A long-time cafe and restaurant space in Vancouver's Chinatown is almost ready to re-emerge as a brand-new concept showcasing Italian street food.
Fiorino, celebrating the food and flavours of Florence, Italy, is aiming to open its doors around the end of September.
The new restaurant sits at 212 East Georgia Street, in the 60-seat space that had previously been home to Caffe Brixton and Wheat & Barley, though the current business owners acknowledge the century-old venue has deep roots as a restaurant.
"Our home on East Georgia has had many different lives from when it was built in 1910. We are excited to contribute to the story that these historic buildings carry," says Fiorino on Instagram. "The heart of this location has always been a restaurant and we cannot wait to carry on this legacy by serving friends both old and new!"
Fiorino's passionate owner, Giovanni Mascagni, shared his origin story and vision for the venture with the publication West Coast Food, explaining how a childhood favourite snack - a simple sandwich made using schiacciata, a bread similar to focaccia - he loved from Florence inspired him to come up with a plan to open a day-to-night spot in Vancouver that could serve up hand-held casual fare by day and transition to a spot for drinks and small plates in the evening.
We don't know many official menu details at this point, but Fiorino did tease a "menu tasting" reel on Instagram, and it looks like quite the array of bites, like arancini, meats, spreads, and more are in store.
Fiorino is currently in the hiring process. Follow them @fiorino_isf on Instagram for more updates.
