Date: Mar 6th 2014 10:38a.m.
Contributed by:
siennapc
We remember when Pantry’s Best was a little Wudaokou-based delivery service called Pie House, which aimed to bring American-style pies to Beijing. Four years have passed since then, and the display case at the first Beijing shop for the renamed brand is filled with cupcakes rather than pies. But founder Mark Huetsch is just as committed as ever to promoting American-style desserts, and the cute little café has a loyal following and exceptional coffee.
The carrot cake (RMB30/slice) has more frosting than any other version in Beijing, but it’s only subtly sweet and very moist. The strawberry tart (RMB59/4 in.) shows off an excellent crust, plus a sweet, creamy layer that tastes of cheesecake, and a light homemade strawberry syrup.
The mini lemon meringue tarts (RMB9) are similar to the ones from Comptoirs de France, but they are deeper and contain a larger portion of the lemon cream, made with fresh zest. Cupcakes (RMB25/medium, RMB28/large) range from classic American red velvet to matcha, and rival Lollipop Bakery.
The little shop has six tables, all of which were occupied when we visited on a weekday afternoon. The atmosphere is clean and relaxed, and we can definitely imagine spending hours here over the massively sized coffees (¥27 for a latte)—even though the closest bathroom is in the KTV downstairs.
Our rating: 4/5 stars
DETAILS
What: Pantry’s Best
Where: 92-93, 3/F, Ritan Shangjie, Shenlu Jie 神路街39号日坛上街3层92-93商铺
Tel: 400-831-4159