Five Winter Brunches to Try in Florence

The word brunch alone puts you in a good mood. It brings to mind the crisp crunch of bacon, warm bread pulling apart, the flaky layers of a croissant. We link it to good company, to cheer, to a lazy Sunday with friends. And what better season than winter to enjoy the bright morning air from the warmth of a cozy room, over a Signature Coffee or a Bloody Mary?

Among Florence’s many brunch offerings, we’ve picked five — a mix of newcomers and evergreens — to start the day on the right foot.

Seeds Pop Up

“Love local, think global.” That’s the motto of Seeds, the pop-up bar by Julian Biondi and Anastasia Kovrigina that sprang up inside Ostello Tasso. It’s an ethical project that reimagines the cocktail-bar industry with solutions built for minimal impact on the ecosystem: local suppliers and a close eye on seasonality, of course, but also house-made spirits and juices and a zero-waste philosophy.

Every Sunday, from noon to 3 p.m., Seeds serves an international brunch with a green & unconventional twist, in the sunny, homey atmosphere of the outdoor courtyard and the relaxed indoor room. Comfort food from around the world meets local, organic, seasonal produce, creating original, deeply satisfying combinations. And between restorative veloutés and the chef’s surprise desserts, the main dish is always something baked: a trio of artisan bao filled with smoked wild boar, pecorino and fermented radishes; or with circular-farm mushrooms, goat cheese and pepper sauce; a seasonal Club Sandwich with oven-baked fries and kimchi mayo; a Croque Monsieur, and so on, in rotation.

The menu changes often and is largely vegetarian (or easily made so), and the entire food lineup is celiac-friendly. Full marks, too, for the cocktail list, built mostly around their line of homemade spirits and liqueurs. Expect seasonal, Tuscan twists like the Nasty Mary (Seeds Vodka, La Leccia organic tomato juice, Oriental Mary mix, spicy bitters); the Old But Gold (Seeds Gin, raspberry-and-pomegranate-vinegar liqueur, kombucha syrup, lemon, brut sparkling wine); and, of course, the Tosco Mule (Seeds Vodka, nocino cordial, ginger beer).

Gucci Giardino 25

Brunch “Italian style”? Among the marble tables and the terrace looking onto the Neptune Fountain in Piazza della Signoria, Gucci Giardino 25 serves a delightful light brunch every day from noon. The menu features fresh, light main courses like Chianina beef tartare with cornichons, celery, shallot and marinated egg yolk. Beautiful, moreish plates too, such as ceviche with prawns and quinoa served over a vivid passion-fruit base; hand-pulled spaghetti with black-cabbage cream and langoustines; or the Triangle Salad.

Also on the menu are the Gucci musts, like the Trip to Modena, a soft, fragrant focaccia with mortadella, ricotta and balsamic vinegar. Dessert lovers will adore the Craquelin di Caterina, a light choux bun with pineapple, coconut and white-chocolate mousse. Or the Tea Crème Caramel, a black-tea-scented crème caramel with mascarpone foam. And finally the Maya Cake, a banana bread with chocolate, hazelnuts and Zacapa rum. For an unforgettable experience, let the staff suggest a pairing with Martina Bonci’s cocktails.

For brunch the alcohol dials down (in keeping with the hour), with original twists on the Bloody Mary like the Mary Goes on Holiday (vodka, tomato, strawberry, lemon, balsamic vinegar), the Espresso Martina (Michter’s Bourbon infused with tonka bean, cacao, vanilla, Lavazza 1985 coffee) and a fine focus on mocktails.

Ditta Artigianale Piazza Ferrucci

Colorful umbrellas and tropical vibes, clean lines and a setting made for brunch alone or in company. This is the Ditta Artigianale on Piazza Ferrucci — a literary café with its own bakery and newsstand — whose winter brunch is deliciously indulgent and made for every taste. Each morning the ovens turn out croissants, cinnamon rolls, pain au chocolat, banana bread and brownies.

On the brunch menu, served from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., you’re spoiled for choice between fluffy vanilla pancakes with maple syrup and butter, or slices of homemade bread with a creamy peanut-butter sauce, banana, raspberries, toasted peanuts and Maldon salt flakes. But also a Club sandwich, avocado toast and a Croque Monsieur with French Dijon mustard, homemade béchamel, Gruyère and cooked ham. There’s no shortage of vegetarian, seasonal options either, like the Veggie Goat Cheese Toast: a toasted crostone topped with soft goat cheese, broccoli, beetroot, pumpkin, pomegranate, a balsamic reduction and walnuts.

And since this is a temple of specialty coffee, you can’t skip the Signature Coffees, a must of Ditta Artigianale’s brunch. The most loved? The Pumpkin Pie Latte, the most Instagrammed in the city (espresso, homemade pumpkin syrup and milk) and the Salted Caramel Latte (espresso, homemade salted caramel and milk).

Four Seasons Firenze

When the colder months arrive, Florence’s most iconic Sunday brunch is back. A true must of the season, the Four Seasons brunch is a treat to give yourself (or someone else) for a day of pure pleasure in a joyful, convivial atmosphere.

On Sunday mornings, Il Palagio and the Atrium Bar dress up to welcome grown-ups and children alike, with laden buffets and special “behind the scenes” moments that let guests peek into the Michelin-starred kitchen. It’s an Italian-style brunch that changes with the seasons but never leaves the great Sunday classics off the table — roast pork loin with grapes, Piedmontese boiled meats with salsa verde, porchetta, grilled prawns and galletto alla diavola (spicy grilled cockerel), to name a few.

The evocative Sala Capponi, meanwhile, is set with the dessert buffet: candied-orange crème brûlée, lemon-and-blueberry panna cotta, cacao-and-rum pot de crème, chocolate-and-coffee choux, Sicilian cannoli, chocolate tartlet, strawberry cheesecake and rum baba. Brunch becomes the Sunday celebration — joyful and carefree, accompanied by guitarists and live music in one of the most beautiful palaces in Florence.

MAG56

We head to Prato, to the industrial-chic temple famous for its fusion plates and unconventional drinks: MAG56. It’s a young, welcoming spot where kitchen and bar blend together, trading ideas, techniques and preparations. On Sundays MAG56 opens its doors with its Super Brunch. The rules are simple and the formula is a winner: choose a main dish à la carte and it comes with a generous buffet, both sweet and savory. You’re spoiled for choice between 24-month Parma ham aged in barrique, knife-cut cured meats, homemade marinated salmon with tzatziki, Camembert with Patanegra shavings and Caesar Salad.

For the main, MAG56 serves made-to-order plates with an international wink: bagels, burgers and avocado toast, but also Italian classics like pasta al ragù and grilled meat and fish, to please every taste. To finish, the dessert buffet crowned by a Basque cheesecake with strawberry coulis, a chocolate fondant, banana bread with crème brûlée and a torta della nonna. As for the drinks, one look at the bottle wall behind the counter tells you all you need to know about the variety of labels that end up in the glass, between signature cocktails and twists on classics.

Whoever said the early bird catches the worm was on their way to brunch.