Coffee. Florence, Italy

September 2021

Having hiked 166km across the Apennine mountains on the Via Degli Dei, I was in dire need of excellent coffee.  Fortunately, two places in Florence came up trumps, both handily in the city centre and with only a short walk between, it was easy to get my caffeine kick!  First up, Coffee Mantra on Via della Mattonaia serves Gearbox coffee, roasted just down the road in Florence.  The flat white was expertly crafted and there’s also a selection of hand brews on offer.





Next up, Melaleuca, an Australian owned café and bakery alongside the Arno River, serving up bagels, avocado toast on sourdough and tortillas, cakes, cinnamon buns and great coffee.  I was really looking forward to sampling beans from another small-scale local Florence roaster, D612 Coffee Roasters, and they didn’t disappoint.  The homemade cold brew was refreshing, flavoursome and exactly what I needed on a warm day, deliciously citrusy served with a slice of orange.  As well as the light and airy tables inside, there is a sort of conservatory on the front, a lovely to way to blend inside and outside.

 Find Melaleuca on Lungarno delle Grazie. 


Florence is also a great place to get one of my childhood favourites, lemon granita.  Cool and refreshing, it's a less garish slush puppy - release your inner child! Find them at street stalls and gelaterias all over the city.

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