Café Olimpico: great new location in Westmount

With a bit of luck, you’ll find a seat at Café Olimpico on Victoria Avenue. If you’re really lucky, you might even find two. From the moment it opened in the summer of 2024, this new location quickly built a connection with a loyal clientele of connoisseurs.

It’s also worth noting that this Café Olimpico isn’t exactly new in town; it’s actually the fourth location of the brand, and local residents who used to frequent one of the first three quickly made this one their favorite spot.

The place is elegant, very Westmount-esque, with comfortable seating, black-and-white photos on the walls reminding patrons of the café’s origins, a TV quietly playing a soccer match in the background, a large counter, and equipment that instills confidence in what will be served in the beautiful cups or glasses of the house. When the sunny days come or return, a lovely terrace adds to the enjoyment of being there. As the ultimate touch of escapism, on those days, two Vespas might be parked in front of the terrace, making you feel as though you were in Rome, Naples, Florence, or Milan.

Olimpico: A Family Affair

Much more than just a place to grab a coffee, Café Olimpico is a family affair, a story of tradition passed down from one generation to the next.

The family consists of two names: Furfaro and Vannelli. The first is Rocco, who, in 1970, opened the very first Olimpico in Mile-End at the corner of Saint-Viateur and Waverly. It was the gathering spot for Italian immigrants. People would chat and chat—and chat some more. It was loud, and most of the time, filled with laughter. It was also the place where the clientele, almost exclusively male as was the custom of the time, would watch soccer matches on the TV installed by Rocco. Real soccer, the kind with a round ball that most of the world calls football, not the American kind. The slogan for this first Olimpico was “Open Da Night,” a condensed version, in Canada’s other official language, of “Open Day and Night.”

Still within the Furfaro family, came Victoria, the daughter of Rocco and Pina. Then, the Vannelli family arrived, starting with Jonathan, who is responsible for this Café Olimpico. Since 2023, little Rocco has joined the story. If this little one grows up in the family business like his father and grandfather, it will make four generations continuing the tradizione.

This tradition is well established at 357 Victoria Avenue, Westmount. In the very warm atmosphere, you can see the baristas working with great seriousness. From their hands, at a brisk pace, come all the beloved coffee drinks: espresso, doppio espresso, americano, macchiato, cappuccino, cortado, and mochaccino. For enthusiasts, the café also offers chocolates and herbal teas.

Certainly, people come for the coffee, but they also snack with enthusiasm, as evidenced by the eager looks of the customers during our visit. On the counter, you can see all the treats you might dream of when in Italy or at Café Olimpico: delicious Italian delights like cornetti, bomboloni, tiramisu, and others a bit less Italian but just as delicious, such as lemon cake and chocolate cake.

After Mile-End, the Old Port, and Boulevard Robert-Bourassa, Café Olimpico in Westmount is already making many people happy.

Enjoy the discovery and have an eccellente sosta gastronomica!

Written by Jean-Philippe Tastet
Photography by Alison Slattery

Last update: October 09, 2024

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