espite the heavy rain, gale force winds and the serious mercury dip last Thursday the 29th, Segafredo Zanetti braved the hurricane hangover with an extremely successful Grand Opening. This is the Canadian flagship of a global franchise that is famous beyond our borders for their unique brand of spuntino bars and coffee beans. Skylights, red carpet, tuxedoed door people and some offbeat live window theatre, plus a rocking band and some of Montreal’s most famous DJ’s drew a crowd of over 500 VIPs, curiosity-seekers and trend-savvy clubsters by evening’s end.

Owners Mike and Daniel Schwartz (Montreal natives and brothers,) manager Paul Taylor and head chef Zoe Dalakas had prepped their staff well. They handled the crush with grace and aplomb; I didn’t witness any of that “deer in the headlights” reaction of staff you see at so many of these events. The decibel level remained comfortable and the musical mix was as eclectic as the crowd-- ranging from 20 to 40ish-- sporting everything from jeans to glam ensembles. This club is targeting a sophisticated crowd, and their determination to avoid any drunken overspill of neighboring Crescent Street’s younger partiers in the wee hours is a wise one.

Being one of this city’s first officially non-smoking establishments, we puffers (including an owner) were forced to huddle outside to enjoy our vice and, though I foresee the need for a stylish oversized butt stop there to avoid ruining the entranceway, I guess this is the way of the future. (Sigh) Libation-wise, there are the usual martini suspects, high end offerings and a few surprises, like “The Priority” which will instantly make you forget yours. This cocktail is a beautifully layered (a la pousse café style) extremely potent liqueur libation. The house signature drink, the “Segafredo Martini” mixed with flair by congenial bartender Tanya was neither too strong nor sweet, but a frothy brown affair which tastes like iced cappuccino with a kick. Perfect. The coffee flavor reference of this drink is no mistake-- the very foundation of this spot IS coffee. There are over twenty variations and the quality is top drawer.

Segafredo Zanetti is Italy’s largest coffee roaster and the sixth largest coffee retailer in the world. This outlet opens at 7 AM for caffeine deprived commuters and offers gourmet Italian deli style food at all times. It then morphs into a cool lounge at night by lowering the lights and adding attractions like live music and fashion shows. There is also a VIP lounge ensconced within closable glass doors. Located right across the street from the Famous Player’s cinema, it’s about time this sleepy stretch of St Catherine St. was infused with some new energy and nightlife. The vibe here is welcoming and refreshingly European. We are told that big name neighbors will soon open next door. We’ll keep you posted. - S.C.