Florence is such a charming Italian city with amazing food and drinks. Tucked away in its narrow alleys and quaint corners are the cherished wine windows—portals to a delightful sip of local culture. The historical “Buchetta del Vino” (little wine doors) started back in 1600s to safely sell food and wine during the plague. There were 100+ of them but only a handful of them operate now all over the city.
When I found out there are more than one operating window, I had to try all of them. I ended up trying 7 out of 8 and thought each of them had their own charm. Here’s the summary of the ones I tried.
Babae: Window with the most wine selection. Most places have red, white, and prosecco but Babae also has orange wine! This might be the most well-known window.
Osteria San Fiorenzo Close to Bascilica of Santa Croce. There was a Christmas market in the plaza when we went. Has outdoor seating.
Ristorante Pietra Bianca They had a variety of spritz and cocktails on the menu. Their bell was the most fun to ring. Has outdoor seating.
Cantina de pucci Close to Duomo, friendly staff. You can sit and drink on their outdoor patio.
Il Latini Enjoyed their Prosecco! Not a huge difference, but was €6 a glass compared to €7 or €8 at others.
Osteria Belle Donne Pretty flower decoration. Make sure to knock hard 🤣
Fiaschetteria Fantappie Doubles as a wine shop, you can make a longer wine stop out of it. Didn’t see an official menu but I think you have a bit more wine choices here if you order inside and receive from the window. Has outdoor seating. Super friendly and gave us the wine map that started this tour of wine windows.
A few of them had outdoor seatings where you can sit and drink. You have to return your glasses or you can get them in a to-go cup. Note that wine selections are limited (you are not choosing between a Barolo or BDM), think house wines by the glass at restaurants. But all wines I’ve tried were decent and you can always opt for an Aperol Spritz! The only places with a very short line were Babae and Osteria Belle Donne, but there were just 1 or 2 other groups (I went in November). Wines cost €6-8 and spritz are usually ~€8-10. If you are in Florence and walking around the city, you will most likely find one nearby so definitely stop by!