Caffe Milano a tribute to Bosnia and land of espresso

It is well-known that St. Louis features the largest population of Bosnians in the United States. Most of the estimated 40,000 to 50,000 Bosnians came to the region in the early 1990s during ethnic conflicts in the former Yugoslavia.

A relatively new gathering point for Bosnians and people from other Balkan states is Caffe Milano, which sits a block west of the Bevo Mill. Here, a large number of regulars drink espresso in the upstairs café, or enjoy a Corona beer in the downstairs club, and commiserate about the latest news in the local and global communities. When local ethnic Albanians celebrated the declaration of independence in Kosovo on Feb. 17, the parade of cars waving American and Albanian flags circled Gravois Road in front of this establishment.

Darmin Beganovic opened the upstairs portion of Caffe Milano about two years ago, and the nightclub below one year later. “Dado,” as he is more familiarly known to his customers, chose the name to pay homage to the city where espresso was born. Italian Luigi Bezzera is credited with inventing the espresso machine that debuted at the Milan Fair in 1906.

Dado’s business philosophy is to sell good espresso at a cheap price, and he explains that profit will come from the higher number of customers. “If I sell espresso at $2 a cup and I get 500 customers, it is better than selling it at $5 a cup and getting only 100 customers,” he says. This thinking seems to have paid off – the coffee shop is busy from early morning until late in the evening.

The café also makes a good product, explains Dzeni, one of the bartenders in the nightclub. One traveler visited while passing through St. Louis and afterwards posted to her Web site that Caffe Milano had the best espresso in the United States. The shop’s regulars also include restaurant owners of well-known establishments on South Grand and in the Central West End.

It also helps that the Bosnian community in St. Louis is tight-knit, and thus knowledge of a good cup of coffee travels quickly. Both Dado and Dzeni, who are from the same hometown of Kotor Varos, note that little advertising is necessary, and many regulars come from all over St. Louis City and County.

Mila Mujdzic-Celic is one such frequent visitor who lives in South County. “It is a good community place and has the needs of what I am looking for,” she says. She and her friend enjoyed a cocktail at the bar while listening to singer belting out upbeat Bosnian tunes with his musical accompanist playing along. The nightclub frequently features musicians or DJs.

The shop features large Italian-style black and red oversized chairs. The colors are also a reference to the city of Milan, Dado explains. The room has private nooks and communal tables, enabling both intimate conversations and group discussions. Besides espresso, tea and sodas, the upstairs venue also serves European desserts.

The nightclub, which has a separate outside entrance, is dimly lit. The typical customer orders either Corona or Red Bull and vodka. The billiards table is usually busy, and like the coffee shop, smoke prominently swirls around the room. Both levels also feature plasma TV’s on every wall.

Dado asks that new customers not be intimidated to visit either portion of his establishment. He acknowledges that many Americans possess a stereotype that Bosnians frequently get into fights or are otherwise dangerous. He stresses that his intent is to run a classy business that is welcoming in both its atmosphere and its inexpensive products. “I want people to come in, enjoy themselves, and talk to each other,” he says. They appear to be doing just that.

You can e-mail John Ginsburg at ginsbujo@alumni.cmu.edu.