The storefront at 400 Bloomfield Avenue that was the Corner Store Deli (and before that, Verona Variety) is now a breakfast and lunch spot with food that hails from Spain and Italy–and the many wonderful places that people from Spain and Italy emigrated to. From Italy, there are grilled paninis, a prosciutto platter and Lavazza coffee. From Spain, there are empanadas, grilled chorizo, and a giant omelette called the “Conquistador”. Depending on the day, you’ll find specials like find paella, lasagna or gambas al ajillo–garlic shrimp.
Cafe Alba is the work of a charming couple who would like to just be known as Anna and Manny. Anna, the Italian influence, discovered the location on her way for her former job. “I was a bookkeeper and I got tired of sitting at a desk,” she says. There’s a killer Cuban pressed sandwich on the menu, simply because it’s one of Anna’s favorite things to eat.
“I brought everything that I like and I hope that people will like it too,” she says. And that doesn’t stop at breakfast and lunch. You can stop for a cannoli, tiramisu, and right now, pumpkin pie, to be savored with a Lavazza espresso or cappuccino. “I wanted to have great coffee,” Anna adds.
Cafe Alba is open Monday to Saturday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and prices are reasonable: Empanadas are $2.75 and paninis are $7.95 with a side salad. There’s enough space between the tables so that you could easily roll in a stroller, or have a quiet conversation.
Cafe Alba will be serving its empanadas at Verona’s Fair in the Square on Saturday, December 7, and Anna and Manny are planning for specials that will be more than just food. On Friday, December 13, Cafe Alba will host a flamenco guitarist from 6 to 9 p.m. You can follow Cafe Alba on Facebook.
