World-renowned coffee brand to open full-service breakfast, lunch and dinner spot in spring 2023
Atlanta coffee lovers can now experience the full taste of Italy with illy Caffé, the European-style café and coffee bar set to open at Atlantic Station in early spring 2023. Located at 264 19th Street, illy Caffé will serve an array of premium coffee offerings using its sustainably-sourced coffee, plus breakfast, lunch, brunch and Aperitivo menu items, along with cocktails and Italian desserts. The Atlantic Station storefront will be illy Caffé’s first location in Atlanta as part of the iconic brand’s expansion in the United States.
Located mostly in airports and premier shopping destinations, illy Caffè has 160 locations in major cities across 34 countries. Open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, the Atlantic Station location will have both a grab-and-go counter and full table service options. The franchise is operated by Asad Babwari, Aamir Ali and William Chen, who have extensive experience operating restaurant brands across Atlanta.
“We needed an iconic location for this global brand’s entry into the Atlanta market,” said Babwari. “Atlantic Station is ideally located in the heart of the city and is consistently bustling with activity; the only thing missing was a full-service coffee shop. Now guests can have it all, with a traditional European-style café that is guaranteed to satisfy every craving.”
The extensive coffee and espresso menu will offer hot and iced beverages; including cold brew, latte, cappuccino and more. Samplings from the breakfast menu include croissants and breakfast sandwiches; with pizza, pastas and European-style sandwiches and salads for lunch. An early evening Aperitivo menu features Italian-inspired cocktails and light appetizers. A sweet menu offers fresh baked pastries, croissants, cookies and a gelato bar. Guests will also be able to purchase retail items such as illy’s acclaimed espresso machines and additional coffee accessories.
“Coffee shops and cafés are more important than ever as employers shift to the ‘work from anywhere’ mentality, and employees still crave a social experience,” said Phil Purdom, director of Southeast retail real estate for Hines. “With illy’s extensive menu, Atlantic Station guests will be able to stop by for a coffee and pastry to-go or stay awhile and finish out the workday with an evening cocktail. We look forward to illy Caffé opening its doors soon as we differentiate Atlantic Station’s restaurant mix and offer a worldly experience for our guests.”
illy is an Italian family business founded in Trieste in 1933 by Francesco Illy. Today, it is led by the third generation of the family. illy is the first Italian coffee company to receive B Corp Certification. The world of illy also includes coffee machines, the illy Art collection, accessories and the Università del Caffè, founded in 1999 to promote and share the culture of quality coffee in Italy and around the world.
illy Caffé is the latest restaurant to join Atlantic Station. With additional tenants still to be announced, Atlantic Station plans to celebrate the openings of Day & Night Cereal Bar, Atlanta Breakfast Club and Angry Crab Shack soon. To learn more about Atlantic Station, visit atlanticstation.com and engage with Atlantic Station on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
About Atlantic Station:
A national example for sustainable mixed-use communities, Atlantic Station transformed an abandoned industrial site into a thriving retail and entertainment district at the heart of Atlanta’s vibrant Midtown neighborhood. Opened in 2005, Atlantic Station is home to some of Atlanta’s most popular restaurants, retailers such as H&M, Forever 21 and Dillard’s and leading employers such as Wells Fargo, Facebook and Microsoft. Atlantic Station recently completed a major repositioning including a revamped tenant mix, with new retail and restaurant offerings, the inclusion of new multifamily residential units, hospitality offerings and more than 700,000 square feet of Class-A office space. In 2020, the property celebrated the opening of its revamped central greenspace, Atlantic Green.
