Apr. 18, 2012 - Issue #861: The Long Game
A dose of downtown Zen
Café offers a breather from hectic lifestyles
Seble Amelga of Café Tiramisu offers everyone—parents and kids—a place to take a break / Meaghan Baxter
'We all need breathing space," explains Seble Amelga, proprietor of Café Tiramisu. Café Tiramisu is a new and unique addition to the already quirky 124 Street neighbourhood; it is a superb fusion of laid-back Italian café atmosphere with a yoga and pilates studio, as well as play area for children. Cloud-like light fixtures float above a remarkably serene room dressed in organic greens and perfumed with the scent of freshly roasted coffee beans. A diverse crowd noshes on salads, smoothies and pasta, or simply relaxes with a steaming mug of tea or coffee near one of many grand windows.
Ethiopia-born Amelga worked extensively in Italy before immigrating to Canada and managing several well-known Edmonton restaurants. "Then I became a stay-at-home mom," she explains, "but I longed to stay engaged with the outside world." One seminal afternoon, Amelga enjoyed a quiet cup of coffee at a downtown coffee shop. This seemingly insignificant break would, in retrospect, become the genesis of Café Tiramisu.
"I had every intention to sit and read, but I was suddenly overwhelmed at the thought of having this time—these two and a half hours—to myself. I loved being home with my children, but I started thinking that all moms deserve such a break," she recollects.
Amelga nurtured her idea and concluded that she wanted to have a coffee shop where no one is left out.
"This was about five years ago now," she states, "and I realized I wanted to have a space not just for mothers, but for everyone, including children. I wanted it to be a breathing space."
She envisioned a spot on 124 Street because, in her words, "it has more of a European feel than other places in Edmonton."She waited for the right location to become available and was propelled by encouragement from friends and family.
Café Tiramisu officially opened in late November of 2011 and Amelga acknowledges a highly positive response from the public.
"We've been busy since we opened and we didn't even do any marketing," she states.
No demographic is excluded, and Amelga relates that everyone from teenagers to parents with small children frequent the café.
"It's lovely to see women [who are mothers] like me come in and really relax with a glass of wine or a latte without their kids interrupting them," she explains.
Indeed, children have a space to themselves in Café Tiramisu in what Amelga calls the "breathing space." "It is a room with children's furniture, toys and iPads to keep them occupied. They need to be old enough to entertain themselves," she adds. "And it gives parents a break."
"Our menu was inspired by my travels in Rome, Sardinia, Calabria and Sicily," explains Amelga. She adds, "I picked pasta and pizza recipes that are popular in those regions. We have many salads on the menu too and these were chosen because they are healthy." Café Tiramisu roasts coffee beans on-site, and this practice is close to Amelga's roots. "Coffee was first brewed in Ethiopia, my homeland, so it is a strong part of my culture. All of our beans are sourced from Africa and South America," she states.
Amelga marvels that in five short years, an idea for a unique café became a reality: however, hard work rather than luck luck led to the restaurant's existence. She emphasizes that Café Tiramisu is not just for parents.
"I want to foster a sense of community here where people can connect and interact," she says. She concludes, in reference to the café's namesake dessert (which, when translated from Italian, literally means "lift me up"), "When you visit here, I want it to be a 'lift me up' experience."
Café Tiramisu
10750 - 124 St
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