A new café in YVR’s international terminal is offering guests a taste of Italy.
Illycaffè is the newest addition to Vancouver International Airport’s dining program, and can be found in the international terminal between gates 65 and 66. The café opened Aug. 1 through a partnership between Paradies Lagardère, a North American travel retailer and restaurateur, and YVR.
“The illycaffè has fans around the world,” said Gregg Paradies, president and CEO of Paradies Lagardère.
“Travellers that visit the Vancouver airport that aren’t familiar with illy will love the ambience of an authentic Italian coffee bar, the delicious coffee, tea and food offerings.”
Founded in 1933, illycaffè is a third-generation, family-owned business from Trieste, Italy, a sea-side city located in the northeastern part of the country. The company sources its 100-per-cent Arabica coffee directly from farmers.
Baristas at illycaffè are trained at the company’s Università del Caffè facility, where they learn how to prepare traditional espresso, latte and cappuccino, as well as illy’s cold brew and specialty drinks. The facility also provides instruction and practical training for coffee growers.
There are around 259 illy stores and single-brand stores around the world, spanning 43 countries, and now YVR is on that list.
The café is also one of the first of 20 new food and beverage concepts, and 10 new retail stores, set to open at YVR over the next two years, which the airport announced back in February.
Many of these concepts, like illycaffè, will be making their first appearance at the airport.
Upcoming menu items for the airport include Hawksworth Kitchen – owned by internationally-renowned Canadian chef David Hawksworth – which will open in the domestic terminal in 2020; Vancouver's Asian Heritage Eatery; The Dirty Apron; Red Truck Beer Stop; and, for U.S.-bound travellers, Wahlburgers.
