Where to Eat in Florence (Even If It’s Not for the Food): the Caffè delle Oblate

Last visit: September 2025

My rating (food): 4/10

My rating (view): 10/10

Price: €€/€€€€€

There are places you choose for Michelin-starred cuisine, and others you choose because “it tastes just like grandma’s cooking.” And then there are places like the Caffè of the Biblioteca delle Oblate, where—let’s be honest—you won’t be going for the food.

The menu won’t inspire you to write any gastronomic essays: simple dishes, honest sandwiches, a couple of salads that look like they’re really trying. And yet, it’s absolutely worth it. Why? Because it’s housed inside a 15th-century convent, with an elegant, peaceful cloister that oozes Florentine architecture from every brick.

But most of all, because when you look up from your fork, you’ll find Brunelleschi’s Dome right there in front of you—so close you’ll feel you could count the bricks. A view that by itself is worth the price of the sandwich, and maybe even the coffee (which in Florence is no small matter).

The best part? You don’t need to climb to a luxury hotel rooftop or tackle the 463 steps up the Duomo. All it takes is ordering a sandwich and soaking up the spectacle. It’s one of those rare places where Florence reveals itself unfiltered; just steps away from the Duomo, you get the luxury of eating without being trapped in the middle of a noisy tour group led by a guide waving a little flag, while contemplating one of the most breathtaking views in the world.

In short, if you’re after a memorable culinary experience, look elsewhere. But if you want to discover how beauty can turn an ordinary lunch into a special memory, then take a seat at the Caffè delle Oblate: the Dome will do the rest.

The café is part of the Oblate's Library, and it’s not the easiest place to find. Once you’re inside the library, ask for directions, get a little lost, keep going, and eventually—you’ll find it.