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Café Olimpico

Café Olimpico, known to regulars as 'Open Da Night,' is a Montreal institution founded in 1970 by Italian immigrant Rocco Furfaro, built around traditional Italian espresso and community gathering.

Café Olimpico
Image: courtesy of Café Olimpico

Café Olimpico was established in 1970 when Rocco Furfaro, an Italian immigrant, opened a neighborhood café in Montreal equipped with a coffee machine, a satellite for watching Italian football, and a pool table. Originally conceived as a gathering spot for Rocco and his friends to enjoy sports and card games, the café quickly evolved into a community hub for the entire neighborhood. Known affectionately by regulars as 'Open Da Night,' it offered a welcoming refuge centered on traditional Italian espresso and a spirit of warmth and generosity. More than 50 years later, Café Olimpico remains family-run and grounded in the Italian values of authenticity, generosity, and family. It continues to draw coffee lovers from around the world, not only for the quality of its coffee but for the distinctive, human moments that define the space—regulars debating sports, artists sketching in booths, and the occasional stranger buying a coffee for a neighbor. The café's enduring appeal lies in its commitment to being a genuine community gathering place rooted in Italian café tradition.

Italian espressocommunity cafétraditionalneighborhood institution

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Last updated: June 25, 2026