Just when you thought Vancouver couldn’t handle another coffee shop, more and more have come onto the scene lately. We’ve recently told you about Klaus’s Kaffee Haus, Nusa Coffee Company, Honolulu Coffee, and many others.

With competition fiercer than ever, existing cafes might be thinking about upping their game. Caffè Artigiano has done just that with a major renovation for its Park Royal location (that’s just at the foot of the Lions Gate Bridge, a swift bike ride or drive from the West End).

A grand, circular bar still anchors the place, but it’s been revamped with a slate-grey marble top, while sunlight pours in through floor-to-ceiling windows and splashes on fancy new alternating grey-and-white tile floors.

There’s a new square-shaped library-style table with electrical outlets for laptop-toting latte lovers and, coming soon—halleluiah! —WiFi access.

The do-over extends to the menu, too. Cage-free eggs and nitrate-free meat along with fresh bread and buns from Terra Breads show up in the new food offerings devised by Dawn Doucette, Caffè Artigiano's product development chef.

Among the sandwiches, the Antoinette has scrambled eggs, nut-free pesto, natural country ham, and Swiss cheese on a soft brioche bun, while the Mona Lisa features baby bay shrimp in a freshly baked croissant with cucumber, pea tendrils, and a creamy citrus dressing.

Then there’s the mighty Pavarotti, focaccia stuffed with natural ham, mortadella, smoked salami, provolone, and green-olive tapenade.

Pastries include apple crostata, carrot cake, lemon loaf, pain au chocolat, gluten-free chocolate cake, and other goodies, as well as what is still the best fruit-and-nut scone in the city (which Arty’s sources from Pane e Formaggio). Non-coffee drinks include libations by the Juice Truck and Fentimans sodas.

The West Van location is open weekdays from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and weekends and holidays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

Check out some of the food on offer: