The doors have quietly been open for a bit at Mercato di Luigi's second Vancouver location and the space is warm and welcoming and full of Italian eats.
After taking over the former Matchstick coffee shop at 213 E Georgia St in Chinatown earlier this year, Vancouver's Kitchen Table Group has transformed the space into a cozy, modest hybrid café and grocer, with casual snacks, bites, and coffee.
The beverage menu includes a few espresso beverages and tea (tè, in Italian), while the counter case is packed with options for light bites to enjoy in the cafe or for take-out. There are several cookies and treats, like biscotti and olive oil cake, as well as cornetti (Italian croissants), though the Mercato only has the latter available while supplies last each day.
The Mercato is also offering panini (sandwiches) at the Chinatown location. While its older sibling over on East 12th and Carolina does hot plates of pasta, so far that's not available in Chinatown. However, they have fresh-made uncooked pasta available for purchase, along with refrigerated house sauces.
The deli case is packed with Italian cheese and meat and the grocery section has an array of dry goods to help you make a dreamy Italian meal at home.
It seems the plan may be to expand the offerings on Georgia to align further with the original Mercato di Luigi, as the new cafe-grocer hybrid appears to be operating in a sort of extended soft open mode.
Posted hours for Mercato di Luigi in Chinatown are Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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