If you love coffee and Italian cuisine, then you’ll be happy to know that you can get the best of both worlds at a new café and eatery that just opened up on the Drive.

Spade Coffee Spirits & Treats (1858 Commercial Drive) is a neighbourhood concept that serves everything from specialty coffee to Italian pastries to family-style dishes.

The 40-seat establishment is the brainchild of Sammy Piccolo (an original partner of Caffe Artigiano and owner of Prado Café locations), who also happens to be an award-winning barista.

His newest venture drew inspiration from his Italian roots and worldly travels, which can be seen in Spade’s interior design and menu.

Guests will find a space that features dark wood elements paired with a white countertop, and a 14-foot communal table made from 120-year-old reclaimed cedar.

Piccolo will be sourcing ingredients from both local (Avalon Dairy, Two Rivers Meats) and international suppliers for Spade’s menus.

Its culinary creations include sweet and savoury pastries like pistachio-and-almond frangipane, and tapas-style dishes such as house-made focaccia with herbs, roasted cauliflower with ricotta, charcuterie and cheese boards, and gnocchi with squid ink, among others.

Besides Spade’s custom 49^th Parallel Coffee Roasters blends and other caffeinated options at its coffee counter, a list of Italian wines, cocktails (classic negroni, espresso martini, prosecco margarita) will also be available.

Chef and general manager Kathleen Pearce will be at the helm of Spade’s kitchen, who has trained under well-known chefs across Canada.

In additional to the eatery’s morning café hours and full restaurant service in the evenings, it will also offer Italian brunch on weekends that will feature a rotating fresh sheet.

“Being Italian, you always go to your mama or nonna’s place for brunch on Sunday,” explained Piccolo in a press statement. “So I wanted to try to recreate that sense of warmth at Spade to capture a comfortable familiarity, and make it a spot anyone can head to when craving a taste of home.”