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Although classic Italian food—from pasta and pizza to risotto, Milanese cutlet and gelato—is certainly widely represented in New York, more niche cuisines (from Roman to Calabrese, Venetian and Florentine) aren't as easy to come by on this side of the Atlantic. Bianco Latte, a new cafe in Williamsburg focusing on Venetian treats, hopes to change that.
The spot, which opened in December of 2021, is owned by Andrea Zanin, an award-winning pastry chef who hails from Venice but has been living in New York for a decade. "Venice has always been self-sufficient, a fact that has guided us towards having strong ethics in regards to organic-bio-local ingredients," says Zanin. "Venice can be considered the queen of Mediterranean food, boasting an incredibly strong food heritage."
Part of that history involves a devotion to pastries like tiramisu—a dessert that takes center stage on Bianco Latte's menu. "The tiramisu is very known worldwide but a lot of people don't even get close to the original recipe, which his why we call ours the 'real tiramisu,'" says Zanin. "We offer a variety of goods for every taste, from mini pastries to butter tea cookies. Everything comes from Venetian flavors and Italian food culture."
In addition to the coffee-flavored dessert, patrons are fond of the Mr. 55 (a chocolate mousse made with 55% Valhrona chocolate), the millefoglie red berries and, of course, the bomboloni—doughnuts filled with the likes of marmalade, Nutella, pistachio or crema. Also available are a slew of quiches, pastas, salads, sandwiches and, of course, coffee.
The name of the cafe, which literally translates to "white milk," is meant to evoke the elegance and relative simplicity of each menu item. That being said, the shop's logo depicts a lion—a deliberate choice in more ways than one. "The lion is the symbol of Venice, it reminds us of our roots and how proud we are to bring the Venetian heritage to the United States," explains Zanin. "The lion is also the king of the jungle and New York is a jungle. We aim to be the best bakery out here because we think people deserve the highest kind of quality."