Written By Guest Writer Folks / Reporter Jan 5, 2012 First Look: Saint-Germain Café and Gallery in Penticton SHARE VIA: Facebook Twitter PinterestOwners Brigitte and Stephano Liapis at their Saint-Germain Café. Photo by Scott TrudeauWhen the owners of Saint-Germain Café and Gallery set up shop they aimed to create a cultural marriage of European art and coffee. Brigitte and Stephano Liapis combined Brigitte’s experience as an artist and working in art galleries with Stephano’s family history in the Vancouver restaurant scene, setting up shop last May in Penticton at 102-449 Main St. The café’s name is in memory of the French neighbourhoods frequented while they were living in Paris – areas bustling with galleries, museums and coffee shops. “We wanted to do the same thing here, but in a modern, European style,” said Stephano, noting their name also refers to the Count of Saint Germain, an enchanting, 18th-century historical figure. “He was a supporter and booster of the arts and we wanted to align ourselves with that name.” They serve fair trade coffee, fresh pastries and muffins plus soup, salads and baguettes, most of it prepared by Stephano. In the rear section hangs a variety of colourful contemporary paintings. The majority of their clientele comes in for a coffee and a bite to eat, though Brigitte underlined that, “we are a café within an art gallery,” as evidenced by the brilliant lighting and white-coloured walls. Because his parents ran pizzerias and Greek restaurants, Stephano grew up around a variety of food styles. They married in 2005 and moved to Europe in 2007, where Stephano taught English and Brigitte worked in a London art gallery. They returned to Vancouver a couple of years ago, moved to Penticton in March and opened their business in May. “We had a lot of childhood memories here,” they said of the South Okanagan. “It kind of reminds us of Europe, the dry and rugged terrain.” More than seven months into their endeavour, they’re feeling good about their chosen paths. “In doing this we really worked to find a way that we could be working at everything we knew we loved,” said Brigitte. “This seemed obvious.” —by Scott Trudeau Hours of operation are Mondays to Fridays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and closed Sundays.www.saintgermaincafegallery.com.(250) 492-0060CafeFolksgalleryOkanaganpenticton SHARE VIA: Facebook Twitter Pinterest Written By: Guest Writer We get many people writing guest articles for us, as well as past contributors. This is the Guest ... Read More You may also like Events / Food News / Places April 28, 2021 CITY EATS May|June 2021 At press time, restaurants, pubs, bars and food courts remain closed for indoor dining. One silver lining is that the weather is warming up and more ... Read More Victoria April 26, 2021 EAT’s Guide to Take-out, Delivery, and Patios With Phase 2 beginning, restaurants and patios, tasting rooms and coffee shops are reopening. This is an ongoing process, with many changes, so we ... Read More Victoria May 25, 2020 The New Now : Navigating Through the Challenges The New Now As we begin re-opening under COVID protocols, the coming months will be at least uncertain, and for most, a battle to survive. In my ... Read More EAT Magazine News / The Big Picture / Victoria May 17, 2020 The New Normal—Reflections and Stories from the EAT Family—Part 2 Support Local! A Look at Victoria’s New Pickup Windows by Jacqueline Downey As the world shifts and changes below our feet right now, EAT thought it might be a good time to check in with our family of contributors, ... Read More EAT Magazine News / The Big Picture / Victoria May 13, 2020 The New Normal—Reflections and Stories from the EAT Family—Tofino Time by Chef Carmen Ingham As the world shifts and changes below our feet right now, EAT thought it might be a good time to check in with our family of contributors, ... Read More EAT Magazine News / The Big Picture / Victoria May 5, 2020 The New Normal—Reflections and Stories from the EAT Family—Support Local! A Look at Victoria’s New Pickup Windows by Jacqueline Downey As the world shifts and changes below our feet right now, EAT thought it might be a good time to check in with our family of contributors, ... Read More Comments are closed.
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