Caffè Nero offering a taste of Italian culture with "Coffee Winehouse Experience"
DEDHAM - The owners of Caffè Nero at Legacy Place in Dedham are hoping to bring a piece of Italy to Massachusetts. They're not just serving up coffee - they're offering customers wine as well.
The original idea for Boston-based box wine Alileo was to honor someone special in the owners' lives.
"We did it in honor of Antonio's mama, who we lost three years ago. She is Sicilian and the Italian-Sicilian culture is all about family and community and love, and sharing, and food and wine," co-founder Alexandra Drane said.
Drane and her husband Antonio Bertone also wanted to find a way to bring their Sicilian experiences to Massachusetts.
"We have been going to the same bar in Sicily for a thousand years and you always ask yourself, 'Why does this culture not transfer in the states?'" Bertone said.
The "Coffee Winehouse Experience"
So, the husband-and-wife team partnered with Caffè Nero's Dedham location and launched their first-ever "Coffee Winehouse Experience."
"Caffè Nero is the one place that is as close to the bar experience in Italy. You have light snacks, you start your day here with a cup of coffee and now in the afternoon you can come for a Petativo, a nice glass of wine before transitioning to your meal at home," Bertone said.
Bringing people together
The ultimate goal there is to strengthen relationships.
"It's How do you get more people to have more love together and feel connected, feel like they are part of a community and part of something that matters, break a little bread in the process?" Drane said.
Throughout the year, the coffee wine house plans to put on a multitude of events, but Drane and Bertone feel like there's nothing like going there for date night.
"What happens as parents is you end up in this cycle where all you talk about is your kids. And your kids are awesome and you should talk about your kids. But literally on every date night, I'm like 'I do like you!" Drane joked.