Coming to Italy, I figured it’d be hard to find vegan restaurants and places to eat. I mean, this is the place of pizza, mozzarella, gelato, literally all the delicious, dairy-laden creations you could think of. I’m not vegan, but I can’t eat dairy without getting a lotta stomach probs. I tracked down some of the best vegan-friendly spots in the city over the month I was there, and here’s everywhere I found.
(Feature image by @theatlasigh)
Skip past the video if you want to just read the list. All locations are linked here on this handy map.
Shake Cafe: best place in Florence for vegan health food
This cafe is seriously not to be missed, and for good reason. I’m sure every list mentions this place as the best place for vegans in Florence. It’s a typical basic-bitch eatery, with plants coming out of the ceiling, and Insta-worthy smoothie bowls. The food is GOOD: think green bowls, vegan pastries, smoothies, coffee, wraps, and salads. It’s not anything exciting but it’s a good place to get a healthy lunch or snack. Oh, and the iced coffee is very delish (though it’s overpriced and served in plastic even when you eat in WHICH I HATE).
La Dolce Vegan: best place in Florence for vegan pizza
The first thing I ever ate here was the tiramisu, and lemme just say… OH SHIT BITCH. This was so so so damn delicious. I loveeeee tiramisu but it usually just turns me into a huge fart ball because it’s basically all dairy. This vegan version tasted pretty damn legit, though it was a little pricey at 5 Euros. They had a bunch of other cakes and cookies and vegan goodies. Another thing I tried here was the pizza… damn. It was amazing. The cheese they use is so good (and they are very liberal with it), it fully tasted like mozzarella AND had the same consistency. They’ve also got burgers, wraps, salads, and even a damn VEGAN CHARCUTERIE PLATTER. Live the dream, vegans.
Brac: best place in Florence for vegan pasta
While this isn’t a vegan eatery, they’ve got some good options for all y’all veggies and vegans out there. Its a really nice vibe of a restaurant, inside a small bookshop with a huge glass wall and greenery. Insta-worthy as hell. I had orecchiette with broccoli, which was buttery and creamy and amazingly good. Highly recommend. Top tip: you can’t see the name of the cafe from the outside, so look for the glass door that says “art books”.
Cantina Del Gelato: best place in Florence for vegan gelato
You can’t come to Italy without having gelato. It’s illegal. If you’re dairy-free, you’ll know that every gelateria and ice cream shop in the world has vegan sorbet flavours. It’s fine but it’s kinda boring. I found a couple spots in Florence that go above and beyond with their vegan options. Perche’…No has chocolate sorbet as well as a bomb soy hazelnut flavour. Soy ice cream can be a bit iffy but this was surprisingly good. Also Il Procopio has a great chocolate sorbet, and their fruit flavours are better than most. Come here with your non-vegan friends because their award-winning flavour (kinda mango/vanillay) is real fuckin good. But my absolute favourite spot has to be La Cafeteria. Everything’s made there, and there are some really interesting flavours. There are a ton of vegan options (I really recommend the pineapple mint and the chocolate orange), and I just wish I could have tried every single one.
Le Vespe: best place in Florence for vegan brunch
This is a cute little brunch spot, opened by a Canadian and an Italian. The coffee is reaaalll good, and there’s even a really great iced coffee with coconut milk and maple syrup. I had the vegan wrap which was a real godsend when I was hungover. It’s a good place to chill for an hour or two, and to fill up on North American-style breakfast food when you’re sick of pizza or pasta.
Universo Vegan: best place in Florence for vegan desserts
Universo Vegan has a pretty varied menu, with everything from burgers to pasta to appetisers to fresh-squeezed juices. I had the green burger here, and it was really delish. But what enticed me in to begin with was their dessert selection. It’s not quite as varied as what you can find at Dolce Vegan, but they’ve got pastries and chocolates and cakes and tiramisu. Plus it’s right next to a square where you can sit in the sun and enjoy your goodies.
JEMIMA SKELLEY 