LONDON, UK – illycaffè opened yesterday Gran Caffè illy will open its doors at the much-anticipated Italian food market and restaurant concept Eataly London. An icon of Italian culture, illycaffè is an Italian family business founded in Trieste in 1933, whose vision and mission has always been to produce and offer the best coffee to the world, enhanced by the best technologies and sustainable practices and by the pursuit of beauty in everything they do.
Located on the ground floor of the 42,000 sq. ft venue, Gran Caffè illy at Eataly London will be a full-service Italian coffee bar, inspired by the elegant cafés of Italy. At the heart of the coffee menu will be the illy blend, a world-renowned, unique blend of nine different types of Arabica, selected by illy from the finest beans harvested around the world, from South America to Central America, India and Africa.
Alongside illy classics such as the eponymous Italian espresso, coffee lovers can also expect specials such as illy’s Cold Brew, a 100% Arabica coffee cold brewed for 12 hours, which is naturally sweet, thirst quenching and offers a uniquely refreshing taste. For those with a sweet tooth, there will also be indulgent hot specials such as Marocchino, an espresso with hot chocolate, topped with frothed milk. The illy coffee Gran Caffè will also offer breakfast, lunch, aperitivo and late-night bites created by the Eataly London chefs using high-quality ingredients from their market.
To bring illy’s ongoing support of art and culture to life in the Gran Caffè illy space, illy has worked with Italian contemporary artist Massimiliano (Max) Petrone to create a series of artworks, which will be situated throughout the café. Featuring 12 pieces in total, each work of art is made of coffee, the same raw material illy’s world revolves around. The aim of each of the pieces is to allow customers to discover the sustainable journey in which illy’s quality is transformed into an unmistakable coffee experience, alongside illy’s One Makes The Difference campaign, promoting sustainable actions throughout the supply chain. And reflects Eataly London’s dedication to craft.
The Gran Caffè illy has extensive seating both indoors (which will open from 17 May) and outdoors. For those visiting ahead of 17 May, illy coffee can be enjoyed on the extended terrace just outside the café, or as a takeaway option.
Visitors to Eataly London will also be able to purchase a variety of illy products in the Eataly market, from coffee beans and ground coffee to accessories such as the exclusive illy Art Collection cups, and iconic coffee machines like the illy Y3.3 and X7.1.
Echoing Eataly’s ‘Eat, Shop, Learn’ mantra, the renowned Eataly cookery school ‘La Scuola’, will be hosting a number of illy coffee masterclasses from May onwards. The classes will be hosted by illy’s highly skilled team, including Aniello Manfredonia, head of illy’s Università del Caffè in the UK. The Università del Caffè draws on the wealth of knowledge illy has acquired through their long history and the desire to share it, with the aim of promoting and spreading the culture of high-quality coffee, which is central to its legacy. illy coffee will also be served throughout Eataly London and in all three restaurants, as well as on the terrace.
“We are glad to be partners of Eataly, with whom we share the same vision of promoting Made in Italy and high quality, sustainable products, in their first opening in London” says Massimiliano Pogliani, CEO of illycaffè. “As we look to the future with confidence, we hope that this opening can be the first sign of a return to normalcy. We are sure that the illy Grand Caffè will represent an exciting hospitality experience on the London scene, bringing us even closer to our consumers in the United Kingdom, a very important market for our brand”.
Eataly is the only experience of its kind in the capital, offering a unique gastronomic experience that celebrates craftsmanship of high-quality Italian food and produce. The Gran Caffè illy and Eataly market will be open from 7am – 11pm.
