The Story So Far
COFFEE, CRAFT & COMMUNITY
Our coffee roots trace back to a traditional method of wood roasting found in Italy – a slow, skill-led method we’ve brought to life on the Devon coast. Each batch is roasted over reclaimed wood in our South Devon roastery, developed in-house for depth and clarity.
From our caffès to our bakery, everything we make reflects a respect for process, place, and purpose. It’s a way of working that values local sourcing, low impact, and the quiet connection of community around good coffee.
caffès
Daily life, done properly. Our trained baristas serve our coffee exactly how you want it. Our baked goods are delivered fresh each morning from our Totnes bakery, and our kitchens offer a seasonal, Italian-inspired brunch menu.
ROASTERY
We roast over reclaimed wood using traditional Italian techniques to produce clean, expressive coffees with character.
BAKERY
Every loaf and pastry is handmade in Totnes using natural fermentation, traditional methods, and local ingredients.
How It Started
The Curator began in 2012, when Matteo was selling his brother’s Italian panettone outside an empty shop in Totnes. The building’s owner, photographer Nick Clements, offered the space as a shared concept: Italian coffee, cakes and design, alongside his collection of art, photographs and memorabilia.
Matteo and Sarah, partners in both life and business, took on the challenge together. What followed was something new for the town: a fast-paced, espresso-led caffè rooted in Italian rhythm and energy, set against the slower pace of the Devon high street. The contrast worked. People came for the coffee, and stayed for the feeling.
Over time, the space evolved. Upstairs became a small restaurant serving fixed-menu Italian suppers. We opened a bakery nearby, trained by Matteo’s brother and working with a generations-old sourdough starter. From the beginning, we made decisions that reflected our values – prioritising quality, seasonality and integrity in every step.
When the pandemic hit, we adapted. We stopped importing coffee and began roasting our own, using a custom-built wood roaster from Italy. Our bakery and roastery now share a home on the Totnes industrial estate, and we deliver to our sites daily using an electric van.
We’ve grown slowly and intentionally, opening a second caffè inside Butterwalk, a sustainable department store further up the high street, where we also curate monthly art exhibitions. Then a third in Modbury. Most recently, a beachside outpost in Hope Cove.
Today, we roast coffee for people across the country, but our heart is still here in South Devon. Everything we do is shaped by the land we live on and the people we serve – from daily bakes to slow brunches. The Curator is about finding rhythm in coffee, in food, and in life.
