Italian sweet shop Minuto Bauli opens first US store in Union Square

A popular Italian pastry shop has opened its first US location in Union Square.

Minuto Bauli is a sweet shop with locations throughout Italy. They opened with the goal of bringing together tradition and innovation, blending baking expertise with modern flavors.

The store recently opened its very first location in Union Square, marking the brand’s first location on US soil.

“The US debut was the result of very thoughtful planning — and very extensive planning — but it’s a long-term commitment in our view and in the view of the family as well,” said Jacopo Butti, General Manager North America – Bauli Retail (Minuto Bauli) at Bauli Group. “We really want to make sure Minuto Bauli becomes part of the rhythm of American cities and New Yorkers.”

Minuto Bauli’s flagship item is right in the name of the shop: the Minuto Bauli is a pastry made with a 12-hour dough rising process, cooked into a delicious, slightly sweet loaf. Each pastry is then stuffed with the fillings of your choice.

The Minuto Bauli loaf.Photo: Molly Tavoletti

Minuto Bauli.Photo: Molly Tavoletti

“The idea was to focus on one product and do that one product exceptionally well; that’s the number one. [The pastry] comes from a very simple recipe of flour, eggs, sugar. Our mother yeast that has been sitting in the family for 100 years, put all that together as a clean label and then just make it,” said Butti. “We understood that this could be the perfect canvas to then create something different and that’s where we start to work in a vertical way, with choices on how you can customize your item.”

The menu currently offers Pistachio Spread, Hazelnut Spread, Pastry Cream, Dark Chocolate Spread, Apricot Jam and Mixed Berry Jam as their standard fillings; for those looking for a sweeter, colder treat, the pastry can be stuffed with the store’s house-made soft serve ice cream, currently available in chocolate or vanilla.

Butti told amNewYork that so far, the most popular spreads have been Pistachio, Hazelnut and Pastry Cream. Each pastry can then be topped with crushed nuts, cookies and candies.

Minuto Bauli pastries.Photo: Molly Tavoletti

“The possibilities are endless, and that’s where I think our intention of customization came in play in a world where its customers are always looking for more ways to customize and make truly one-of-a-kind experiences,” said Butti. “[We’ve seen it] with our European stores, and so the idea is really to ensure that everyone has their moment to customize the product in a very unique way.”

Beyond the pastries, Minuto Bauli also offers traditional and custom coffee orders. The menu features classic Italian options, such as espresso, macchiatos and cappuccinos, and also includes options such as matcha and iced lattes, as well as seasonal options.

“We do believe that the coffee component is a natural complement to the menu, too,” said Butti.

The store has been open in Union Square since May, and Butti says that the shop is already nestling itself into the neighborhood quite comfortably.

“We’ve started to see some regulars coming back and that’s to me, that’s always a sign that you’re getting cemented into the neighborhood, and I think that’s really the outlook that I want to see,” said Butti.

For more information, visit www.minutobauli.com.

Photo: Molly Tavoletti