FROM MARKET STALL TO LIFESTYLE BRAND
The Curator began in 2012 as a small cafe in Totnes, Devon, but its roots go even further back—back to an Italian heritage steeped in food, coffee, and craftsmanship. Matteo, originally from Ancona, was selling his brother’s bakery goods at the local market when an opportunity arose to take over a vacant shop. With his wife Sarah, he turned it into a cafe that quickly became a community hub, known for exceptional coffee, homemade cakes, and a timeless, minimalist aesthetic.
From the start, our focus was clear: everything we made had to be done properly, with care, precision, and respect for tradition.
“From the start, our focus was clear: everything we made had to be done properly, with care, precision, and respect for tradition.”
A MODERN OSTERIA IN TOTNES
Food has always been at the heart of what we do. After the cafe established itself, we took the next step: turning the upstairs space into a restaurant. The Curator Kitchen was born—a modern take on the osteria, blending Italian tradition with the best local ingredients.
By day, we served brunches and handmade pasta, bringing honest, high-quality food to the cafe setting. By night, we transformed the space into a restaurant offering a five-course Italian tasting menu, which quickly gained a devoted following. Every dish was built on simplicity and seasonality, from house-made breads and pasta to carefully sourced meats and cheeses.
When the pandemic hit, like many businesses, we had to rethink everything. It was a difficult time, and we made the decision to cease The Curator Kitchen and focus fully on coffee, ensuring we could sustain the business while keeping our standards high. While the restaurant no longer operates, our love for food never left. We still serve brunch daily, and our Supper Clubs give us the chance to cook again, offering those same thoughtful, ingredient-led menus to the people who always loved them.
THE CURATOR BAKERY: A FAMILY TRADITION
Our bakery is a direct continuation of our roots—built on generations of Italian baking knowledge. When we first opened, all of our cakes, breads, and pastries were made in-house, and it quickly became clear that we needed more space. We opened The Curator Bakery to expand our ability to craft everything from fresh sourdough to delicate Italian pastries, and it has since become an essential part of our identity.
Matteo’s brother, Carlo—who runs his own bakery in Ancona—helped us set up the space, training our bakers in the same methods their family has used for generations. The result is a bakery that blends classic Italian techniques with a focus on fresh, seasonal ingredients.
We supply our cafes daily with fresh bread and cakes, and we also offer wholesale to other independent businesses. Among our most well-known creations are our lemon meringues, a customer favourite that has become something of a signature bake.
WOOD ROASTED COFFEE: A TRADITION REIGNITED
While food has always been important to us, coffee has become the backbone of the brand. In the early days, we imported wood roasted coffee from a friend in Italy, staying true to an old-world roasting method that predates gas and electric roasting. When Brexit made imports more difficult, we saw an opportunity: to roast our own coffee, in our own way.
We commissioned a bespoke wood roaster from Farina Trabattoni, one of the few family businesses still making these machines by hand. We placed it in our bakery space, where we now roast all our coffee ourselves, using sustainably sourced wood to create deep, rich, full-bodied blends. What started as something just for our cafe has grown into something much bigger—today, our coffee is served in independent restaurants, cafés, and homes across the UK.
THE CURATOR TODAY: MORE THAN JUST A CAFE
Over time, The Curator has evolved into something larger than just a café or a coffee roastery—it’s an umbrella of everything we love: food, coffee, art, and community.
• The Curator Bakery – Rooted in family tradition, our bakery was established with the guidance of Matteo’s brother, using a sourdough starter that’s been in the family for generations. From Italian breads to seasonal pastries, everything is made with time-honoured techniques. Our lemon meringues have become a standout favourite among customers.
• The Curator Presents – Our Butterwalk cafe double as an exhibition space, showcasing local artists in ever-changing displays. The walls are never the same for long, making each visit a little different from the last.
• Supper Clubs & Wine Nights – A return to our restaurant days, Supper Clubs let us bring back the kind of food we love to make—seasonal, Italian-inspired dishes served with carefully selected wines. We’ve also partnered with independent wine merchant Gennaro to host Enoteca nights, offering natural and biodynamic Italian wines every Friday evening in Modbury.
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OUR ETHOS
At the heart of everything we do is a commitment to quality, sustainability, and craft. We source responsibly, prioritise local ingredients, and operate with minimal waste. Our coffee bags are fully recyclable, our deliveries are made in an electric van, and our approach to food and coffee is always about honouring tradition while keeping things forward-thinking.
LOOKING AHEAD
With three locations in Totnes and Modbury, The Curator continues to evolve. Our cafes remain central to everything we do, but we’re also looking outward—expanding our online retail, collaborating on new projects, and continuing to build a brand that feels as much about lifestyle as it does about coffee.