Caffespresso – Old World on Gaskins Road

So, I was at my chiropractor’s office one day early in the year, and he said, “Do you drink coffee?  Because there is a really great coffee shop right next door.”  I don’t, as it turns out, drink coffee.  Never really have.  I’m pretty hyper as it is.  But I went over there anyway, because there was a delicious, decidedly not-coffee smell coming from the place and I was hungry with a capital ungry.

It turns out the delicious smell was a fresh croissant coming right out of the oven.  So, I ate one.  Yum!  The next time back, freshly-baked Tascas had just come out of the oven.  What’s a Tasca?  I tried to google it, so maybe I’m spelling it wrong, but I will describe it to you perfectly.  It’s a little foldover pie filled with cheese, ham, and egg, with a little bit of spices.  It’s DEElicious.  I get it every time now, and I weight a thousand pounds.  Just kidding.  It’s really, really, good.  And they even came up with a coffee drink I don’t mind – of course it tastes nothing like coffee, but it’s good.  It has white chocolate, caramel, and vanilla in it.  Like a said, a thousand pounds.  It’s called the Dante Paradiso, if you want to wallow in the sugar with me.

Caffespresso opened in Gaskins Place in 2009.  Richmond Times Dispatch wrote it up, focusing on the owner, Claudio Ragazzi.  Claudio is the lovely fellow with the delectable Northern Italian accent who greets you when you walk in.  He is not only the owner of Caffespresso, he also teaches Italian and Spanish, and recently took a group of his students and patrons on a trip to Italy.  From what I hear, it was the most fun.

Caffespresso started out as a cart that made its way around VCU campus.  Ragazzi, a former instructor at VCU, wanted to get out and be a part of the vital Richmond community – and he wanted to teach that community about good coffee – because the stuff we drink normally doesn’t hold a candle to the stuff Claudio serves.  And this is from a non-coffee drinker.  Those coffee fiends that I know – they all go to Claudio now.

The cart still makes it to special events.  As for Claudio, he stays at the shop on Gaskins, cultivating a fiercely dedicated following and talking a lot about soccer – his other passion.  He teaches, coaches, plays, and acts as spectator.  In fact, once the World Up is on, you might be missing out on his company for a while.  Luckily, all his employees are charming and wonderful, so you’ll still have a wonderful experience.

**Try, if you will, a panini as well.  I’ve had several different kinds, and my favorites are the Vitello Tonne, the Caprese, and the Cotto.  They are all crafted on fresh focaccia bread and they are delicious.

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