Bocelli Café has a long association with the local residents of Adelaide, but when it comes to coffee quality, Café Co-Owner Davide La Scala says he and his team are ready to “up the ante”.
“We’re doing our best to increase the quality of our coffee to match the high expectations of our customers. More than ever people are travelling extensively, and have access to good food and coffee. We can’t afford to serve average coffee; it’s not acceptable,” Davide says.
Davide’s father-in-law originally operated Bocelli when the venue was established in late 2002. At that stage Davide was a university student who took shifts behind the counter. After completing his studies, Davide worked in catering and events before deciding to buy into Bocelli when the opportunity arose. Along with Franco Salzano, Edgardo Nebbiai, and Joseph Marrollo, Davide has been running the daily operations of the newly renovated and revamped Bocelli for the past two years.
“Bocelli was already established but the industry has evolved so much that we decided we needed to bring the place back to life and into the new era of food service and coffee quality,” he says. “The key was to rejuvenate Bocelli with a modern touch, but retain our traditional values.”
It’s fair to say that hasn’t been an issue, as both older and newer generations are rediscovering Bocelli and its targeted coffee focus. Bocelli serves its customers Giancarlo Coffee’s Originale blend on its Rancilio classe 9 three-group machine.
“We wanted a moderate-bodied coffee that wasn’t bitter but still one the younger generation could enjoy,” Davide says.
Grinders Coffee has provided the Bocelli team with intense barista training in order to enhance their coffee knowledge. “What’s unique about Grinders Coffee’s trainers is that they’ve all been on our side of the bench before as baristas, so they understand where we need assistance and how,” says Davide.
At present, Davide says coffee is the most integral aspect of his business. “There’s so much competition in the area and only small things that separate us. It’s imperative we deliver our coffee to the highest standard,” he says.
Bocelli’s menu reflects the traditional Italian roots of its founding members. Visitors can expect to find a hearty selection of meat, fish, pasta, and scaloppine on the menu, with eight to 10 chef specials on offer each day.
“The best part of this industry for me is the people,” says Davide. “Coming from an office job, I get to see smiling faces each morning and talk about the weekend’s soccer scores with our customers.”
