Lopez Martinez brings some Cuban soul to Florence with his signature muddled mojitos, margaritas named for local street artists, and mango daiquiris complete with delicate touches like black salt rims, fresh lime, and select rums from his home country. If you’re lucky, you may happen upon an impromptu piano performance from the staff.

Cristian Guitti, one of Florence's most respected bartenders, opened this Sant'Ambrogio district bar in early 2017 with vintage 1920s decor and an elaborate menu premised on experimentation and fantasy. The menu is divided into twists on classics, like an aged Negroni, and Guitti's own inventions. You'll find colorfully presented cocktails with unusual culinary accoutrements, such as mint bitters, torched extractions, celery juice, chile jam, and truffle honey, plus punch bowls to share.

Fabiano Buffolino, the bartender behind this brand-new ’50s-style cocktail lounge, has years of experience in the industry and a passion for reviving Italian traditions. Everything on the menu is made in Italy: aperitivi, vermouth, bitters, and more than 80 labels of amaro, from national classics to small-batch varieties. You'll find nearly forgotten Italian sodas, vintage liqueurs, and classic prosecco-based cocktails from Bellini to Puccini. It’s an obligatory stop for those who want to understand the true legacy of Italian cocktails. The best part: So far, every drink is under 10 euros.

Open since 2001, Mayday could be considered Florence's true mixology den for the respect it pays to the city’s historic pharmacies and apothecaries. A mix of moody theater lighting, risque velvet paintings, and vintage radio technology relics make for a Dali-esque space where bartenders create inventive cocktails with house-made infusions, liqueurs, and all-natural juices from local organic fruit producers. Chemistry and botany enthusiasts, this place is for you.

In the Oltrarno district, owner Neri Fantechi has successfully designed a cocktail pub with a creative menu; Florence Cocktail Week award-winning barmen; and a no-frills, all-inclusive vibe. Here, ordering an Aperol spritz is considered sacrilegious. Instead, choose from among tongue-in-cheek daily and weekly specials, such as the Donald Sour (carrot jam, bourbon, and egg white), and a menu divided into three parts: “a fistful of dollars,” “soul warmers,” and “fabulous spirits.” The bar also hosts periodic mixology and spirit-specific master classes and events, and it boasts a tempting selection of mezcal and Russian rye vodkas, thanks to cocktail maestro Julian Biondi’s role as Italian ambassador for Polugar.

Not purely a cocktail bar, Ditta is a modern interpretation of the traditional Italian bar that sells espresso, breakfast pastries, and aperitivo alongside bus tickets, tobacco, and stamps. Specialty roasted coffee, international baked goods, brunch, and craft cocktails are all on the menu here. Industry legend Kareem Bennet translates owner Francesco Sanapo's obsession with gin, artisanal liqueurs, and house-made syrups into quality drinks. The insider tip here is to take a seat at the bar and have Bennet whip up something you didn't know you loved.

This is Florence's first secret bar. The address, underground somewhere in Santo Spirito, can be discovered by either following hints given over the phone or through word of mouth. The bar was envisioned as a space in which Russian mystic Grigori Rasputin would have liked to dwell. Vintage Italian decor dominates, and the menu is decidedly reminiscent of the 1940s, but with a section of new, proprietary inventions. Present are the Hanky Panky, Brandy Crusta, Lucien Gaudin, and other obscure classics.

This is the crème de la crème of luxury hotel bar experiences. Perched practically around the corner from Piazzale Michelangelo and in the midst of lush Tuscan cypress trees and sweeping skylines, Villa Cora offers a quality craft drink program. Paolo Ponzo, a Swiss-born Sicilian, is the man behind the poolside bar, which, in warmer months, is an exceptional choice for DJ sets, drinks, snacks, and pizza and Champagne nights. Ponzo takes a decidedly Italian approach to cocktails with a few wildcards, including Varnelli and rum daiquiris and fernet-and-scotch-based creations.