Libretto Café celebrates downtown Holyoke grand opening

Libretto Café co-owners Tim Scott and Liz LaBrocca.
Reminder Publishing submitted photo

HOLYOKE — Libretto Café, an Italian café and bakery, hosted a grand opening ceremony on April 15 to introduce themselves to the community at the historic Mill 1 at Open Square in downtown Holyoke.

Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia and the Greater Holyoke Chamber Interim Director Lisa Totz joined the celebration to commemorate the special occasion.

Garcia stated, “This ribbon cutting is a symbol because I know it’s been a journey, and not an easy one, I’m sure, but from what I’m hearing, it sounds like so far it’s exceeded your expectations in the soft opening.”

Co-owners Liz LaBrocca and Tim Scott said they bring a shared passion for food and community to Libretto Café.

“We are so excited to open our café in Holyoke,” LaBrocca said. “Having lived here since 2018, I truly love this city. Opening a café has long been my dream, and I’m thrilled to realize it in this beautiful mill.”

Libretto Café is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., serving breakfast, lunch and coffee. Catering services are also available, with custom menu options to suit any event.

Libretto Café’s journey began in 2023, when LaBrocca and Scott launched Poco Riso, specializing in fried risotto. After earning third place at EforAll Pioneer Valley’s Pitch Contest and completing the 2024 Business Accelerator program, they spent a year delighting customers at farmers’ markets and pop-up events.

“Got to work with some good local mentors,” Scott stated. “I am just ready to go.”

Inspired by strong community support and positive feedback, they rebranded as Libretto Café and opened their brick-and-mortar location in 2026.

LaBrocca and Scott also shared that when they first got going with the shop, LaBrocca was diagnosed with cancer. However, she has since beaten it, and the ribbon cutting was two years to the day when LaBrocca started chemotherapy.

“This is exactly where we want to be, and we’re really happy,” LaBrocca stated.

Libretto Café will be more than a place to eat, according to the owners. The café serves as a creative and social hub, featuring local artwork for sale, with no commission taken, and a “Leave a Book, Take a Book” space for sharing favorite reads. The owners said they are committed to hosting music, art, and cultural events to foster a vibrant and inclusive community in Holyoke.

Many features set Libretto Café apart from the rest, according to the owners. The café is dedicated to a “fatto a casa” or “made in house” philosophy. Libretto Café offers scratch-made Italian specialties such as focaccia bread, cornetti, meatballs, supplì and hummus.

The café also focuses on collaborations with Pause & Pivot Farm and Monsoon Roastery, which highlight the café’s commitment to supporting local producers.

As part of our grand opening, Libretto Café hosted its first media swap. Guests were invited to bring books, movies, or music they’d like to rehome and add to Libretto’s Free Library, a growing “take a book (or CD or DVD), leave a book (or CD or DVD)” space that encourages reading and celebrates physical media and the arts.

Readers are welcome to drop off contributions to the Free Library anytime.

For more information about the cafe, readers can visit librettocafe.com or follow Libretto Café on Instagram, Facebook and Substack.