On Thursday, July 27th, Italian delicacy distributor Sogno Toscano is set to make its West Coast debut as it opens the doors to its boutique high-end cafe and marketplace in Santa Monica on Montana Avenue. Founded in 2007 by childhood best friends Pietro Brembilla and Brian Persico, Sogno Toscano has a fascinating origin story.

Hailing from a tiny town in Tuscany, the duo moved to New York City armed with a few bottles of their families’ generations-old finishing olive oil, Fattoria. This humble beginning marked the inception of Sogno Toscano, which has since evolved into the sole company in the industry to directly import products from Italy, cutting out intermediaries.