A taste of Italy is coming to Penticton.
Caffe d香蕉视频直播橧talia, a new authentic Italian cafe, is set to open up shop any week now.
The space at 449 Main Street was left vacant in September when Saint Germaine Cafe and Gallery called it quits after a six-year run in Penticton.
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Once Saint Germaine shut down, Don Gigliotti pounced on the opportunity to bring his dream of opening an authentic Italian cafe to life.
Gigliotti, who also owns Corleone香蕉视频直播檚 Pizzeria on Main Street, said he has a vision of bringing a unique cafe with a distinctly Italian vibe to Penticton. It will be the city香蕉视频直播檚 only Italian coffee spot.
Caffe d香蕉视频直播橧talia won香蕉视频直播檛 be like what you would find at a run-of-the-mill chain cafe 香蕉视频直播� Gigliotti香蕉视频直播檚 newest endeavour is all about representing the Bel Paese.
From paninis to biscotti and, of course, Italian espresso, everything served at Caffe d香蕉视频直播橧talia will be what you would find at a typical cafe in Milan or Venice. The coffee beans are imported straight from Italy.
After a sip of a proper Italian coffee, it will be hard to go back to Starbucks, said Gigliotti.
香蕉视频直播淢ost of the coffee places here香蕉视频直播� they want a Salt Spring Island coffee or a Kelowna coffee. My coffee comes from Italy,香蕉视频直播� Gigliotti said.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 the product that I香蕉视频直播檓 bringing in that香蕉视频直播檚 going to differentiate me from the next guy.香蕉视频直播�
While prices could still change, Gigliotti香蕉视频直播檚 menu sticks to the classics and keeps prices fair. For coffee, Caffe d香蕉视频直播橧talia will serve the staples: espresso, cappuccinos, lattes, americano, mochas and drip coffee. All espresso and steamed milk based drinks are $4, espresso and americanos will be $3, while customers will be able to grab a drip coffee for $2.
For food, the menu features a variety of paninis for $7 , Italian soup for $6 and various Italian pastries like biscotti, cannoli and panettone 香蕉视频直播� an Italian type of sweet bread originally from Milan.
| Panettone is an Italian type of sweet bread loaded with candied citron, lemon zest and raisins, and baked in a cylinder, giving it a distinctive look. (Pixabay photo) |
Despite what many people assume, Gigliotti was born in B.C., not Italy. His parents immigrated from Italy to Canada and Gigliotti often visits the country.
香蕉视频直播淧eople can香蕉视频直播檛 believe I was born here because my voice and the way I carry myself but all my heritage is Italian,香蕉视频直播� he said.
Coffee culture in Italy is different than in Canada, and Gigliotti is excited to let Pentictonites know what it香蕉视频直播檚 all about.
香蕉视频直播淢ost people don香蕉视频直播檛 know a lot about what I香蕉视频直播檝e got, like even what a cannoli is,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淪o I香蕉视频直播檒l be here educating people and keeping things different.香蕉视频直播�
For those who don香蕉视频直播檛 know, cannoli are tasty Italian pastries consisting of tube-shaped shells of fried pastry dough, filled with a sweet, creamy filling usually containing ricotta.
Since he moved to Penticton from East Vancouver, Gigliotti has a history of giving back to the community. In March, he offered free pizza to people affected by layoffs in the food industry, eventually leading him to give free pizza to anybody in need of food.
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He plans to keep that giving tradition going at Caffe d香蕉视频直播橧talia, with a charity fundraiser in the works for the cafe香蕉视频直播檚 opening day.
Opening a new business during the COVID-19 pandemic proved to be a unique challenge for Gigliotti, but he made it work in the end. After over two-months of renovations, which required additional COVID-safety precautions, the cafe is almost ready to open.
The last hurdle is passing final inspection, which is coming up in the next few days.
Gigliotti expects to be up and running within one to two weeks from now. At the very latest, he expects the cafe will be open in the New Year.
As a life-long restauranteur, opening an authentic Italian coffee shop has always been a dream of Gigliotti香蕉视频直播檚. Once the opportunity arose, he wasn香蕉视频直播檛 going to pass it up. Even though Gigliotti himself admits opening a business right now is a big risk, it香蕉视频直播檚 a risk he香蕉视频直播檇 likely take a million times over.
香蕉视频直播淓verybody says you gotta be crazy to open a business during COVID,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 tough times but I have faith I香蕉视频直播檒l draw people in.香蕉视频直播�
jesse.day@pentictonwesternnews.com
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