Coffee, Bread and Last-Minute Gift Options Abound at Nestgram and Blanko in Raffles City
Since the Great Brickening, we've stopped by the hutongs less and less and instead flock to shopping malls more frequently. During one such trek at Raffles City, Dongzhimen, we spotted newly opened locations of Nestgram and Blanko.
After enduring closures at Sanlitun North and Ritan Park, bread shop Nestgram has now found a safer home in this mall. Despite this new location being much smaller than the Ritan branch (which had a beautiful yard nearby), this Raffles iteration at least ups the ante for baked goods in Dongzhimen. Offerings include Nestgram's signature colorful, bagel-like bread, baozi-like bread with salted egg and other fillings, and other carb-y items all made with locally-raised enzymes that are added to the dough.
Then there's, Blanko, a mini market chain that is part café, bookstore, furniture, and stationery shop. The new Dongzhimen iteration doesn't bother with furniture and instead focuses mainly on coffee, tea, and French-style confectionaries. While tables and chairs aren't for sale here, they still sell tableware, stationery, picture frames, and canvas bags.
Blanko's hazelnut, mango, and peppercorn cakes are served on stylish plates, and their chocolate mousse was covered in a ganache, with a white chocolate frame and a single piece of gold foil on top. The center contained several layers, the combination of different textures teaming well with a subtle hint of Cointreau. It all amounts to a convenient spot to have a cup of coffee and grab a last-minute gift.
These two new Raffles outlets are small and different, but both provide more choices for the Dongzhimen set looking for breakfast and a cup of joe, or a sneaky afternoon tea near their office.
Nestgram
Mon-Fri 8am-10pm, Sat-Sun 10am-10pm. B1-13b, Raffles City, 1 Dongzhimen Nandajie, Dongcheng District (6406 5760)
东直门南大街1号来福士B1-13b
Blanko
Daily 9.30-10pm. B1-11b, Raffles City, 1 Dongzhimen Nandajie, Dongcheng District (159 0411 6606)
东直门南大街1号来福士B1-11B
More stories by this author here.
Email: tracywang@thebeijinger.com
Twitter: @flyingfigure
Instagram: @flyingfigure
