Craigpark’s little Italian secret

Over the past three years, Treviso owner, Sergio Caon, has worked hard to bring the flavours of his Italian heritage to this leafy corner of the city.

“My dad’s Italian, as are my mom’s parents,” he said.

“I learned my recipes from my mom and grandmother, and I’ve adapted them to suit the market, where necessary. I’ve also learned a lot from my staff, most of whom have been with me since we opened the cafe.”

Before opening the cafe, Caon worked as an online merchant in a call centre, where he helped Italian customers, but the long shifts began to take their toll, and he decided to follow his life-long passion for food.

Caon said that when he first opened, the menu mostly consisted of sandwiches and coffee, with various pizzas and pasta dishes being introduced over time.

“My father-in-law convinced me to start baking sourdough bread, something we’re now known for,” he said.

“We supply various eateries and shops in the area – last month we sold over 1 000 loaves!”

Freshly-prepared meals aside, Caon also prides himself on the deli counter.

“I live in Craigpark, and knew there wasn’t an Italian deli, so I really wanted to bring in some meats and cheeses,” he said.

Thanks to his initiative, residents now have access to beautifully cured Parma ham, mortadella, and felino, a salami Caon regards as ‘highly underrated’.

Among the cheeses the young restauranteur prides himself on stocking are asiago and the delicious but cheekily-named Il Bastardo.

“There’s a story behind the name,” said Caon with a twinkle in his eyes.

“A mixture of milk from different cows is used to make the cheese, and, in the old days, no one knew which cows it came from, so it was called ‘the bastard’.”

Caon will also happily source cured meats and cheese for customers.

“The past few years have had a lot of high points and some low points, but I think the greatest highlights are the customer compliments,” he said.

“That, and I feel we’ve begun to build a relationship with the community around us.”

Details: 011 326 2288; Treviso Italian Deli & Cafe