ChiaroScuro

My favorite place in Florence. The most welcoming , lovely staff and casual cool vibe. We all love Matt. So sweet. So accommodating!

Excellent breakfast and lunch.

Fantastic cappuccino, great pastries and fruits, and the lunch food looked fabulous.

Friendly service. Good prices.

I was trying to find some espresso cups to purchase and bring back to the US and with a quick search found that ChiaroScuro sells them. They only had one left but the barista took one from the warming tray on top of the expresso machine and gave it to us.

My wife had a café latte and I had a cappuccino and we both felt it was the best coffee we've had in our lives. Not a hint of bitterness and very flavorful. We ended up buying 250g of the espresso beans they use as well.

The staff was friendly, the coffee the best I've had and they sell all sorts of authentic Italian drink ware.

Rolled in here around 7:30am on a weekday to grab a cappuccino before starting the day. I got a caramel cappuccino and the hubs got a cinnamon cappuccino. We both enjoyed our drinks a lot! A few policemen came came in after us to drink coffee as well! Wish we could have visited again on our trip to Florence to try out more coffee drinks. However, according to the menu, we thought the price was €2.20 each and were charged €5...we drank them at the bar so I don't think there was a service charge? Didn't want to fight the extra charge, but it was slightly annoying. Check this place out on your next trip to Florence!

ChiaroScuro might resemble one of the various pan-Asian restaurants you encounter around the world... You know the type: they have xiao long bao on the menu next to pad see ew, an offering of bun bo hue might share a page with katsu curry. The variety may be awe-inspiring, but the execution tends to be lacklustre.

Well, whilst I can't speak to ChiaroScuro's various other menu items (you know... coffees, cocktails, pastas, and more), I can say that I enjoyed a thoroughly excessive carafe of cioccolata alla nocciola (hot chocolate with hazelnut cream) here. At around €5, it doesn't come cheap, but finishing the whole dense mug of thick crude oil-esque decadence was beyond the realm of possibility.

Be sure to either arrive early or late around the lunch rush, because it gets utterly rammed. I believe bookings can be made, but you'd have to speak Italian to do so. Also, due to the cramped and hectic environment, catching a server to put in an order may be a challenge. Take your opportunities as they come.

Difficulties aside, there's unlikely to be much in the way of better options to snag a hot chocolate on a cold, blustery day than ChiaroScuro.

I ventured to this gem last month and it quickly became a place to meet friends for a tasty flavored cafe (rare in Firenze). I've also had their aperitivo and thought it was a pretty good one. The drink menu is great. I love trying new things.

They have a great seating area in the back, so grab a friend or two and chat over a great cafe. Remember, sitting is always more expensive than ordering at the cafe bar. But to enjoy great conversation over said cafe, was totally worth it for me.

What a tourist trap. "Apertivo" they said, "happy hour." Come in and eat all you want. So we went hoping to enjoy a Florentine tradition. Food was fine and drinks reasonably priced but then they charged us for the "buffet." I questioned this and was told it comes free at lunch but they charge in the afternoon. Avoid the tourist trap. Charges 9 euro each. Could have had my dream sandwich down the street for half.

Oh the hot chocolate. Italian hot chocolate is really an experience. The first time I had it I was shocked. It really is just a melted down chocolate bar in a cup for you to drink. The hot chocolate at Chiaroscuro is delicious though. I tried the caramel hot chocolate and a friend I went with got the mint hot chocolate. Each cup of chocolate came with a cup of water which was extremely necessary because of the richness of the chocolate. The caramel hot chocolate was thick and sweet, but not overly sweet like you would think it would be. The mint hot chocolate was very minty and tasted like a peppermint patty. Chiaroscuro also sells different coffees and seemed to be a go to spot for lunch as well. I would recommend trying the hot chocolate at least once during your trip to Italy and if you can't finish the whole thing it's okay!

Fantastic spot for Apertivo! We've gone during peak summer times and there is always a space to sit and some amazing food. For only the price of glass of wine, you get a full buffet of Italian small plates. Definitely worth a try if you're looking for a great happy hour spot in Florence!

Rude and unfriendly. Scowling female clearly did not like non Italians. Refused to take a credit card then charged us .50 more than advertised. When we went to sit down on the edge of the room where at least 6 other tables were occupied, she told us to move to the centerfold the room because we only had drinks. Outrageous compared to so many other amazing places.