Lavazza Espression Opens Today in Santana Row

Today Santana Row will get yet another premier attraction. The very first Lavazza Espression on the West Coast is opening in the 300 Building right around the corner from The Yard House. Lavazza is the most popular coffee brand in Italy and this cafe will likely blow the doors off of Starbucks in terms of quality. They will also feature fresh food with locally sourced organic ingredients, desserts made in house, and gelato.

To top it off, the cafe opens early and stays open until late. The hours are 6am-10pm Sunday through Thursday and 6am-midnight on Friday and Saturday.

For more information, check out the press release below.

San Jose, CA (Oct. 25, 2012) - When is a cup of coffee not merely a cup of coffee? When it’s Lavazza, Italy’s best-known coffee brand. Lavazza is famed not only for quality and innovation, but also for its integration with high fashion, sleek design and contemporary cuisine, including its collaboration with revolutionary Chef Ferran Adrià, the pioneer of molecular gastronomy.

It’s only fitting then that the first Lavazza Espression café on the West Coast opens on Tuesday, Oct. 30 in the heart of tech-driven Silicon Valley: Santana Row. Additional locations are planned in San Francisco, the East Bay, North Bay and on the Peninsula.

The 2,200 square foot café, with 35 seats in the restaurant and 32 on the patio, will introduce a unique taste of Italian culture, where coffee is not just a beverage, but a celebrated way of life.

“Lavazza is creative in every sense of the word,’’ says Erich Fleshman of Espression Coffee West, the Bay Area franchisee. “The Bay Area has a very sophisticated pallet for coffee and Lavazza Espression completes the full experience.’’

The company was established in 1895 when founder Luigi Lavazza opened a small grocery store in Turin that later began specializing in roasting and selling coffee. Family-owned for four generations, the company’s coffee is now available in more than 90 countries. It is the most recognized coffee brand in Italy and familiar to anyone who has traveled through Europe.

With stunning artwork by some of the world’s most acclaimed fashion photographers, including Helmut Newton and Annie Leibovitz, the café has a contemporary, European feel with furnishings from Italy. With its comfortable, modern décor and free Wi-Fi, Lavazza Espression invites visitors to linger when they don’t need to grab and go.

Lavazza coffee can be enjoyed through classic preparations such as espresso and drip, along with more creative riffs such as a “Monterosa’’ (a custard and berry compote with an espresso shot and whipped cream), the signature Èspesso™ (Adrià’s ingenious liquid-to-solid coffee creation served playfully with a spoon that sports a hole in it) and the Èspessone™ (light foam, with a soft and velvety texture in combination with an intense aroma of the espresso).

 Other offerings include velvety thick Italian hot chocolate, Espresso Shakerato served in a chilled martini glass and blended coffee drinks such as the Blendissimo® (a cool blend of espresso, vanilla gelato and caramel, topped off with whipped cream).

With a nod to California sensibilities, the menu will include gluten-free choices and incorporates as many locally-sourced and organic ingredients as possible with items such as “Chicken and Mushroom Tramezzino,’’ “Salmon Caprese” and “Fruit and Parmesan Salad’’ with passion fruit vinaigrette. Desserts will be made in-house and gelato is provided from a local artisan to Lavazza’s specifications. Coffee drinks will be priced from $2-$4; salads and sandwiches from $5-$10.

Appealing to the Bay Area’s inclination to embrace social responsibility is Lavazza’s ¡Tierra! Project, started in 2002 and certified by The Rain Forest Alliance. Lavazza set up its ¡Tierra! Project in coffee growing countries with the aim of improving the living and working conditions of local communities by providing training and technical support. The initiative combines productivity with social responsibility and attains excellent results not only within the targeted regions, but also in terms of product quality.

Lavazza and Fashion 4 Development, a United Nations partner organization which uses fashion to develop strategies for female self-empowerment, have teamed to unveil the Lavazza ¡Tierra! limited edition tins designed by internationally acclaimed designers Marni, Roberto Cavalli, Missoni, Etro, Versace, and Moschino. The tins contain a blend of coffee made from 100% sustainable crops and a large part of the proceeds will be donated to Fashion 4 Development’s efforts in Africa, India and South Africa. The tins will be available for purchase for a limited time at Santana Row’s new Lavazza Espression location.

Lavazza Espression, 300 Santana Row, Suite 110, 408.261-1830 Hours: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sun.-Thurs.; 6 a.m. to midnight, Fri. and Sat.