. But the service was good. The atmosphere was nice. We ordered coffee, chips and drinks. All were good.

The elegance in Florence, Italy lives on. The experience of ordering coffee in Italy is not for the easily intimidated. Even though Cafe Gilli has a relaxing scenery, going about ordering their foamy cappuccinos are a great challenge. Once my friend had described it as "You have to be fast, you have to be clear, you have to have brilliant pronunciation...." Shaking just thinking about this. In front of Cafe Gilli, a merry-go-round can be spotted in the front view of its dining section. Inside, a savvy and glitzy bar with well dressed men are seen working so gracefully. It would be a pity to visit Florence without stopping to taste the specialties of chocolate producers with an experience of over two hundred years!! Similar to France's Toulouse's Pink City, Gilli Cafe is surrounded by these refined and poise cathedral style buildings. Almost like a painting in itself. The pastries are right out of a whimsical story book with bold and pastel colors. Besides the exquisite pastry and the city's creamiest cappuccino's, it's possible to take the best aperitives, find the finest whiskies and taste preciouses wines selected by it's experienced sommeliers. Gilli has never forgotten though how it became among the first to delight Florence's palate with it's finest and very proud chocolate factory. Gilli's chocolate factory has much to offer, varying from different hot chocolates, to Sacher pies, chocolate covered fruits, praline "cremini", coffee beans and, just to mention, the irresistible Florentine "Paillet d'or".

Food is well prepared, but expensive for what you receive. Stopped in for a "quick snack". An hour and a half later, I'm still waiting to pay my check.

I'm giving a 1 star review because my the food here is great! However, not good enough for what I tolerated today. I ordered a club sandwich, which I have previously purchased in the past for 12 euros. Today I went back and ordered the same thing. I was charged $25 for a club sandwich. I asked the server, "is this for one sandwich" to which she replied yes. I checked my credit card statement and saw that my sandwich was half the price the previous time I ordered it. On top of everything I didn't finish my sandwich so I asked for the rest to go. I had 2 triangles of sandwich uneaten, they only gave me one in my take away box. I dont recommend this restaurant it's a TOURIST TRAP.

While visiting Florence, we sat down on the patio in the evening for some cocktails. Staff was busy and service was a bit slow, but drinks were good. The front of the patio faces some garbage cans, which blow the smell in your direction with the wind. Also a lot of bugs in the evening - avoid if you're prone to mosquito bites like me.

I'm not sure if it is the glow of having a day to play in Florence with colleagues post conference, but we had a fabulous lunch mid sightseeing at Gilli. When we arrived we were immediately greeting and seated. The weather was perfect, the food fresh and delicious, the people watching entertaining and the location... just feeling so continental enjoying the square and carousel. We had the requisite bread and olive oil, I think we all had salads. My caesar was very good and the dressing arrived on the side without asking which I greatly appreciated. The dressing was delicious for dipping bread into. This is a great place to just relax mid sightseeing. Our waiter was a little aloof, but perhaps he had a very good Saturday night and was tired. It didn't matter, we had a very good time and the food and ambiance was very good. See photos.

One of the oldest restaurants in the heart of Firenze is a must. Have a bite to eat or drink & take in the views of the Piazza della Repubblica. Enjoy the sound of the street musicians, watch people excited riding the carousel right in front. Enjoy everything that is Firenze. Every drink was delicious & the presentation made us want to keep exploring the menu options. Inside the treats will make your mouth water. The jelly fruits were my favorite & I picked some up prior to returning to NYC. They travelled beautifully & allowed me to bring back a small bit of Firenze back home. A quick walk from the Ponte Vecchio, Galleria Uffizi, the Doumo de Firenze & in the middle of all the shopping. Step into Firenze when stepping into Gilli.

Food was good. Service was horrific. It shouldn't take 40 minutes to get a bill and leave after you finish eating mid-afternoon.

Was overall pleased with my experience at Gilli. It is a little bit touristy but not as bad as others. The food was good so no complaints there. The staff was spread a little thin and were covering too many tables so the service was slower. Worth checking out for a coffee or small bite to eat.

Do not expect good or even above average service here. We ordered dessert inside at the counter and were told to give a piece of a paper to the waiter if we wanted to sit outside, and that the waiter would bring our pastries out to us. We did as we were told, but it took over 45 minutes for a waiter to even take the piece of paper from us. I asked two other waiters to take the paper, but they told me to wait for our designated waiter. When he finally arrived, he was rude and inattentive. I ordered the tiramisu, which was good but overpriced at 5 euros for the small slice that they gave me. The only redeeming factor of Gilli was the misting fans they have, which are nice on a hot day. I was able to sit at the cafe for 2 hours without anyone kicking me out, although that was partly because the service was so bad.

The pastry was pretty good, we had a pastry and teas. The tea was overpriced, as was the food, and the service was horrible. I had to ask our waiter three times to come over to get the check, not to mention the place is pretentious and servers are cold.

We had spent a wonderful afternoon at the Cafe' Gilli in 2004 and were excited about today's return visit. We were promptly seated and given menus. We immediately asked for a bottle of water and the wine list. The latter came quickly but it took 15 minutes for the water to arrive. We ordered the wine at that time and then waited for 40 minutes for a server to arrive with the wrong bottle of wine-but accepted it so as to not suffer further delay. It was a white wine served at room temperature and, unable to get the attention of any member of the wait staff who proved to be adept at avoiding eye or other contact with diners, plunged the same into the bucket of ice waiting for the ice to do what should have been done before the bottle was brought to the table. The table of 5 which was seated just before us finished their meal, left and another family was seated and served their meal within mere minutes of the arrival of our salads more than 50 minutes after placing our order. We had ordered Caesar salads which came with lettuce that was brown at the edges and Italian bread that was dry and tasteless. The server apologized for the long delay and left as quickly as she could before we could actually taste the salads. The salads were fine, not remarkable for good or ill if you could get past the condition of the lettuce. The staff is truly expert at making you feel invisible but finally sent someone over to ask if everything was okay. I let her know in two languages that it was anything but okay and that I expected the restaurant to do something to make our mistreatment right. A different server, also adept and avoiding eye contact came by and cleared our dishes. A huddle of servers and the cowardly manager was taking place nearby and the youngest appearing member of the wait staff was sent over with two glasses of limoncello and 4 chocolates as a peace offering. She clearly did not like the role of sacrificial lamb and none of our experience had anything to do with her. I thanked her for the gesture and assured her that none of the unhappiness was her fault. A look of relief washed over her face and she headed off. We expected to pay a premium price for our meal given the location of the restaurant, but I found it telling that the statute at the end of the bar was a replica of Giambologna's Rape of the Sabines. Sabines/Customers? I don't see the difference as there was no acknowledgement in the bill of the poor service and treatment. This may have been an isolated incident....but you should ask yourself if you are willing to take the chance.