‘We are bringing authentic Italian coffee to Sheffield with our new mobile coffee cart business’

Giancarlo Bava and Remo Simeone are the friends and business partners behind the new mobile coffee cart in Crookes.

Together, they have created The Original Baristas - a business that Giancarlo says aims to ‘introduce authentic Italian coffee to Sheffield’.

“I’m really excited,” the 56-year-old said. “We hope it picks up properly. Sometimes I think Sheffield lacks true Italian.”

The friends have known each other for 20 years, back when Giancarlo worked for Remo at his former popular Italian cafe Remo’s in Broomhill. 

Remo, aged 57, owned the cafe for 23 years before selling up around three years ago to focus on his family.

But the time has come for the pair to start their new venture at Bolehills which will see the pair selling the ‘best’ coffee you can get from Italy, as well as hot chocolates, cold drinks and a number of sweet and savoury snacks.

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Giancarlo, a dad of two, said: “We had this idea to do something that’s not attached to any shop, with no overhead costs. This is more flexible and better for us.

“We have experience of making coffee and working in bars in Sheffield and we just want to launch this new adventure.

“I’m from Crookes, and I know there’s something missing there. Remo makes really good coffee and hot chocolate - we’ve had lots of good feedback from customers.”

Bolehills has been without a coffee cart since the start of the year when Gypsy's Brew officially closed, citing the cost of living crisis as the reason.

Giancarlo and Remo will be running the cart part-time on the weekends and some weekdays for now, with a view for it to become full-time. They are also available for hire for private events.

For Giancarlo, the new business will offer something a bit different from his full-time job as a project manager at a hostel for young people.

He added that his wife, Sophia, who he met in Paris 24 years ago, is also excited for the new business - as are his children, aged 11 and 16.

Giancarlo added: “I’m really lucky that I have the support.”

Visit The Original Baristas Facebook or Instagram pages to keep up-to-date on their opening hours.