Where to Have Aperitivo in Florence for 10 Euros: Ten Spots
There was a time when Italian pop star Max Pezzali sang “Con un deca” (“deca” being slang for a ten-thousand-lire note), and with ten thousand lire a night out still seemed within reach. More than thirty years have gone by, the lira has given way to the euro, and today, with ten euros in your pocket, it isn’t always easy to order even a cocktail in Florence. And yet a few places are holding out.
Not necessarily far from the center, but often off the most touristy, most Instagrammed routes. We tracked down ten addresses where a “deca” can still be enough for a drink and a snack to go with it. Because we may no longer be able to buy a whole night out, but a good aperitivo, the Italian ritual of an early-evening drink with something to nibble, is still within reach.
Vintage Cafe
Right in the center, at Via dei Conti 25, a few steps from the Duomo, you’ll find Vintage Cafe: a small but welcoming place where, for just €7, you can enjoy a spritz with schiacciata, Tuscan flatbread, and good music. The bar also often hosts events tied to fashion and vintage, turning a simple aperitivo into something out of the ordinary.
Bulli & Balene
In Novoli, inside Manifattura Tabacchi, the former tobacco factory turned creative hub, you’ll find Bulli & Balene, a spot known above all for its cicchetti, Venetian-style small bites: unusual and affordable. Its casual-but-chic setting makes it a less obvious choice for anyone who wants something different from the classic aperitivo, away from the tourists in the center.
Vineria Sonora
Natural wines, vinyl records, music and a retro feel: Vineria Sonora is a great pick if you’re looking for a less predictable place for an aperitivo. The wine bar is at Via degli Alfani 39/R, in the Sant’Ambrogio area, and stands out for its selection of natural and artisanal wines. To go with your glass, you can add cicchetti and small bites for a few euros, rounding out the aperitivo.
La Cité
Amid the traffic and bustle of San Frediano is a bookshop-café/bistro that stands out as a quiet space, where time seems to stop for a moment.
A true literary café, but also a great place to stop for an aperitivo with a drink and something to eat for around €10, perfect for sinking into a relaxed atmosphere among books, culture and good company.
Ex Latteria
On Via Panciatichi you’ll find Ex Latteria, a place devoted to the cooking of Puglia, where €9.90 gets you a drink with a tagliere, a sharing board. It pairs the classic aperitivo with traditional products from Puglia, in a formula that lets you drink and eat something while staying within a €10 budget.
Bar Argentina
On Via della Mattonaia, in the Sant’Ambrogio area, is Bar Argentina. A small neighborhood bar where aperitivo stays within €10: drinks, snacks and a laid-back atmosphere. An address far from the most touristy spots, also popular with people who live in the area and want an aperitivo without any fuss.
Fermino – Santa Croce
At Borgo Santa Croce 31r, Fermino is one of those small places that work well for a no-frills aperitivo. Above all, the prices let you really stick to our budget: glasses of wine for around 5 euros and, among the food options, coccoli with prosciutto and stracchino for 5 euros, fried dough balls served with cured ham and a soft, fresh cheese. So 10 euros gets you wine and something to eat, in a casual setting that also draws a local crowd.
New Bridge Pizza Club
A stone’s throw from the Duomo, on Via dell’Oriuolo, you’ll find New Bridge Pizza Club, where aperitivo is simple and straightforward: a Spritz and a pizzino, a small pizza, for €10. The deal runs every day from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., except Sundays. An option for anyone who feels like a drink and, above all, doesn’t want to end up on an empty stomach.
La Prosciutteria – Via de’ Neri
A short walk from Piazza della Signoria, La Prosciutteria is an alternative to the classic aperitivo of Spritz and buffet. Here you can pick a glass of wine and pair it with schiacciata, cured meats, cheeses and Tuscan products, putting your aperitivo together around your appetite and your budget. Glasses start at around 2.50 euros, while the food menu includes sandwiches and small bites at modest prices, so staying around 10 euros is doable. The setting is casual, with wooden tables and bottles and cured meats on display, and it works well for anyone who prefers wine and Tuscan flavors to the usual cocktail.
Dorsoduro 3821 – Via San Gallo
A little corner of Venice in the center of Florence. Dorsoduro 3821, on via San Gallo, is all about Spritz and cicchetti: baccalà mantecato (creamed salt cod), crostini and small bites to pick out at the counter. Cicchetti go for around 2-3 euros, so this is one of the places where you can put together a real aperitivo, with a drink and a couple of bites, without straying far from 10 euros. The space is cozy and casual, closer to a bacaro, a traditional Venetian wine bar, than to the classic Florentine cocktail bar.
In Florence, even with €10, you can still find places to enjoy a glass of wine and a good bite to eat: between cicchetti, natural wines and fiaschetterie, the city’s old-style wine shops, there’s no shortage of options. Sometimes all it takes is walking a little farther and taking a different street to discover a new place without spending a fortune.
