Born in Florence, Italy, and known for the introduction of specialty coffee to the Italian people, café and roastery Ditta Artigianale (“Ditta”) has opened its first international location today in Toronto. Located at 612 Richmond Street West in the Harlowe condominium, the new forty-seat Italian café currently serves coffee and pastries with signature cocktails, brunch and shareable plates to be added to the menu in the coming weeks. Guests will be transported to Florence when entering the distinctively Ditta space, with every detail meticulously curated to emulate the city’s famously intricate design.
With a goal of creating a unique coffee experience that prioritizes quality beyond just the final product, world-renowned and award-winning barista Francesco Sanapo launched Ditta Artigianale in 2013 alongside fellow coffee expert and entrepreneur Patrick Hoffer. Focused on researching exclusive micro-lots, building real relationships with producers and utilizing special roasting techniques, the Ditta Artigianale team has elevated Italy’s coffee scene with their seamless blending of traditional Italian artistry with contemporary innovation.
“To us, coffee is more than just a beverage. It’s an art, carefully crafted by a team of producers and artisans along the way,”said Francesco Sanapo, Founder of Ditta Artigianale.“It’s always been our goal to bring the Ditta Artiginale experience of high-quality and sustainable coffee beyond our humble home of Firenze, and Toronto’s diverse food and beverage scene made it a natural place to put down international roots.”
Curation is what defines the new Toronto space. Design elements of the new location have been carefully selected in partnership with Florence-based q-bic and Toronto’s The Design Agency. The newest location features elements consistent with Ditta’s original cafés, including the same Italian-made brass handles and the fashionably functional custom three-pull Nuova Simonelli espresso machine that made its debut at the Carducci location. No detail was too small. The restrooms were designed with floor-to-ceiling ceramic and porcelain tile, and the sound system was custom designed for the space by sound experts Global USS to fine-tune the auditory experience. The attention to detail draws customers in with an ambiance that entices them to explore.
While the coffee menu highlights a variety of specialty coffees made with Ditta’s own unique blends, in the coming weeks customers will also be able to enjoy brunch classics like ricotta pancakes and avocado toast, Italian favourites like crostini or panzanella salad, and shareable bites including charcuterie boards. Additionally, guests will soon be able to enjoy beverages from a refined cocktail menu, with gin-based drinks including the Italian negroni featuring Peter in Florence’s artisanal Tuscan gin, available exclusively at Ditta Artigianale.
The launch of the Toronto café marks Ditta Artigianale’s fifth location, and the beginning of a new specialty coffee era in Canada. With this opening, Ditta Artiginale is one step closer to its goal of creating a worldwide coffee community on the shared values of quality, transparency and sustainability. Ditta Artiginale’s Toronto location is open seven days a week beginning at 7am.
