Pasticceria Minni
Review by Benedetta Marra, Marisa Talarico, Jonathan Ieraci, Cassidy Williams and Dylan Ferri
The Pasticceria Minni is a locally adored cafe that prides itself in its fresh pastries and friendly service. The owners make the pastries every morning to sell which include Italian standards and Tuscan traditions. The cafe itself is small, with about 8 seats available, but there is a good size bar area to sip on espresso and other delicious coffees. The main attraction is the large glass case filled with baked goods. There are dozens of pastries to choose from with a wide variety to satisfy everyone’s cravings.
During our visit, we tried two different types of mini fruit tarts, an apple pastry, an apricot pastry, a vegan croissant, and a small cookie sandwich with a chocolate filling. After the first bite, it was obvious that the pastries sold at the Pasticceria were extremely fresh. The apple pastry was fluffy, flaky, and sweet. The apricot pastry was soft, rich, and a perfect amount of sweetness. There were over 10 types of mini fruit tarts to choose from, we tried the mixed berry and strawberry tarts. The vegan croissant was warmed before being served. Its crispy and semi-glazed outside was quickly followed by a soft and chewy center. The cookie sandwich with chocolate filling was made from two light wafers with a chocolate filling in between them. The wafers were clearly fresh and also very delicate, which helped to bring out the rich flavor of the chocolate since the wafers were not overpowering. All of the pastries averaged to be about one euro each.
There were also cakes, large fruit tarts, and other celebratory sweets on display that customers could purchase or order. If you want to know more about the pastries that are in the shop or that can be ordered, there are two large binders with each pastry and its ingredients displayed on the main counter. We thought this was extremely beneficial for any customer that may have a food allergy or dietary restrictions.
Although we only tasted a few of the pastries sold during our time at the cafe, we noticed many locals buying bags full of different pastries to take home. It is common to see this at a small Italian pastry shop. The coffee menu consisted of the typical Italian choices. Among the five of us, we ordered cappuccino, lemon tea, and a caffè crema, an Italian version of an iced espresso. Depending on what you order, the items on the coffee menu average to be around 1.50 euros. The cappuccino was made with pure Italian craftsmanship and were light enough to sip. The tea had a very strong lemon flavor due to the fresh lemon added to the cup before stewing the tea for a few minutes. The caffè crema was refreshing, with a cold and vibrant coffee taste.
During the late afternoon, Pasticceria Minni also offers small aperitivo options with alcoholic or non-alcoholic refreshments. Overall, the Pasticceria has very reasonable prices. We did notice that a few of their homemade cakes seemed a bit pricey, but realized it was most likely due to the quality of fresh ingredients used. We highly recommend the walk to Pasticceria Minni if you are in the looking for a fresh pastry at a locally favored shopped get a break from the hustle of the busy streets of the Florence city center at the same time.
Pasticceria Minni
Address: Via Antonio Giacomini, 16
Tel: 055 578836
Hours: Sunday-Tuesday, Thursdays 7:00am-8:00pm; Saturdays 7:00am-1:30pm; 3:30-8:00pm; Closed Wednesdays