Caffé Firenze
Florence, Italy? No, Florence, Montana
Looking for excellent European-inspired
cuisine or Italian food in a relaxed atmosphere and in
beautiful surrounding countryside? Sounds like one might
have to go to Florence, Italy; but no, it’s right here in
Florence, Montana! Caffé Firenze (pronounced Fee-ren-zay and
is Italian for Florence) has opened for business. Perhaps it
was because we were planning our first trip to Italy and
thinking all things Italian, but when we learned that an
Italian restaurant was being built in our neighborhood, we
were thrilled. Then more good news came our way: soon Caffé
Firenze will be more than a restaurant; it will be an entire
village called Il Villaggio. And the owners may not even
stop there!
After visiting with owners John and
Patti Stevens, I learned that their
business plan is not only designed to serve restaurant
patrons, but all kinds of visitors from near and far.
Hailing originally from Hamilton, Montana, the Stevens’
realize how important community is. Included in their plan
is a designated park, complete with green grass and a
variety of trees and shrubs to welcome picnickers,
occasional community events and, possibly, a farmers’
market. Summer afternoons and evenings could find folks
strolling about, soaking in the beauty of the area and
perhaps enjoying live soft jazz. Other buildings are
included in the plan for Il Villaggio as well. A gift shop
offering an assortment of freshly baked pastries and breads,
coffees, wines and whatever else customers are requesting
and perhaps a couple other randomly placed specialty shops.
Also planned is a second dinner-only restaurant offering a
more fine dining experience with a piano bar/lounge and
pasta bar. Currently, though, John and Patti Stevens are
giving their full attention to Caffé Firenze.
Located on the Eastside Highway, one
block east off Highway 93, Caffé Firenze summons the beauty
of Italy. In lush Tuscan colors and Italian style, it warmly
beckons you. The patio is being prepared now for the spring
and summer months of outside socializing and eating
enjoyment. The interior is as fun as the exterior, with a
follow-through of warm colors and hand painted wall murals
of an Italian village. An interior designer by education,
Patti was employed in commercial interior design for many
years and has put those skills to good use here as well. As
you enter you are greeted by colorful quaint tables and
chairs. The dinnerware is also in bright Italian colors. In
its décor, the past is mixed with the contemporary as
several cozy pews from an old eastern Montana church add to
the warmth and comfort of the cafe. Constant still photos of
Italy and other countries from around the world are silently
projected on a flat-screened TV. It is not unusual to hear
an excited comment from a guest, “Look honey, we stood right
there on that bridge, remember?” The café is a treat for the
eyes, but also a feast for the taste buds.
 Caffé
Firenze is open seven days a week. Opening at 6:30 AM each
weekday morning (8:00 A.M. on weekends), it offers both
drive through and dine-in for excellent coffees and lattes
and an assortment of homemade pastries. Each of the three
meals during the day has its own menu, but if you’d like,
you are also allowed to order salads from the lunch menu
when dining in the evening. The dinner menu changes weekly,
offering a variety of unique choices of fish, vegetarian,
meat, fowl and pasta dishes. With the café’s liquor license,
one can enjoy a fine glass of wine or their favorite beer
with their meal. Sunday evening is pizza and pasta night.
Sharing one 10-inch homemade distinctive pizza and a salad
for each of us made a complete dinner for my husband and me.
Want your own pizza? You might need to request a doggy bag.
Some specialties of the house include Savahna’s calzones,
panini sandwiches, gelato and desserts, and I think their
bread is to die for! Take-out is another option and a great
way to go. Call ahead and allow the prep time, but, unlike
most places, the restaurant will call you when your order is
ready. Take out doesn’t get too much better then that. Free
wireless internet access inside the café is also a nice
added feature.
Chef Savahna Galanti, Patti and John’s
niece, comes from a long line of family owned restaurant
businesses and has, herself, a passion for food. By the time
Savahna was sixteen, she was preparing special dishes for
her mother’s restaurant in Eureka, Montana. After seven
years of being in the restaurant business at every level,
she applied to an ICIF (International Culinary Instruction
for Foreigners) school in Italy. She studied for a year with
Italian chefs, returned a short time to the U.S., and then
completed an Italian internship. With a crew of 4-6 prep
cooks following her lead, she is the taskmaster of the
kitchen at Caffe Firenze. Stating that she is entirely
right-brained and is good with anything artistic, Savahna is
also the free-hand artist of the wall murals in the cafe.
Perhaps more than anything else, Savahna Galanti looks
forward to the planned second restaurant, which will give
her an even greater opportunity to put many creative talents
to work.
With Caffe Firenze and the future Il
Villagio, the trio hopes to emulate Italian hospitality with
a comfortable atmosphere, quality service and homemade food
at a reasonable price. In addition to achieving their goals,
John and Patti Stevens, along with Savahna Galanti, are a
great addition to the Florence community in particular and
to western Montana in general. Take a short pleasant drive
down the Bitterroot to Caffé Firenze for a unique and
delicious experience.
Address: 281 Rodeo Drive,
Florence, Montana
Phone: 406-273-2923
Hours: Tuesday through
Thursday - 6:30 A.M. - 8:00 P.M.
Friday - 6:30
A.M. - 9:00 P.M.
Saturday - 8:00
A.M. - 9:00 P.M.
Sunday - 8:00
A.M. - 8:00 P.M.
Monday – 6:30
A.M. - 2:00 P.M. |
