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Vancouver’s Milano Coffee Expands To Downtown Toronto With New Espresso Bar

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The GOODS from Milano Coffee

Vancouver, BC | Vancouver’s world-renowned Milano Coffee is expanding with the launch of a new café in Toronto. Milano Espresso Bar is now open at 266 Adelaide Street West.

Situated in a gorgeous brick heritage building in Toronto’s bustling theatre district, Milano Espresso Bar offers the award-winning espresso blends and single origin coffees that have garnered Canada’s Milano Coffee world-wide recognition from the birthplace of espresso. Italy’s International Institute of Coffee Tasters has awarded Milano Coffee six gold medals for best espresso within three years.

Co-owners of the Toronto café, Christian Petronio and Jerry Raso, are eager to introduce Torontonians to Milano’s unparalleled blends and espresso-based drinks.

“This is what Toronto has been waiting for,” Petronio says. “Milano is known for its quality and innovation.”

“Milano has taken the Italian art form of espresso blending and taken it up about ten notches to create something uniquely its own,” says Raso. “Torontonians are going to love it.”

Milano Coffee is set apart by six-time gold-medal-winning espresso master Brian Turko’s high bean count espresso blends. Talent like Turko’s is a rarity. It can take up to 1500 different combinations and 20,000 tastes, over three years to masterfully balance and harmonize up to 14 amazing single varietals to create a perfectly balanced espresso.

Turko is especially thrilled about the Toronto cafe featuring the city’s first espresso-tasting bar, with five espressos on tap daily.

“It’s very exciting for Milano to be calling Toronto our second home,” Turko says. “We are serious about the art and science of espresso. Our goal is to be the best in the world for espresso concepts, and we’re happy Toronto will be part of that.”

Turko and Petronio originally met nearly two decades ago while sipping espresso on Vancouver’s iconic Commercial Drive. Petronio has a background in the food and beverage industry, from luxury hotels to fine-dining restaurants. Prior to teaming up with Raso, he moved to Toronto from Vancouver and managed such establishments as TOCA at the Ritz Carlton and BUCA. Raso, meanwhile, who has a degree in business administration, opened the restaurant Il Sorriso (since sold) and for five years was general manager at Il Gatto Nero.

By licensing the brand to Petronio and Raso, Turko knows that the Milano’s integrity is in good hands.

“Christian and Jerry understand espresso,” Turko says. “They have a long history in the hospitality industry. They are astute and will be excellent champions of the Milano brand. They share our passion for coffee excellence and innovation.”

The espresso machine in use at Milano is the top-of-the line Aurelia II T3, which guarantees consistency and is the same type used in World Barista Championship.

Registered interior designer, Michele Bertussi followed Italian design principles and melded tradition with modern elements. The café’s ambience is simultaneously fresh and warm thanks to ample natural light and the use of natural materials: classic Carrera marble, natural wood custom millwork, corrugated steel and original brick walls that have been white washed. Playful elements include pink Artemide Nur light fixture and Mediterranean Aqua blue Pedrali chairs. Naturally, the espresso bar takes center stage with a stunning wood slat ceiling encasement.

The café’s enviable location—which is located a few steps up from street level near the TIFF film hub, Much Music, Roy Thomson Hall, Ritz and Shangri-La hotels—was scouted by real estate agent Joseph Tucci of Sutton Group – Associates Realty.

Milano Espresso Bar will have outdoor seating in the summer. Light meals, including artisan pastries, soups, and breakfast sandwiches, will be available.

While the café will have a casual atmosphere, it won’t compromise service.

“There will be a high level of skill and hospitality, even though it’s a comfortable place to spend time sipping incredible coffee,” Petronio says. “We have a commitment to providing standout service.”

DETAILS

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Milano Café & Roasting Facility | 156 West 8th Avenue
Telephone: 604-879-4468 | Hours: M–F: 7am – 6pm | Sat: 9am – 6pm | Sun: 9am – 5pm

Milano Espresso Lounge Gastown | 36 Powell Street
Telephone: 604-558-0999 | Hours: M–F: 7am – 9pm | Sat – Sun: 8am – 9pm

Milano Espresso Bar & Gelato | 849 Denman Street
Telephone: 604-681-1500 | Hours: M – Sun: 6:30 – 8pm

Web: www.milanocoffee.ca | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Foursquare

GALLERY

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THE TEAM

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Master Roaster/Blender: Brian Turko
Owner/President: Linda Turko
General Manager, West 8th: Carolina Sandoval
General Manager, Gastown: Alexis Oak
General Manager, Denman St.: Greg Barnaby

ABOUT MILANO COFFEE

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The Milano taste was developed from a century of artisanship in the Italian coffee tradition. This distinguished taste comes from the skill of the torrefazzioni – a secret method roasting and blending, closely guarded, personally taught, and handed down generation to generation.

With west coast roots and Italian soul, Brian and Linda Turko, the founders of Milano Coffee, have been making days a little better by sharing their passion for artisan coffee and espresso in Vancouver for over three decades. A master roaster, trained in the Torrefazzioni method, Brian’s La Futura espresso won international recognition with a gold medal at Italy’s fourth annual International Coffee Tasting Competition in 2013.

Brian and Linda, also innovated when they introduced Vancouver’s first espresso tasting bar at their West 8thcafé in 2008. At Milano’s stylish espresso lounge in Gastown (which opened in 2011), guests may sample eight different espresso blends – on tap, everyday. The finest espresso machines in the world help make it happen: The M39 La Cimbali Thermo Drive and Victoria Arduino’s ‘Adonis’. This technology combined with Milano’s barista talent, and distinctive espresso taste creates an espresso experience 100 years in the making.

With three espresso lounges in Vancouver, guests can discover the artistry of Milano’s world-class espresso right at home.