Before coming to study abroad in Florence, we consistently were told one thing: Italians do not drink iced coffee. Being from the US, we all drink iced coffee almost every day. Whether we make it at home or run to Starbucks, we find a way to get an iced coffee. Now, coffee is important to Italians. Every morning, afternoon and night we can see citizens drinking coffee after their meals. During class, we even get a break dedicated to coffee! With coffee being so popular, we wanted to try the best of the best and see if we could find any that comforts us like iced coffee at home.
Knowing how unpopular iced coffee is in Italy, we were nervous about what to do for our daily caffeine fix. Hot coffee is always there, but iced coffee is the preferred method for us.
Right when we got to Florence, we tried multiple cafes to see what our options were. Many options include cappuccinos, caffe lattes, macchiatos, and espressos. Being that we all normally just order something along the lines of an iced vanilla latte at home, we had to quickly adapt to the menu changes and figure out what we preferred.
To start, we visited John Borno Caffè which is conveniently located directly across from our apartment. Looking at their menu, we were delighted to discover that they actually offered iced coffee options. Another plus, they included many flavored syrups such as vanilla, caramel, coconut, and more! After being told how iced coffee was so rare in Italy, it was surprising to us that we found a place that sold it, let alone so close to where we lived. (We actually love John Borno so much, we made a TikTok post for their accounts. Check it out!)
After the success of John Borno, we were determined to find other places that served good coffee. Realizing that most places did in fact only sell hot coffee, we began to broaden our horizons and try different kinds.
One cafe we have come to enjoy is Caffè Amerini . Every Tuesday and Thursday during our class coffee break, we head across the street to Caffè Amerini, where we can enjoy a plethora of different coffees off their menu. Our go-to orders here are their regular caffè latte and an espresso. What’s unusual (for us) about this cafe is that they do not sell iced coffee. However, we have each loved the hot coffee and espresso there and continue to go back every week!
Another cafe we found that we love in Florence is La Milkeria . Equipped with an expansive menu, La Milkeria was a fun spot that offered lots of fun options. From iced or hot coffee, matcha, milkshakes, smoothies, and more, La Milkeria was a spot we spent time at when we wanted a fun, refreshing iced coffee. Typically, we ordered anything from iced vanilla lattes to salted caramel iced coffee!
After experimenting with many different places, we found that iced coffee really is not that hard to come by in Florence. What we also learned though, was that hot coffee can be just as good. Without the experience in Florence, we may have never grown to love all the different kinds of coffee (hot or cold) that we do now!
Along with the appreciation for taste, we also come to appreciate coffee and the process of production and distribution. After a class visit to Dini Caffè to experience the production process of their coffee, we each came to appreciate the long and particular process that goes into everyone’s favorite caffeinated drink. The experience was educational and fun, ending with a taste of their espresso!
Overall, our coffee hunt in Florence was a success. From iced to hot coffee, Florence has options for everyone!
Written by: Lauren Kaba , Samantha McFetridge, and Zachary Whyte