Designed by local firm Ivy Studio, its recent move to a larger site just down the street marks a natural progression for the popular café, allowing it to scale up its operations while maintaining the approachable atmosphere it’s long been known for.

Spanning 1,400 square feet on each level, the new venue doubles production capacity with a full prep kitchen and staff facilities in the basement. Above, the ground floor is finely tuned for efficiency and warmth, featuring an open kitchen, a spacious 950-square-foot dining area, and two compact public washrooms. While the layout flows openly, it supports three distinct zones—seating, service and grocery—each strategically placed to streamline movement during busy service hours.

Customers arriving for takeout pass directly through to the service counter via an intentionally widened central path. Two bar-height counters accommodate regulars content to stay amidst the midday flurry, while the seating area is placed along the front glazing, naturally illuminated and comfortably set apart from the queue. The central banquette plays a double role, functioning both as a service station and spatial divide. Nearby, the grocery nook presents local and imported products just off the main circulation route, encouraging browsing without disrupting flow.

A distinct sense of familiarity defines the overall atmosphere, avoiding any trace of novelty in favour of a grounded, lived-in identity. Ivy Studio leaned into a nostalgic vision of traditional Italian cafés to inform the aesthetic direction. V-board cladding in soft cream lines the walls, while matte ceramic floor tiles—6x6 inches in a checkerboard of the brand’s signature green—reference both classic café flooring and the deli’s distinctive sandwich wrap.