Founder Stefania Sciomachen built the café around the memory of her late grandmother, Lilliana Carani, and runs it alongside her partner Giuseppe. The space opened in 2022 on Girard Avenue, taking over the room long occupied by Pannikin and closing out a local fixture in the process. The pastry and coffee program draws on family recipes carried down across generations, giving the menu a direct line back to home kitchens in Italy rather than a generic European café template.
“A personal Italian import built around family recipes, laminated pastries, and a grandmother's memory rather than a scaled café concept.”
Laminated pastries are the signature strength: croissants in pistachio, almond, and chocolate lead the case. The setting reinforces the concept, pairing a fireplace, Italian antiques, and a lush outdoor garden that anchors the café's identity. Community orientation shows up in programming such as the Vino & Vibes evening collaborations, which fold neighborhood events into the café calendar.
Photo: Michelle Cho
Taken together, the place reads as a small, personal Italian import rather than a scaled coffee concept.