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“Our mission is to provide the best products and services. We will listen to our customers and the long term relationships we form are based on the highest possible levels of integrity and humility with a focus on training, education and impeccable quality. We will be creative and we will ultimately set the standard by which others are judged. Our Artisan methods will at all times, remain the cornerstone to our distinctive Italian tradition.”
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.
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.