Starbucks Opens First of Many Fancy, Standalone Italian Bakeries in Seattle

In Seattle today, Starbucks opened its first standalone Princi bakery, one of 1,000 of the high-end Italian bakeries that the coffee giant plans to open throughout the U.S.

The Denny Triangle bakery and cafe, located at 2118 Westlake Ave., slings a fancy, rotating array of fresh focaccia pizzas, sourdough bread, and glistening pastries. It’s the same stuff diners have had a chance to taste at the Princi that opened last fall inside Starbucks’ Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room on Capitol Hill. A second Princi opened in February at the flagship Reserve store at Starbucks’ headquarters.

Like both of those locations, the new standalone bakery is wide open, encouraging customers to watch staff as they bake throughout the day. Naturally, the shop also serves Starbucks coffee, as well as cocktails, beer, and wine.

Starbucks [Official photo]

Starbucks recruited Milanese baker Rocco Princi’s namesake company in 2016 for its high-end Starbucks Reserve Roasteries and Reserve stores, and the mega-chain is now making a push to open Princi bakeries in standalone format around the country. Princi locations are in the works in New York and Chicago, with planned openings in fall.

• Starbucks Launches Fancy Italian-Influenced Reserve Store in Sodo [ESEA]
• Starbucks’ Next Fancy Princi Bakery Is in Denny Triangle [ESEA]
• Starbucks Debuts Its High-End Italian Bakery Partnership in Seattle [ESEA]
• Princi [Official]
• All Coverage of Princi [ESEA]