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It’s amore at first sip. Dolce Amore, the family-run gelato empire that made “criminally good” scoops a Vancouver staple, is expanding its Burnaby HQ with a brand-new caffetteria set to officially open on October 4.
Think of it as a modern Italian love letter to their new digs: part coffee bar, part bakery, part pizza pit stop/ The spot promises to fuel your mornings with cornetti and espresso, power your lunch breaks with focaccia sandwiches and Roman-style pizza, then carry you into the night with aperitivi, digestivi, and a sweet finale of tiramisu or cheesecake.
Of course, the menu is stacked. Pastry chef Joyce Mak brings her flair to flaky cornetti, double-baked croissants, and pain au chocolat. For something savoury, expect prosciutto-stuffed bites, creamy burrata, and grilled veggies folded into focaccia or cornetti. And because no Italian spread is complete without la dolce vita, there’s a full line-up of cookies, cheesecakes, and gelato on deck.
Dolce Amore Caffetteria joins its sister concepts at the Burnaby headquarters: TGM Terrazza, the patio-side gelato window that opened this past summer, and Il Cappello Enoteca, soon to be welcoming guests with Tuscan-inspired plates and a dinner-party vibe. Together, the trio forms a one-stop destination for sweet scoops, casual eats, and refined Italian dining.
This expansion comes after a devastating 2023 fire shuttered the original Commercial Drive gelateria. But like a phoenix rising out of the pizza oven, owners Daniela and Giancarlo Cusano have rebuilt their family business with even more ambition. Between LoLo Lounge in North Van, the upcoming Drive re-opening, and now this Burnaby trifecta, Dolce Amore has officially levelled up from sweet shop to full-blown Italian affair.
“We truly want Dolce Amore Bar & Caffetteria to become a space for connection, where people can gather throughout the day, whether for an espresso, slice of pizza, or a drink before or after dinner,” shares the Cusanos. “Dolce Amore is about family and community, and this new space definitely carries that tradition forward.”
Dolce Amore is set to open on October 4 at 6011 Hastings Street, Burnaby.
Dining and Cooking