A Milan-inspired spot is about to give Upper East Siders a sweet reason to stop in — and the first 200 people through the door won’t pay a cent for it.
The giveaway lands this Wednesday, July 1, when San Babila opens a new bakery and café at 1247 Third Avenue (at 72nd Street). Guests who get there early will each get a complimentary gelato croissant, the café’s twist on a morning pastry. It’s a different concept from the brand’s original location — a restaurant that opened last year at 1355 Second Avenue — trading the sit-down format for pastries, coffee, and grab-and-go sweets.
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San Babila pitches the new spot as an all-day place rather than a quick coffee stop, the kind of café meant for an early espresso, a casual breakfast, a midday bite, or an afternoon sweet. The look and feel lean on everyday Italian café culture, with a more playful, modern spin on the traditional version.The menu’s signature item is the Croissant Gelato Cone — “a freshly baked butter croissant shaped into a cone, filled to order with premium Italian gelato, and finished with signature toppings.” Beyond that, expect Italian froyo, specialty coffee, gelato, pastries and croissants, macarons, made-from-scratch custom cakes, and topped focaccia.
The café comes from Gianmarco “Gianni” Di Michele, who moved to the United States in 2015 and worked alongside his grandmother — a name tied to the Numero 28 brand — before branching out on his own. His other spots include Papi at Moxy Times Square, Pandoro in Bryant Park, Zeppola NY, and Zeppola Venetian.
“With San Babila, the goal has always been to create a place that feels welcoming, energetic, and rooted in the kind of hospitality people remember,” Di Michele said. “This new location brings together everything we love about Italian café culture—from exceptional coffee and pastries to the feeling of taking a moment to slow down and enjoy where you are.”
San Babila’s new café will be open weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to close and weekends from 8:00 a.m. to close. More details are at sanbabilanyc.com, or follow along at @SanBabilanyc.
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