A vegetarian cafe, with a small library and a free-wifi spot, a place where friends meet to talk, eat and take vegetarian cooking classes – Cibi e libri fulfils a number of roles, more than you might imagine when you first pass by the small cafe on via Ravecca, 48R in Genova.
It’s more than a cafe, I noticed this thing about it in the hours I spent there – friends called by, strangers wanted to chat, and Lorenzo makes time for them all.
Lorenzo, the owner of Cibi e libri, took some time to explain how his cafe came into being ...
He started out as a philosophy student then worked as a journalist in television for fifteen years. He didn’t enjoy the competitive state of mind that existed within that world and began cooking as a way to recover from a stress-filled day. He also developed a curiousity about the inter-relationship of all things and this led into the art and history of food, including the positive aspects of vegetarianism.
Time passed and he decided, over a period of five years, to give birth to Cibi e libri ... his fourth child, the other three children being his actual flesh and blood.
I was invited to return for the weekly vegetarian course one evening and took photographs as Lorenzo went through the introduction, first the theory and then the cooking. Students tasted all that was cooked but also made their own attempts, with plenty of space left for discussion and questions.
Cibi e libri also stands out as an ideal cafe for the traveller, offering a vegetarian menu, friendly English-speaking staff and free wifi. Make sure you check it out if you find yourself in Genova, most especially if you’re vegetarian. Lorenzo is also able to recommend other Italian vegetarian cafes throughout Italy.
For more information you can phone: (+39) 010 24 67 050 email info@cibielibri.it
