What is the best bar or café in Italy? There is no single answer: a carefully made espresso, fine pastry and a historic café overlooking a monumental square offer very different experiences. We have therefore replaced the outdated 2020 ranking with a 2026 editorial itinerary featuring eight iconic venues.
This is a curated route, not a league table or an award. Every venue is currently active, set in a distinctive location and associated with products documented by its official website. Menus, prices and opening hours may change, so check before travelling.
1. Caffè Florian, Venice: coffee in St Mark’s Square
Under the arcades of the Procuratie Nuove, Caffè Florian has been part of St Mark’s Square since 1720. Its official menu features cakes, desserts and parfaits made by the in-house laboratory, served with coffee, tea or chocolate.
Try: a seasonal Florian pastry with coffee or hot chocolate.
2. Caffè Al Bicerin, Turin: opposite the Consolata
Caffè Al Bicerin has stood in Piazza della Consolata since 1763. Its signature Bicerin combines coffee, chocolate and milk cream; traditional hot chocolate and gianduiotti are also part of the house’s identity.
Try: the Bicerin in its historic home; the original house recipe remains secret.
3. Caffè Gilli, Florence: pastry in Piazza della Repubblica
Founded in 1733 and established in Piazza della Repubblica in 1917, Caffè Gilli combines café culture with fine pastry and artisanal chocolate in a Liberty-style setting.
Try: a selection of mignon pastries or Gilli chocolates, or a cup of house hot chocolate.
4. Caffè Pedrocchi, Padua: the mint coffee
Caffè Pedrocchi has served central Padua since 1831. Its signature drink layers 100% Arabica espresso, fresh cream, mint syrup and bitter cocoa. The café advises drinking it without stirring.
Try: the classic Pedrocchi Coffee, or its cold summer version when available.
5. Sant’Eustachio Il Caffè, Rome: roasting near the Pantheon
A short walk from the Pantheon, Sant’Eustachio Il Caffè has roasted coffee since 1938. The house describes its blend as 100% Arabica and also offers coffee sweets such as chocolate-coated beans and truffles.
Try: an espresso made with the Sant’Eustachio blend and a small coffee-flavoured sweet.
6. Gran Caffè Gambrinus, Naples: espresso and Neapolitan pastry
Gran Caffè Gambrinus sits in monumental central Naples near Piazza del Plebiscito. Its official menu brings together coffee and Neapolitan classics including sfogliatella and babà.
Try: sfogliatella or babà with espresso; the menu also lists hazelnut coffee.
7. Caffè degli Specchi, Trieste: coffee in Piazza Unità
Overlooking Piazza Unità d’Italia since 1839, Caffè degli Specchi reflects Trieste’s Central European café culture. Its breakfast offer includes local coffee styles such as the “capo in b” and pastries by Peratoner.
Try: a capo in b—Trieste’s small cappuccino served in a glass—with a pastry.
8. Caffè Meletti, Ascoli Piceno: Liberty style and Anisetta
Caffè Meletti has been the historic drawing room of Piazza del Popolo since 1907. Its defining speciality is Anisetta Meletti, alongside breakfast pastries, desserts and aperitif drinks.
Try: Anisetta Meletti in one of the house serves, or a freshly baked breakfast pastry.
How to choose your stop
Choose Turin or Padua for a distinctive drink; Florence, Venice or Naples for historic pastry; Trieste and Ascoli Piceno for the bond between café and square; Rome for coffee roasting beside the ancient city. The common thread is not a prize but the relationship between place, ritual and product.
Editorial check: locations and specialities verified on official websites on 4 September 2026. Inclusion is not sponsored.
