Ditta Artigianale – Florence & Milan

Founded in 2013, Ditta Artigianale has quickly established itself as one of Italy’s most influential specialty coffee roasters and café operators. With multiple locations across Florence and a flagship in Milan, Ditta is the brainchild of a team of passionate baristas and coffee professionals whose philosophy is simple yet ambitious: combine world-class beans with world-class craft, and make it accessible to coffee nerds in Italy and beyond.

Coffee & Beans

What sets Ditta apart is the curation of single-origin coffees sourced directly from some of the most respected farms worldwide. While there is a house blend that serves as an entry point for everyday drinkers, the real magic lies in the Reserve Collection – meticulously roasted, often competition-level coffees designed to challenge and delight even the most seasoned palates.

During our visits, we tasted some of the most memorable coffees we’ve ever had:

• A Colombian Caturra (Finca Los Nogales, Huila, 1850m, extended fermentation with mosto) – intensely layered, with notes of banana, mango, and mandarin. At €60 for 250g, this was easily one of the best espressos we’ve ever experienced.

• A Guatemalan Geisha (Finca Catalan de Las Mercedes, washed, 1600–1900m) – bursting with lime, dried fruit, and honey.

• A Honduran Catuai Anaerobic (Finca El Puente, 1500m) – with pineapple, honey, and raisin flavor notes, showing Ditta’s preference for experimental processing.

These coffees highlight Ditta’s core approach: light roasts, fruit-driven flavor profiles, and uncompromising quality. Filter drinkers will find a wide selection as well, from classic washed Ethiopians to complex anaerobics. Decaf is also part of the program, proving that quality is non-negotiable across the board.

The Craft

Ditta Artigianale isn’t just about sourcing; it’s about execution at the highest level. Many of their baristas are competition veterans, having trained for or competed in national and world championships. That pedigree shows: dosing, extraction, and milk texture are consistently on point, regardless of which café you walk into.

The equipment lineup reflects the same philosophy:

• In Florence, you’ll find a La Marzocco Strada, customized for precision.

• In Milan, the bar is anchored by a Victoria Arduino, marrying Italian design with technical accuracy.

For Ditta, the espresso machine isn’t just a tool – it’s part of the brand identity. And in the hands of these baristas, every shot feels like a masterclass.

Atmosphere

The Florence cafés carry the spirit of the brand’s origins – intimate, creative spaces with a distinctly local feel. The Via dei Neri location, for instance, balances vintage touches with a modern edge, making it a comfortable place to linger over a V60 or espresso flight.

The Milan flagship is more cosmopolitan: sleek, international, and buzzing with energy. While the design language varies, the common thread is tasteful interiors that blend Italian café tradition with specialty coffee modernity.

In both cities, Ditta creates environments that are equal parts learning space and hangout. It’s not about minimalism for Instagram – it’s about crafting a vibe that matches the coffee: thoughtful, layered, and deeply engaging.

Service & Value

The service at Ditta is nerdy by design. The baristas don’t just hand you a cup – they walk you through origin, processing, and flavor notes with genuine enthusiasm. Conversations often drift into fermentation methods, varietals, or competition experiences. For coffee nerds, this is gold.

On pricing, Ditta sits on the higher end of the Italian spectrum. But given the quality of beans, the skill of the staff, and the sheer uniqueness of the offerings, the value remains strong. As one of the few places in Italy where you can casually order a €10+ Geisha espresso pulled with championship precision, the premium feels justified.

Our Connection

For us, Ditta Artigianale has been a recurring stop: multiple visits in Florence and four to five in Milan. Each time, the experience went beyond coffee. We’ve been invited by baristas to try espressos on the house, chatted about their competition journeys, and left with more knowledge than we came with.

Special mention to Gianmarco in Florence and XXX in Milan, whose hospitality and passion turned a casual stop into a true learning moment. These are the kinds of encounters that make Ditta unforgettable.

Our Verdict

Ditta Artigianale is more than a café – it’s a coffee institution. It bridges Italy’s deep espresso heritage with the forward-thinking, experimental edge of global specialty coffee. For nerds, it’s paradise; for newcomers, it’s a masterclass in what coffee can be.

Florence (Via dei Neri) – Final Score: 8.8/10 – Excellent, highly recommended.

Milan – Final Score: 9.1/10 – World-class, our current #1 café worldwide.