Molà: Turkish Students Open a New Specialty Coffee Shop by Milan's Arco della Pace on 1 September

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Called Molà, it's the brainchild of two very young Turkish students: a new specialty coffee spot in Piazza Sempione with artisanal brews, homemade desserts and a format designed for anyone wanting a picnic break.

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From 1 September Milan will have a new specialty coffee shop. Called Molà, it opens at Piazza Sempione 6, near the Arco della Pace, and is the project of two young Turkish founders, Yasmine Bora and Etkim Salkaya, who wanted to bring a café where time matters again to the Lombard capital. No Turkish coffee and no Anatolian traditional desserts: the offering is Italian and international, but inspired by a philosophy deeply rooted in their culture — treating coffee as a moment of pause, conversation and sharing.

Two Students, a Love Story and the Move to Milan

Yasmine Bora is 24, of Turkish origin, and has just finished her Management Engineering degree at Politecnico di Milano, sitting her final exam last July. Her partner Etkim, 26, graduated in Economics in Munich and moved to Italy for a master's degree at the Politecnico. Today they are also partners in their first business venture.

Their story, however, began before university. They met in Milan during a trip, when neither imagined the city would become their home. "I was here to meet a friend, and so was he. We met almost by chance and Milan later became a shared choice for both of us," Yasmine says. Over their years in Italy they began to see Milan's café scene with fresh eyes: "We noticed there was no place like the one we had in mind. For us, coffee isn't something you drink in a hurry. In Turkey it's a real ritual: a coffee can last thirty or forty minutes, drunk slowly while chatting and enjoying the moment. In Germany, where Etkim lived for years, the coffee culture is far more relaxed than in Italy. That's the idea we want to convey."

Molà, a Pause that Starts with the Name

The name already tells the project's philosophy. In Turkish "mola" means "pause", a word derived from the Italian "mollare" (to let go). The founders chose to reinterpret it by adding an accent, turning it into Molà, almost building a bridge between their origins and the city that welcomed them. "We wanted a name that said exactly what we want to offer: a pause. A moment to slow down, feel good and drink a good coffee," Yasmine explains.

The location choice was not accidental. After months of searching, the couple settled on Piazza Sempione 6, overlooking via Canova. "We loved the Arco della Pace area and felt it hadn't really been appreciated yet for specialty coffee." The space is cosy and minimal, once a historic barber shop and, before that, an old pastry shop. It's small with no table service: a counter lets customers drink standing, while the proximity to Parco Sempione suggested a different idea — picnic kits.

Molà's Specialty Coffee in Milan

The offering revolves around coffee. Molà will work with Cortinovis, a Milan micro-roastery founded in 2023 from the experience of Cortinovis Dolci e Gelati, specialising in specialty coffee bought directly from producers in Kenya, Ethiopia and Brazil. Beans will also be available pre-packaged, with a Molà-exclusive blend to follow. The espresso, made on a La Marzocco machine, will cost €1.9, while alternative extractions are the real highlight: V60, filter coffee, cold brew and other specialty preparations will reach €6-7 depending on bean rarity and brewing method.

Single-Portion Desserts and the Picnic Kit

Alongside the coffee are single-portion desserts made daily by a Milan pastry shop, whose name the founders prefer to keep secret for now. The offer will change often and include cookies, red velvet cups, cheesecake, carrot cake, banana cake, plain and filled croissants and other treats designed to be enjoyed on the go, priced between €5 and €7.

With park-bound customers in mind, Molà has also developed original takeaway picnic kits with dedicated designs, built to carry coffee, desserts and snacks in a practical way. For Yasmine and Etkim, serving great specialty coffee means turning a pause into a moment to savour slowly — perhaps sitting on the grass of Parco Sempione.