A taste of Italy is coming to Penticton.
Caffe d91裸聊视频橧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 Corleone91裸聊视频檚 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 city91裸聊视频檚 only Italian coffee spot.
Caffe d91裸聊视频橧talia won91裸聊视频檛 be like what you would find at a run-of-the-mill chain cafe 91裸聊视频� Gigliotti91裸聊视频檚 newest endeavour is all about representing the Bel Paese.
From paninis to biscotti and, of course, Italian espresso, everything served at Caffe d91裸聊视频橧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.
91裸聊视频淢ost of the coffee places here91裸聊视频� they want a Salt Spring Island coffee or a Kelowna coffee. My coffee comes from Italy,91裸聊视频� Gigliotti said.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 the product that I91裸聊视频檓 bringing in that91裸聊视频檚 going to differentiate me from the next guy.91裸聊视频�
While prices could still change, Gigliotti91裸聊视频檚 menu sticks to the classics and keeps prices fair. For coffee, Caffe d91裸聊视频橧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 91裸聊视频� 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.
91裸聊视频淧eople can91裸聊视频檛 believe I was born here because my voice and the way I carry myself but all my heritage is Italian,91裸聊视频� he said.
Coffee culture in Italy is different than in Canada, and Gigliotti is excited to let Pentictonites know what it91裸聊视频檚 all about.
91裸聊视频淢ost people don91裸聊视频檛 know a lot about what I91裸聊视频檝e got, like even what a cannoli is,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淪o I91裸聊视频檒l be here educating people and keeping things different.91裸聊视频�
For those who don91裸聊视频檛 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 d91裸聊视频橧talia, with a charity fundraiser in the works for the cafe91裸聊视频檚 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 Gigliotti91裸聊视频檚. Once the opportunity arose, he wasn91裸聊视频檛 going to pass it up. Even though Gigliotti himself admits opening a business right now is a big risk, it91裸聊视频檚 a risk he91裸聊视频檇 likely take a million times over.
91裸聊视频淓verybody says you gotta be crazy to open a business during COVID,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 tough times but I have faith I91裸聊视频檒l draw people in.91裸聊视频�
jesse.day@pentictonwesternnews.com
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