Molto Bene Cioccolateria

With so much of Florence appearing to have become a tourist trap, it’s important to know what you are looking for. With regard to espresso, you want an actual espresso machine, not a single-​button-​to-​push machine, and for gelato, you do NOT want to see piles of it in a chilled case. Check and check.
Espresso here is legit; strong, with excellent flavor. Take away is possible here as well, something many Americans will love. As for gelato, this is the real deal: individual sealed canisters protecting the deliciousness inside. Most places sell «gelato,» flavorless basically-​ice-​cream, from huge piles on display, because hey, good looking food sells, and so few people actually know what real gelato tastes like and/​or how it is traditionally handled. Not this place! It’s easy to miss as these steel containers are very low profile, hence you may not realize they sell gelato, but they have a variety of flavors listed. It’s not quite as good as Grom, but it’s definitely #2. They also sell a full range of pastries and have plenty of seating area.
Lastly, service was great! The barista at the counter had a quiet vibe to him, but he was friendly and professional, and spoke English (which helped since, despite being tri-​lingual, I do not speak Italian).
Prices were also very reasonable: an espresso, gelato, and pastry came to under 5 euro.

The ice cream was ok but nothing very special. The pastry I tasted (a kind of éclair with a lemon curd inside) was a bit heavy but quite eatable. So up to now, it seems like an «ok» place for stopping by quickly for a coffee and a sweet.
Unfortunately, I have some serious doubts regarding the service and overall welcome there. When I asked for a glass of tap water, naively disregarding the immensity of my request, I was answered «no we can’t do it», period. Well, let’s try to gently open the tap, it can be done for sure. We were 4 and had 3 beverages, ice creams, pastries and chocolates. Maybe — maybe — a mere glass of water is not too much too ask. It should not be.