Ellen Yin's new Bar Cicci brings Italian aperitivo tradition to all-day Rittenhouse cafe
When you walk into Bar Cicci, Ellen Yin wants it to feel like an Italian aperitivo bar with vintage Milan vibes.
Inspired by the Italian tradition of gathering to unwind and connect before dinner, the concept is built around slowing down and spending time with friends and family.
That relaxed philosophy carries through the entire day at Bar Cicci.
Mornings start with espresso drinks and Italian pastries. Lunch brings panini and pizza bianca, and evenings feature wine, cocktails, and a menu of small bites. There's also a full dessert program for the post-dinner crowd.
The café takes its name from cichetti, the Venice-style small plates that are at the heart of the menu.
To help shape the offerings, members of the High Street Hospitality team traveled through Venice and Milan, visiting cichetti bar after cichetti bar, drawing inspiration from what they found there.
Breakfast and pastry selections include cornetti, Italian-style croissants, along with cannoli cruffins, tiny cannoli, crostata and maritozzo, a brioche pastry filled with lightly sweetened whipped cream and vanilla.
Guests can pair them with espresso drinks, including classic shakeratos and an orange shakerato.
Known for its bread program, High Street Hospitality also brings traditional touches like a flywheel slicer for Italian meats.
For Ellen Yin, Bar Cicci is designed to be more than a place to eat. She sees restaurants as works of art shaped by how people feel in the space, and she hopes guests can leave the stresses of the world behind, one bite and sip at a time.
Bar Cicci | Instagram
1620 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19103
