For today’s Q&A with a New Canaan business owner navigating the COVID-19 emergency and related restrictions, we hear from Andrea Lombardi, owner-operator of Dolce Italian Café on Elm Street.
Andrea Lombardi of Dolce Italian Café. Credit: Michael Dinan
The café is open for pickup 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Here’s our exchange.
New Canaanite: You just opened last summer, and then you got hit with this. How are you doing?
Andrea Lombardi: Right now we are getting by and we are trying to survive. That’s what we are doing. It’s just me and my brother working every day. We are trying to keep everything super clean. We are doing a lot of coffees, obviously. And then panini, salads, crepes, stuff for kids. Pastries, donuts. We introduced the Brooklyn donuts before everything happened.
Nutella Panini at Dolce Italian Café on Elm Street.
Tell me about what the response has been like from the community.
They have been very supportive. Very supportive. They are buying gift certificates, they are tipping over 20%, they are here every day. I have customers that come here every day. They call, they come to pick it up. They know what we are doing and they like everything, so I’m very happy about that.
We don’t know how long this will last. What do you think about your ability to outlast the restrictions?
Right now, we are doing what we are doing. I don’t know how long it’s going to last.
Sweet and savory crepe at Dolce.
What have been your most popular items during this time?
Definitely the panini. Everybody is ordering panini. And we do a lot of chocolate croissants. Salads, coffees. We also are offering beer and wine for pickup.
What is your message for customers?
I just want to thank you for what you are doing right now. You are supporting us so much and I really appreciate it.