An Italian bar inspired by Rome's street-bar culture has opened at The Peninsula Beijing, bringing aperitivo traditions, cocktails and Italian cuisine to the capital's Wangfujing area.
Tocca tocca, which opened on Oct 30 in the hotel's basement level, combines a drinks-focused menu with Italian dishes, drawing on the tradition of social gatherings that often begin with aperitivo and continue into dinner and late-night drinks.
The bar's cocktail menu, developed by Pat Lin, who previously worked at W Osaka in Japan, combines Italian classics with ingredients associated with Chinese cuisine.
Get Peppered, a gin sour, features bergamot, jasmine and Sichuan pepper. Pengroni-BJ, a variation on the Negroni, uses house-made hawthorn-infused gin and flavors inspired by tanghulu, a traditional snack of candied fruit.
Other cocktails include Breakfast After Dark, which combines espresso and sesame, and Peking Nocturne, made with rum, five-spice honey and longan. Cocktails are priced from 108 yuan ($16), plus a service charge.
The food menu, developed by an Italian-born member of the bar's culinary team, draws on Italian regional cuisine, with antipasti, Roman-style pizza, pasta and traditional dishes.
A Milanese-style dish is among the main courses, while house-made focaccia is served alongside the menu. The bar also offers Lao Wai La, a house-made chili sauce, as an accompaniment to selected dishes.
The menu incorporates Beijing-inspired elements while retaining its focus on Italian cuisine.
The interior draws on the design of Roman piazzas and street bars, with communal dining and informal seating. A wall where guests can leave written messages and drawings is also part of the space.
"Tocca tocca is our passionate and purposeful love note to la dolce vita," said Cameron Cundle, managing director of The Peninsula Beijing and a member of the bar's team.
The name Tocca tocca means "tap tap" in Italian, reflecting the bar's emphasis on social interaction and shared dining.
The opening adds another Italian-inspired bar to Beijing's Wangfujing area, where hotels and restaurants serve both international visitors and local residents.
