Davide and Steeve didn’t know that one day they’d quit their day jobs to become baristas. And they certainly didn’t know how much they would love it. Anyone who has worked in the corporate world knows all too well the dream of “one day working for yourself and doing something that is 100% in line with your passions.” Admit it. We have those dreams, but most of us just don’t end up doing it.
But they went ahead and did it. And the coffee snobs within us are grateful.
Davide and Steeve are two friends who started becoming passionate about coffee while they were living and working in London. A city known for the ever-growing coffee culture, they would come home from their day jobs and visit cafés, learn about coffee, experiment with coffee, and dream about coffee.
With a shared history in Lausanne (though they both come from Italian origin) through their time at EHL, they knew that they had an obligation, a duty, to bring the art of coffee to this city. And so, they searched for a perfect location, they saved their money, and they continued to study the craft of coffee until the stars aligned and they found the perfect little shop sous gare. And so Ça Passe Crème was born.
We sat for a few minutes in the extremely well-curated space while Davide made our coffees. And even though the café had only been open less than a month, several “regulars” passed in and received their order without even asking for it. We didn’t need to taste the coffee to already know this place was special.
But then we tasted our coffee, and felt one hundred percent certain that this place was special. Made with extreme care and respect for the craft, our flat white retained the flavor of the roast–which is actually a difficult feat when adding milk to coffee. It was strong, yet velvety–with a subtle sweetness that came from the microfoam.
Every small detail in Ça Passe Créme is thoughtful and intentional; though the space is cozy (read: very small), it works. And the best part is, Davide and Steeve are the friendliest of baristas…and they’re also perfectionists (basically the two qualities you want in the person making you your coffee).
We didn’t know this, but the phrase “ça passe crème” can be used when something comes as just the right time, or when something is really good or just fits. It’s similar to “ça passe bien” in some sense.
2023 Update:
Steeve and Davide have since moved just a couple doors down, opening a bigger space gorgeously designed and crafted with the help of Fabio Marco.
Photography by Ela Ross for CPC
Ça Passe Crème
Monday-Friday 7h-18h
Saturday 10h-18h
Sunday closed
Boulevard de Grancy 45, 1006 Lausanne
