The BSB Sanlitun Christmas bazaar not only delivered hours of fun for my kids, as they set about decorating ginger bread men with icing and candies, chocolate slabs with nuts and fruits, and Christmas cards with glitter, it also introduced me to Da Giuliano Pasticceria Panetteria. This great Italian pastry shop and bakery is a stone’s throw from the BSB Sanlitun campus. A warm croissant or pain au chocolat is a truly wonderful thing, especially on a cold Beijing morning. Those distinct layers of pastry, light and crisp on the outside, with a softer dough texture inside. It’s all about the quality ingredients that go in to the dough, namely the butter, the flour, and sometimes the chocolate. Da Giuliano does a pretty good job of getting it just right.
The perfect accompaniment to a fresh pastry is of course a decent coffee based beverage, something else which Da Giuliano does well. With a very good selection of coffees, including espresso, cappuccino, latte, and a wonderfully rich Italian hot chocolate. Teas include English breakfast, red, jasmin, and green, and prices are a very reasonable RMB 26-28. There’s a range of smoothies and fresh juices, including orange, carrot, and celery with apple.
Their pastry offerings extend to almond croissants, chocolate twists, and cinnamon swirls. All of their pastries are much larger in size than in other city bakeries. The chocolate twist could easily be shared with at least two of your friends, and prices range from RMB 12 to 18. There are homemade artisan biscuits RMB 25 for 100g, and a vast array of pasticceria mignon, or mini pastries, for just RMB 7 each. Perfect for breakfast or brunch is to order one of their special sets for RMB 55. You can have a hot drink, fresh juice, croissant, with jam and butter, or the coffee or tea set, which includes seven mini cakes.
If you need a cake for a special occasion, you can order from a selection of cheesecakes, tarts, gateaux, and tortes. If your Christmas isn’t complete without a pannetone or two, Da Giuliano must have the largest range of any one store in Beijing. With a range of sizes and flavors available, all of which are beautifully packaged. They also have individually wrapped Italian chocolates, which would make a great gift this holiday season.
beijingkids Shunyi Correspondent Sally Wilson moved to Beijing in 2010 from the UK with her husband and son. Her daughter was born here in 2011 and both her kids keep her happily busy. In her spare time, Sally loves to stroll through Beijing’s hutongs and parks. She is a (most of the time) keen runner and loves reading: books, magazines, news, and celeb websites – anything really. Sally is also a bit of a foodie and loves trying out new restaurants.
Photos: Joy (Flickr), Sally Wilson
