Preaching to the choir?
27 07 2007Posted by Robert @ 5:01 pm
Well I figure it was about that time, yes time to do the impossible, time to review Caffé Artigiano. But what can I say that hasn’t already been said, and if your reading this blog then maybe your already a fan. . .
Cafe Artigiano Howe Location
A few notes in point form:
- They always have a line up
- They are always busy
- Their barista’s are always really friendly (This means you Jacqueline & Arielle. sad note: both have now left Artigiano)
- Yes you will have to wait more then 30 seconds for your latte.
- Yes it really is worth the wait. . . .
Why has this micro chain of five cafes done so well and so popular, well that is a bit of a longer story, one I really don’t know all that well, but I give you what I know.
As the story goes the Piccolo brothers, (Vince, Sammy and Mike) wanted to create a different type of cafe in Vancouver, one that completely centered around quality, comfort and lively atmosphere regardless of how busy they where. It wasn’t meant to combat the huge trend of cookie cutter cafes in the Vancouver region, we don’t need another Waves or Blenz or Starbucks do we? But more to show what quality a café really can achieve.
They don’t have wireless at any of their cafes, but then what are you coming for the coffee or the Internet?
“If you want the Internet go to Blenz” One of the Barista said to me jokingly.
Barista Arielle and a Artigiano Latte
Back in the summer of 2006 when I was an actual barista and working for Seattle’s Best Coffee (in the Bental 5) I heard about the five dollar cup of coffee, how they weren’t even making a profit at that price and how it was the best coffee around.
Jen, a fellow SBC co-worker, and I had decided to check out this roast. It was the best coffee I have ever had in my life, it was a light roast, but rich in flavour amazing in texture and had this amazing lingering aftertaste that made you feel like it you were still drinking it, without a hint of burnt or bitter flavour, this is what coffee was suppose to taste like.
The cup was also made with a special brewer called a Clover, which uses a system like a French press, but instead of a plunger they use a vacuum to separate the water and the coffee. It really is an ingenious way to enjoy coffee and it’s more precise then a normal brewer. It is also $10,000 plus dollars, which is why most cafe’s can’t afford the machine.
I have heard some stories about bad service or long waits for service, but I have never had a bad experience in these cafes, especially the one off Georgia and Howe. When it is busy this cafe is quite noisy, so it is not for the studying kind.
They were using intelligentsia coffee at the Initial start up and it was the Piccolo brothers goal to always roast their own beans. They started to do that with the incorporation of 49th Parallel Coffee and in 2005 and have never looked back.
The café was sold in December 2006 to Willie Mounzer, former VP of operations for Earls. But the front end will always serve 49th Parallel Coffee, it is just a different owner behind the till.
Arielle Latte Art
Where this Blog was written: Caffé Artigiano on Hornby
Drink ordered: 12 oz latte to stay (pictured)
Discount of own to-go cup: You get nothing
Barista Knowledge: Extremely knowledgeable
Barista Friendliness: Awesome
Café website : www.caffeartigiano.com
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I agree with this review. I think Artigiano, especially with all their volume, are the best cafes in town if not all of Canada. Their coffee is on a level higher than anything else I’ve tried. And I’ve tried just about every cafe around!
Who poured your latte? It doesn’t look like mine. You should keep writing. And keep coming back.
A Clover costs $11,000.
I agree, Artigiano is good.
I also found this little but very busy cafe in North Vancouver called Brazza. They do amazing coffee as well.
Just moved here from Toronto (from a neighbourhood known for some of the best espresso in town) and was excited to start the search for west coast cafe. Artigiano was my first stop. I found the service robotic. my order was wrong. the barissta’s seemed uninterested and showed zero levels of passion. I also had to wait upwards of ten minutes for my drink. I don’t get it.
Hi Katie I found that chains can suffer from quality control like anyone, and I haven’t been to the Howe Location in quite some time. . .
As Artigiano expands it will be harder and harder to keep the same consistency in each one of their cafes.
Thanks for your comments, please keep commenting. I am only one guy who does this and it is really hard for me to keep with new cafes along with returning to the old one I have already reviewed.