European charm, delicious food and a generous family heritage make the Italian Centre Shops special–the only place in Edmonton you'll find a treasure trove of groceries and delicacies from all over the world.
When Frank Spinelli opened a small corner store with partner Remiro Zalunardo in 1959, it was to sell Italian magazines, newspapers, sodas and chocolate. Today, Italian Centre Shop has grown into a major retailer, wholesaler and specialty import store for Western Canada.
“I inherited the store in 2000,” Teresa Spinelli says. “My father started it to fill a demand for news from home. A lot of the immigrants didn’t know what was happening back in Italy. Now, we have over 24,000 items imported from Italy and from all over the world.”
Entering Spinelli’s Bar Italia at the west end Italian Centre Shop during lunch time means a wait to order food, and a slim possibility of finding seating. But there’s a reason for that; the food is well worth the wait. Plenty of people in the area come for the coffee itself, not to mention the pizza specials, salads and pastas.
A trip to the bakery at the Italian Centre Shop is a no-fail situation – regardless of what you leave with, it’s going to be delicious and fresh. The Italian Centre Shop sells éclairs and cream puffs, which you can buy individually or in a platter. This bakery brags about its “old fashioned recipes with a modern twist,” so you know it puts its pastry where its mouth is.