Florence's Buchette del Vino Wine Windows

If you've seen a wine window anywhere online, it was probably this one — and it deserves every bit of the attention. Babae was the first to revive the tradition in 2019, and after Stanley Tucci filmed here for his CNN series, things got lively. It's the most 'scene' version of the experience: there's often a line, the energy is social and fun, and the crowd is mixed between locals and tourists who all feel equally pleased with themselves for being there. The 'L'ora della Buchetta' happens 7–8pm nightly, when they go all in on the tradition.

They serve wine by the glass (red, white, rosé, orange, Lambrusco, Prosecco), spritzes, and cocktails. Prices are flat — about €8 a glass. There's a €5 glass deposit if you get real stemware. Tables inside and a few outside.

Right near the Duomo, tucked into the wall of the historic Palazzo Pucci — one of Florence's great Renaissance palaces. The window here is one of the smallest you'll find: tiny, authentic, and framed by centuries of stone. The server on the other side can barely be seen, which somehow adds to the charm. The wine is excellent and cold. Come for a quick afternoon glass, or book the restaurant downstairs for dinner and you'll feel like you've found exactly the right place.

One of the most central wine windows in the city, and one of the most reliably open. The street is charming — plant-lined, narrow, pretty — and the window itself is flanked by two large wine bottles so you can't miss it. The staff here are famously exuberant. If the door is closed, knock anyway — it'll open. They serve wine, cocktails, and specialize in Tuscan reds. The Chianti Classico comes recommended.

Il Latini is one of Florence's oldest and most beloved restaurants — famous for its Florentine steak, long communal tables, and the kind of warm chaos that makes you feel like you wandered into someone's family dinner. The wine window sits right at the entrance. If you're dining here, it's a wonderful detail; if you're just stopping for a glass while in the neighborhood, that works too.

Tucked into a quiet square near Santa Croce, this is one of the prettier stops on the list — refined, unhurried, with a large menu of wines and cocktails posted to the right of the window and a small bell to ring for service. It's around the corner from Osteria San Fiorenzo, which makes these two an easy mini wine window crawl if you're in the Santa Croce area.

Just steps from the Basilica of Santa Croce — where Michelangelo, Galileo, and Machiavelli are buried — this one comes with a view. A small patio out front faces the basilica, and the team here typically won't rush you. Order a glass of Chianti, pull up a chair, and let the setting do what it does. They also serve Aperol Spritz and cocktails from the window. The staff have been known to offer to take and print a photo of you from their side of the window as a memento — which is very San Fiorenzo.

This one has been here since 1947 and it shows — in a truly charming way. A family-run wine shop in the Oltrarno, now run by the founder's grandson, with floor-to-ceiling shelves of Italian bottles and a small cluster of tables outside. The wine window is on the exterior of the shop; you can also go inside if you want more options. Ask for a glass of Chianti and a crostino with chicken liver pâté (Nonna's recipe). Genuinely local. Genuinely excellent.

Strictly speaking, Vivoli's buchetta is a gelato window, not a wine window — but it earns its place on this list. One of the oldest and most beloved gelaterias in Florence, Vivoli has had a buchetta for centuries. During COVID, they famously used it to serve coffee and gelato at a safe distance; these days the window isn't always active for orders, but the gelateria itself is a must. Ask for the riso gelato — rice-flavored, unique to Vivoli, and something people dream about long after they leave.

This one is a little unexpected and all the better for it. The Giunti Odeon is Florence's first cinema, opened in 1922 and now reimagined as a stunning cultural space — bookshop, cinema, restaurant, gallery, and wine window. Facing the Odeon Cinema entrance, go around the corner of the building to the right and follow the wall between the Café Odeon patio to find this somewhat hidden wine window. The buchetta opened in November 2023 and sits in Piazza degli Strozzi, just in front of the Odeon Bistro. Red, white, rosé, Prosecco, or spritz — all around €8. It's rarely crowded here, which makes it a surprisingly lovely stop.

The newest officially recognized wine window on this list — officially welcomed by the Buchette del Vino Cultural Association in January 2025. Located just steps from Ponte Vecchio, it's easy to reach from either side of the Arno. The window is next to the restaurant entrance; knock on the little wooden door. They serve Chianti, white wine, Prosecco, Aperol Spritz, Negroni, and Americano — served in real glass. This neighborhood has a quieter, more local feel than the tourist-heavy areas near the Duomo.

Small, easy to miss, and feels like a true local find when it's open. If you're already near Dante's House, keep an eye out. Just a window in a wall and a glass if you're lucky.

Technically more of a neighborhood grocery-meets-wine-cellar than a restaurant, but the window — recognized by the Buchette del Vino Association as one of the most recent and unusual discoveries — is real. The owner Massimiliano is warm and passionate; if you catch him, you may end up on an impromptu tour of the wine cellar. They serve Chianti from the window, and the charcuterie inside is worth stopping for.