I’ve always enjoyed mornings. The familiar ritual of starting a day is a comforting constant even when the hours ahead are an unexpected melange of bustle, urgency, and strife. There is a fragile peace slowly shattered as the collective yawn of the city gradually rouses us back to activity. No, it is not always easy to wake up, but then, it would seem ever the more important to indulge in the embrace of its daily repetition.
Fortunately, Bongusto Italiano is the ideal sanctuary to the morning routine. A café that does not assimilate, nor follow the ever-changing fashions of the moment. It is unabashedly Italian and classic in its offer. From the moment you cross the threshold, your ears dance to the melodies of Italian pop and you are welcomed as a regular with a “Ciao Caro” or a “Buongiorno”. Inside, the vitrines are replete with cornetti, sfogliatelle, crostate, cannoli siciliani, tramezzini, panini and the list goes on. Behind the bar, the chrome finishes of the Cimbali glisten in the light enticing you to order an espresso or cappuccino. It is a place where you can find yourself caught in pleasant banter, or, if the fog of the morning still clouds your mind, enjoy the pleasures of your order in contemplative silence.
I am personally very traditional in my choice and find that a cornetto all’albicocca (croissant with abricot) and an espresso are a pairing that verge on perfection. Ideally, as is the case at Bongusto, the espresso is neat and tight and the cornetto is both crunchy and delicately soft. Together, their respective bitterness and sweetness complement each other with a finesse worthy of daily indulgence. It must be noted, at least in the case of the cornetto all’albicocca, that it is not simply a croissant filled with apricot jam. That, in my humble opinion, is but a lazy imposter banking on a vulgar overabundance of sweetness. The beauty of Bongusto’s cornetto is the balance of crunch, moistness and the delicate emergence of the abricot.
Whilst I could endlessly wax poetic about enjoying cornetti and espressi at seaside resorts, train stations or city bars throughout Italy, I cannot stress enough how lovely the addition of Bongusto has been to my Lausanne routine. Since opening in late 2020 Bongusto has steadily expanded their assortment and prides themselves on their homemade selection. Therefore, if you long wistfully for a little piece of Italia, then Bongusto should definitely be part of your routine.
Bongusto Italiano
Avenue du Théâtre 7, 1005 Lausanne, Suisse Téléphone +41 21 3110555 Lundi – Vendredi • 7:00 – 17:00Samedi • 09:00 – 17:00
Dimanche • 09:00 – 16:00