Starbucks gets teeth into fine dining experience

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Coffee giant Starbucks has got its teeth into a new venture by launching its first “restaurant” — Starbucks Reserve Bakery Cafe.

The restaurant wants to introduce an exceptional all-day cafe dining experience that combines elements of the immersive Starbucks Reserve Roastery Shanghai, which opened in 2017, with made-to-order food by renowned Italian bakery Princi.

Princi’s freshly baked Italian food has won acclaim since opening its first store in 1986. Queues are regularly seen outside of its stores in Milan and London’s Soho neighborhood. And its founder Rocco Princi has earned the nickname, “prince of bread” in Italy.

Starbucks Reserve Bakery Cafe promotes the idea of an all-day cafe dining experience, which is a perfect fit for Starbucks “third place” concept - a comfortable, sociable gathering spot away from home and work.

The café is split into three parts - serving alcohol, coffee and food baked on-site by the baker.

As for its interior design, the cafe’s top lights was inspired by the outstretched clothes line poles seen in many of Shanghai’s alleyways. And the floor’s beige and brown stone pieces are a symbol of Starbucks’ perseverance to ensure the quality of all its ingredients.

The expanded Princi menu offers more than 100 prepared on-site artisanal food items throughout the day, made by using more than 60 high-quality ingredients from Italy. Among them is the 20-month aged prosciutto crudo, an Italian ham. In addition, Rocco Princi has personally locally sourced more than 50 fresh ingredients to ensure the finest Italian gourmet experience can be achieved whatever the Shanghai season.

At breakfast, from 7am to 11am, customers can enjoy cornetti sandwiches made with prosciutto cotto, yogurt with fruit and grains, and made-to-order baked eggs in purgatory or a portobello sauce.

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If you work near Xujiahui, where the restaurant is located, you can pack a croissant, with a coffee, for breakfast. The texture of the croissant is definitely worth investigating. There are 25 delicate layers inside the croissant, the same as the classic breakfast sold on the streets of Italy. The crispy and delicious croissants will also put you in a good mood for the day.

The lunchtime menu, from 11am to 2pm, features a variety of enticing soups, focaccia sandwiches and pizzas. The 4 stagioni pizza is a popular choice and recommended by the waiters. The pizza is made with tomatoes, mushrooms, selected prosciutto crudo and cheese. Starbucks’ pizza has a thick bottom, which may not be as enticing as a thin one at first glance. But it will pleasantly surprise your taste buds with its slightly chewy dough that perfectly blends with cheese and a fermented texture after chewing.

The pizza is served in a special set meal with hot soup or a warm drink and is perfect for the spring season. The caffe latte, called “Princi blend,” which is made from the restaurant’s private beans is another popular choice. Its rich full flavor is a perfect match for the prosciutto crudo. And for the first time, salads are being served in a Chinese Starbucks’ store. Starbucks’ fresh salads feature chicken and artichoke with taggiasche olives.

In the afternoon the selections expand to include the classic Italian tiramisu, which has a delicate taste without any overwhelming sweetness.

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At the weekend, the cafe offers a selection of classic brunch menu items till 11am. The frittata and whole portobello plate will tantalize the taste buds of both young and old.

If there's one downside the food is a little pricey. A slice of pizza marguerita is 68 yuan (US$10), while a freshly made tiramisu is 88 yuan. Even in Princi’s bakeries in Milan, the food is more expensive than those in other restaurants. For example, a small margarita pizza costs 5 to 6 euros at a typical restaurant in Milan, but it costs 9 euros in Princi.

The restaurant offers several popular drinks to its customers, including mixolody (private mixed drinks by Starbucks), aperitivo (aperitif) and digestivo (after-dinner drink). But highly recommended is the aperol spritz and Shanghai lane romance.

Aperol spritz, as a classic Italian-style cocktail, is the most popular one in the restaurant. It is topped with prosecco, sparkling water and finally with an orange slice as an ornament.

Shanghai lane romance, as its name suggests, is a mixed cocktail mimicking the features of Shanghai. Shaken with cold brew, it shares plum syrup and Chinese yellow rice wine flavors and carries a special fragrance and a mellow taste. The preserved plums infused with wine and coffee is not to be missed.

As the day turns into evening the coffee theatre transforms into a full mixology bar to offer Starbucks-distinctive coffee or tea-infused craft cocktails, beers, and a fine selection of Italian classics and wines specially curated by Rocco Princi.

Each day from 5pm to 7pm, the store celebrates “aperitivo time” when customers can enjoy handcrafted cocktails, wine and beer with a free-flow of pizza bites, green olives, and schiacciatine. It’s also the first Italian style aperitivo experience (early evening social cocktails paired with small bites) in a Starbucks store location within China.

The Starbucks Reserve Bakery Cafe is an ideal venue to enjoy a social occasion with friends, family and loved ones. Why not give it a try?

Address: 165A/178, 1F, Grand Gateway, 1 Hongqiao Rd, Xuhui District, Shanghai

Ti Gong

Ti Gong

Ti Gong

Ti Gong