Café Merenda in Rome. Dishes and desserts baked all day, just like Nonna would

The sweets

Jam on buttered toast for mid-afternoon snack, a perfumy shortcrust or a breakfast croissant. Plus stuffed bagels or a steamy bowl of soup for a quick lunch break without skimping on quality nor cuddles. The desired feeling is the same approach our grandmas would have taken, preparing hearty dishes and freshly baked cakes redolent of apples and cinnamon. Café Merenda, upcoming opening in Rome, wants to offer just that. Comfortable ambiance, trendy comfort food, prime quality ingredients and a varied offer for any time of day from early morning to evening. The ambitious project is personalized by a team of food professionals with an entrepreneurial background: Chiara Caruso (blogger behind Cucinando con mia sorella) and Claudia Tiberti (blogger behind Verdecardamomo).

The pastry kitchen

With the two partners will also be Armando Palmieri, experienced cook and pastry chef with a fabulous collaboration/training pedigree, featuring Maurizio Santin and Luca Montersino, a specialization at Epicerie Sucrée Fauchon in France, as well as training under Marzia Buzzanca at Percorsi di Gusto, including a period in London for a parenthesis at Cotidie of chef Bruno Barbieri. The latter will be the consulting trainer of young Alessandra Amato (with experience at Bonci and De Bellis), who will be in charge of the pastry kitchen at via Magrini in the Marconi neighborhood venue. The pastry kitchen will be the heart of the shop, baking croissants, cakes, muffins and other flaky goods earlier than 7AM plus a myriad last-minute baked creations. There will also be homemaker classics, like freshly whipped zabaione or bread slathered with butter and dusted with sugar, old fashioned mid afternoon childhood snacks. Beverages will be listed on coffee, tea, herbal tea and fruit juice menus.

All day long

Lunch changes its offer to include savory options: panini and sandwiches, bagels, salads, soups and daily specials. In the afternoon, sweet again with fluffy cakes or savory with crusty slices of bread drizzled with good quality olive oil. For aperitivo, grazing boards with cheese, charcuterie, wine, beer and cocktails until 9PM. Patrons can sit at the bar counter, in the outdoor patio or in the dining room where there’s seating for 12, but enough to relax and feel cuddled at the table. The two friends eager to share their passion for cooking will open the doors November 8th, ready to welcome and share.

Cafè Merenda | Rome | via Luigi Magrini, 6-8 | Opening November 8 from 6.45AM to 9PM

by Livia Montagnoli
translated by Eleonora Baldwin