Ottavio Italian Bakery and Delicatessen is turning 15.
The Oak Bay eatery will be celebrating the milestone with a special event for customers on Saturday, Sept. 15 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Ottavio is a sister business to the Italian Bakery on Quadra Street, which was started when co-owner Monica Pozzolo’s family moved from Italy in 1978. Ottavio has grow from two employees (Pozzolo and Andrew Moyer) to 22 and offers hand-made breads, specialty pantry items, 250 cheeses, cured meats, pastries, house-made gelato and a café.
The celebration will include live opera, wine tasting, olive oil tasting, coffee demos, galloping goose sausage, grilled lamb sandwiches, cake and, of course, a big slab of cheese to cut. Family and friends helping out owners Pozzolo and Moyer that day will include former staff members from the original store front.
Ottavio is located at 2232 Oak Bay Ave. Go to ottaviovictoria.com for more information.