Small batches
We roast in quantities we can watch closely, so every batch tastes the way the last one did.
Stood the test of time
Our Story
From the sun-drenched hills of Sicily to the snowy rooftops of Windsor — the story of a family that has been crafting espresso and gelato since 1981.
The beginning
A dream carried across an ocean
Every good cup of coffee has a beginning, and ours starts with Gennaro. Born in Sicily, where coffee is less a drink than a daily ritual, he grew up with the sound of the espresso machine and the smell of roasting beans drifting through the neighbourhood. That early education never left him. When he eventually made his way to Canada, he carried the habits of his homeland with him: strong coffee, generous hospitality and a deep respect for doing things properly.
Windsor, Ontario, was a long way from the hills of Sicily, but it had something that felt familiar — people who loved to gather over a good cup and a sweet treat. Gennaro opened the door to his true passion in 1981, crafting espresso and homemade gelato for neighbours who came in for one cup and stayed for the conversation.
What we believe
Four ideas that guide us
These principles shaped the café decades ago and still shape every bag we roast, every scoop we serve and every event we cater.
Tradition first
Our espresso blends are built on the same principles the cafe started with in 1981: bold body, sweet finish, no shortcuts.
Freshness
Beans are packed for freshness and shipped quickly, so what arrives at your door is the coffee we would drink ourselves.
Hospitality
A cafe is a place to be welcomed. That belongs in the cup, in the gelato case and in every event we cater.
Gennaro's Cafe
The cafe that became a neighbourhood
The café grew the way good places do: slowly, through word of mouth and through repeat visits. Customers brought their friends, their families and then their celebrations. The espresso machine went from being the centrepiece of a small room to the heart of a busy counter, and the gelato case became the first thing people looked for on a summer afternoon.
Over the years we have learned that our best ingredient is consistency. The same roast profile, the same careful grind, the same attention when the shot comes out of the portafilter. That consistency is what lets us say the coffee you enjoy today tastes like the coffee you loved last year, and the year before.
Milestones
A timeline
1981
The Beginning
From the sun-drenched hills in Sicily to the snowy rooftops of Windsor — Gennaro opens the door to his true passion.
1981+
Gennaro's Cafe
Crafting espresso and homemade gelato, one cup and one scoop at a time.
Today
Small-Batch Roasting
We still roast in small batches for the freshest, most flavourful experience — and now deliver by subscription.
Evolved on the outside
New packaging, same coffee
You may have noticed our bags look different. We refreshed the packaging to make it easier to tell our blends apart, to share the story behind each one and to keep up with the way people buy coffee today. What has not changed is the coffee itself. The beans are still roasted in small batches, the blends are still built around the flavours we grew up with, and the bag still carries the same portrait of the man who started it all.
Different on the outside, unchanged where it matters most.
Evolved on the outside. Timeless on the inside.
Rich, bold coffee — roasted in small batches since 1981.
Questions
About the café
Can't find what you need? Our team is always happy to talk coffee.
Contact us →When was Gennaro's founded?+
Gennaro's opened in 1981, when Gennaro began crafting espresso and homemade gelato for the community in Windsor, Ontario.
Is the coffee still roasted in small batches?+
Yes. We continue to roast in small batches for the freshest and most flavourful results.
Do you roast your own beans?+
Yes. Every blend on our shop page is roasted by our team, and we pack them for freshness before shipping.