Hong Kong-born Hi Bake bakery is ready to expand across the world by opening its first U.S. store in Beverly Hills this month.
“Los Angeles, this city, has a lot of people passionate about food and they love to see creative food and that’s why we want to come here,” said April Li, the marketing director for Hi Bake.
Founded 12 years ago, the bakery has about 60 locations in China and is making the leap to America with a soft opening Thursday, July 17 in a 30-seat, 1,500-square-foot spot with a patio at 235 N. Canon Drive in Beverly Hills.
The first U.S. location will serve savory and sweet items including some of the Hi Bake’s best known dishes like the Tokyo Banana Roll Tiger Skin edition, which is a fluffy, banana-shaped sponge cake wrapped around a creamy banana custard. And don’t worry, there’s no tiger in it, but the outside of the sponge cake is made in a way that it resembles tiger stripes.
“These are really popular in China and Japan and I think they will be popular here too,” she said.
Other filling dishes will include a crispy sausage, a cheese croissant, a decadent molten chocolate lava croissant and a unique wagyu beef croissant.
“It’s a delicious croissant just filled with the wagyu beef,” she said.
There will be more traditional bakery items like strawberry, chocolate, pistachio, and French custard tarts, bagels, cakes, and a rotating menu of house-made drinks and ice cream. The menu focuses on pets too with a line of treats designed specifically for pets. Plans call for more restaurants in the future at yet to be determined U.S. locations.
Hi Bake soft opens Thursday, July 17 at 235 N Canon Drive, Beverly Hills. For more information go to hibakebakery.com.
