(Photos by Sandy Zimmerman)
The very “Italian” Espressamente Illy Cafe held a grand opening party in the Palazzo Hotel. It was a celebration for the first Espressamente in the United States joining 160 others in 32 countries around the world. The owner, Italian born Stefano Ripamonti and his son Simone, wanted their customers to have an authentic “Italian Experience.” In Italy, the people visit coffee bars not only to drink but to spend time and socialize as a way of life. Coffee culture was born in Venice throughout the 17th century. Espressamente Illy wants to engage all of the senses and cultivate a welcoming environment.
Espressamente offers more than just coffee. There is a wide variety of luscious delights.
I felt like a kid in a candy store. The staff invited their guests to try everything in the showcases. With some of the finest chocolates from Italy, gourmet pastries, heavenly tiramisu, croissants, cookies, bagels, muffins, crepes, grilled Panini sandwiches and Gelato, what can we choose first? Forget about your diet, this is the time to indulge!
Why do people love Gelato so much? Gelato, the Italian’s answer to ice cream, is lighter and less fattening because it is prepared without cream. For the health conscious, they serve sugar free and a special lactose intolerant Gelato. Stefano explained, “We produce the Italian- version of Gelato locally using Old Italian recipes. There is more than just the taste, Gelato looks different. All of the colors catch your eye when you walk by. Gelato is decorated and does not have the “look” of standard ice cream. We serve 54 flavors which include a lot of different tastes- banana, peach, orange, apricot and many other fresh fruits. It is a nice treat, more like frozen yogurt.” I visited Italy twice and remember seeing Gelato in all of the cities and villages.
Simone was enthusiastic about their latest endeavor, “We are very excited to test this concept in the United States. The coffee consumer will experience a more authentic, more upscale Italian- style caf© than the typical coffee house. Choose from cappuccino, latt©s and 30 other drinks, some you do not see anywhere else. Enjoy there is a lot to discover.”
Born in Rome, Italy, Stefano Ripamonti originally acted as Export Manager for an Italian/ Swiss high-fashion brand of women’s shoes and later formed a partnership specializing in the European advertising and promotion of American motion pictures for United Artist, MGM, Twentieth Century Fox and Walt Disney. After moving to the United States in 1975, Stefano owned and operated a chain of high-fashioned boutiques with Halston, a famous fashion designer of the 70’s. After selling these boutiques to Louis Vuitton and Charles Jourdan, he pursued a career specializing in U. S. market-entry strategies for small and medium size European companies. In 1990, Stefano joined the North American subsidiary of Illycaffe S.p.A as President and CEO. Moving to Las Vegas in 1990, Stefano operates the Santa Lucia Cafe, two Cocolini Gelato, two G.G. Santi Chocolate, Very Venice Bar, Ripa de Monti Venetian Glass, Il Prato Venetian masks & Object d’art, and Harleuino Venetian Beads- all at the Venetian Resort’s Grand Canal Shoppes. What a colorful, exciting career!
Based in Trieste, Italy, Illycaffe produces and markets a unique blend of coffee as the single brand leader in quality coffee and gives coffee connoisseurs and overall authentic Italian coffee experience. A third-generation family held company since 1933, Illy is committed to spreading authentic Italian coffee culture throughout the world. Illy is available in more than 50,000 of the finest restaurants and coffee bars and sold in over 140 countries, serving more than 6 million cups of coffee per day. Illy buys green coffee of the highest quality Arabica directly from the world’s finest growers in Brazil, Central America, India and Africa.
Visit Italy right here in Las Vegas! For information, call (800)-USA-ILLY.
Espressamente illy, Casino level, the Shoppes at the Palazzo, 3325 Las Vegas Blvd., South.
www.illy.com www.illyusa.com
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