Brothers Paolo and Donato Cillo will open their third Italian Gran Caffè coffee shop in Liverpool later this week with the first 100 customers offered free coffee, croissants or gelato. Tony McDonough reports

Liverpool Italian coffee shop brand Gran Caffè opens its third venue later this week and is offering free coffee, croissants or gelato to the first 100 customers.

Creating 12 jobs, it is located on Lark Lane in Aigburth and will open on Saturday, June 29. Brothers Paolo and Donato Cillo opened their first Gran Caffè in Williamson Square, more than 10 years ago. In December 2023 they took the brand to Duke Street.

It will serve its signature breakfast pastries that are handcrafted in-house and baked fresh each day by their pastry team, headed up by Donato’s wife Antonietta, as well as a selection of brunch dishes.

And the first person to enter will receive Gran Caffè’s signature, giant half a metre croissant. The other 99 guests will have their choice of coffee or one of the Italian coffee shop’s homemade croissants or a scoop of artisan gelato

Open everyday, from 8.30am to 4pm, guests can tuck into Benedict Croissants, their smoked salmon stuffed macaroon, Ox cheek cubed croissant as well as Gran Caffè full breakfasts, and many other breakfast dishes.

Throughout the day, there’s salads including spinach, tofu and truffle, an authentic Italian tricolore salad and a selection of sandwiches such as the steak ciabatta, club sandwich and vegan stack.

Lark Lane’s menu also now includes Italian small and large plates for lunch and dinner with a special Aperitivo Tower. This is much like Afternoon Tea but with olives and bruschetta, charcuterie and Italian arancini and croquettes to share between two.

Open seven days a week, Gran Caffè Lark Lane has a capacity of 40 people, as well as outdoor seating, and is available for dine in and takeaway.

All ingredients for Gran Caffè’s dishes are provided by their sister’s A Tavola da Maria Delicatessen using products imported from Italy and their coffee is ground from beans from their family’s roastery, Torrefazione Lucana, in Potenza.

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Donato Cillo said: “After 10 years of Gran Caffè in the Italian Quarter, and having opened on Duke Street in 2023, it was only a matter of time before we expanded to south Liverpool. Lark Lane has been our goal for a few years and we’re so excited to open.

Paolo Cillo added: “We’re looking forward to welcoming regulars at Gran Caffè, as well as new faces to our Lark Lane venue.”