For those unfamiliar, Caffè Artigiano still represents the best espresso shot we’ve ever had — produced by the hands of barista savant, Sammy Piccolo. Pulled in 2003, years before the Third Wave supposedly even existed, it was an abject lesson for how all the espresso-making automation in the world could never replicate Sammy’s quality control. (He tossed out the first two espresso shots he attempted to make for us — aka, sink shots.)
For the seven years since the Canadian Barista Championship has been in operation, Caffè Artigiano has had a virtual lock on the winners. So you have to figure they generally know what they’re doing. The article interviews Kyle Straw, the current Canadian barista champion and the store manager at Caffè Artigiano’s Hornby location/mothership.
Much like its American counterpart and one-time bean supplier, Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea, Caffè Artigiano has grown to a number of cafés in its Vancouver backyard and now seeks more continental expansion. There are currently rumors of future locations in Toronto, Montreal, New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Just don’t expect a Starbucks-like expansion at all costs.
A little history
Caffè Artigiano opened its doors to Vancouverites on the corner of Pender and Thurlow in January 2000 as Vancouver's premiere Italian-style coffee house and bistro. Caffè Artigiano achieved immediate success by offering superior coffee and excellent food in a lively, comfortable atmosphere. Vancouver had a lot of cafes, but it lacked a true coffeehouse - an establishment dedicated to the perfect cup of coffee. A place driven by Italian passion and tradition, but always looking to new technolgies and the future - this is where Caffè Artigiano started, and where it is today.
In April 2002, it was the right time to bring the taste of Artigiano to Vancouver's downtown shopping district. The second Caffè Artigiano opened on Hornby Street, just off of Robson. This location attracts people from all over the world who seek to escape the busy streets and indulge in a taste of Italy.
2004 and 2005 were years of exciting growth and expansion. With two caffes and a solid reputation for serving some of the finest specialty coffee in the world, the Caffè Artigiano experience was expanded to include gourmet brunch with the opening of Caffè Artigiano on West Hastings Street in August of 2004. The West Hastings location offers a variety of brunch items, big gourmet salads and Italian Panini. The final two Caffè Artigiano locations opened at the Village at Park Royal, and the cozy neighbourhood of Kerrisdale.
My cappuccaino.smells great!
My friend's latte.a litte cute bear~
A pretty flower.
Caffè Artigiano's champion baristas:
Caffè Artigiano is home to a long pedigree of barista champions. Through 6 Canadian Championships, every one of them has been won by Caffè Artigiano. Sammy Piccolo was Canadian Barista Champion from 2003 to 2005. Sammy was also the Silver Medalist in the 2004 World Barista Championships (WBC) in Trieste, Italy, the bronze medalist at the 2005 WBC in Seattle, Washington; and the Silver Medalist at the 2006 WBC held in Bern, Switzerland - being the only barista in history to place in the top three for three consecutive years. After Bern, Sammy officially retired from competition.
Caffè Artigiano won the 2006 Canadian Barista Championships, and finished 7th in the World Barista Championship in Tokyo in July 2007. We also won the 2006 Latte Art Competition at Seattle's annual Coffee Fest.
In 2007, Caffè Artigiano retained their crown, winning the 5th straight Canadian Championship, and a 5th place finish in Copenhagen, Denmark at the World Barista Championship.
In September 2008, Sammy Piccolo came out of retirement, vowing to regain his title, and vying for one more crack at the world championship. Securing a win at the Canadian Barista Championship, he is on his way. He will be representing us at the WBC in Atlanta in April 2009.
Caffè Artigiano serves only the best quality coffee, including Cup of Excellence winners from coffee origin countries all over the world. The Cup of Excellence program identifies top coffees from a country and makes them available to importers and roasters, rewarding winning farmers with high prices and global recognition. Caffè Artigiano offers a selection of these coffees available for purchase by the cup at the Hornby Street location, prepared on the revolutionary Clover™ machine. Each cup is brewed individually, guaranteeing the freshest and most flavourful cup of unique and varied coffee.
Caffè Artigiano's award winning baristas specialize in coffee art, creating a unique rosetta, tulip or heart atop of each cappuccino and latte served.
Caffè Artigiano
763 Hornby Street
Vancouver, BC V6Z 1S4
phone: 604-694-7737
Monday to Friday: 5:30am to 9:00pm
Saturday: 6:30am to 9:00pm
Sunday: 6:30am to 8:00pm
INFO FROM ~http://caffeartigiano.com/about.html
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2010.10 Vancouver
2010.12.06
