It had been a while since I had gone out for a cocktail, but my friend Ollie had been telling me about this place near Piazza Goldoni that had the best mixed drinks in Florence, perhaps the best in Tuscany, maybe the best in Italy. So when Ollie came to town he finally succeeded in taking me to Art Bar.
Wow! WOW! Best cocktail ever. It’s quite a small space, far from fashionable and fancy Florentine bars attended by the smart and ‘in’ crowds. Just a few tables, good friendly service, lots of popcorn to munch while killing the long long time you have to wait for the drink to come.
But then…it comes and you wished you had already ordered another one in order not to wait after you have savored the first perfect cocktail. I had a Fruit Mojito with ginger and it came with a fabulous decoration of peaches and candied ginger dipped in brown sugar.
This space has had a number of lives as Antico Caffè del Moro, named for Via del Moro where it is located, and Caffè degli Artisti, which has been shortened and updated to Art Bar.
Artisan cocktails are the main focus of the bar, and you can order many different types of daiquiris, mojitos, fruit cocktails, or beer and wine (but what is the point of wasting the barman’s talents?). Art Bar has “happy hour” every evening until 9pm, 6 euro drinks instead of 9 euros (cocktails). Every table gets popcorn, nuts and bar snacks, which only encourages you to order “just one more.”
The menu is rich in both fields of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Behind the bar the two owners, brothers, maybe, look Florentine, and by this I mean with a ‘I don’t give a damn’ attitude, but in this case the attitude was well balanced by the very helpful, polite and smiling waitress (a rare species in Florence).
The sign and website say it opens at 6 pm, but it doesn’t. It opens maybe at 6:30 or whenever the owners show up – we waited until 7:30. Did I say ‘ Florentine attitude’ already? But the ambrosial drink made the wait worthwhile. Thanks,Ollie!
Art Bar
Via del Moro, 4R