It’s been said that ‘two’s company, three’s a crowd’, but the team at Blefari Café and Cucina is proof that’s not always the case.
Owner Stefano Blefari, his brother Frank, his wife and their mother, form the dedicated team in the heart of Adelaide’s business district. “The family has always been involved in hospitality and it’s our pure passion that’s brought us back into the café lifestyle,” says Stefano. “When it comes to work we’re all on the same page – minus a few sibling niggles.”
Stefano’s mum is Head Chef and works hard to produce authentic Italian dishes – with her homemade flair.
Located in a heritage-listed building, Blefari Café and Cucina’s signature canary yellow FB 80 La Marzocco machine offers a modern touch. The café uses Veneziano’s Forza blend, which Stefano describes as “well-balanced, smooth, low acidity and perfect for milk-based coffees”.
Blefari Café and Cucina also features alternating Veneziano single origins for espresso coffees, including Ethiopian Yirgacheffe and Costa Rican Black Pearl. Pour over, siphon and cold drip are also available.
“We go through about 60 to 70 kilos a week of the house blend and five to eight kilos of the single origins,” says Stefano. “In this area, everyone’s always in a hurry. We provide quick service with quality food and coffee.”
Stefano has a strong focus on educating his Adelaide customers and slowly raising their coffee awareness.
“Everyone compares our coffee culture to Sydney and Melbourne, but there are lots of boutique coffee shops opening in Adelaide,” says Stefano. “People are starting to understand what they should be looking for in a quality cup of coffee.”
For Stefano, each day working at the family café is a reward. “I love the compliments from our customers,” says Stefano. “for us, it’s the small things that matter.”