THE SALOTTO CAFE 07/23/08

Words :: Joanne Elves // Images :: Giuseppe Di Somma

Next time you’re travelling between Pisa and Florence, stop in for tea or hot chocolate spiced with chili at the funky Salotto Café in Empoli. For centuries, Empoli has served as an important port on the Arno River, supplying produce to Pisa, 30 kilometres away. Located near the spectacular Piazza Farinata degli Uberti (Lions Square), the Salotto Café occupies what was once a barbershop and, before that, a store selling carriages. Now it’s a tea and aromatic chocolate emporium offering delightful drinks for both the palate and the soul.
Owner Giuseppe Di Somma and architect Luciano Scali used the long, narrow space to his advantage, devising a layout that integrates the old and the new. The front room recalls the classic colours and styles of old Tuscany. Venetian chandeliers flicker, their soft light playing on the gold flakes on the ancient walls, remnants of 19th-century frescoes. Delicate parlour tables offset the sturdy walls; each is furnished with two cozy chairs, an enticement to intimate conversation. There’s also a sofa, where larger groups no doubt argue into the night over the source of the tea brewed in the adjoining room. Did monkeys really pick the precious leaves for the emperor? Who cares? The tea and chocolate will lure you to linger as the conversation spills deep into the night.

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