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Downtown Highlights

Welcome to Downtown Highlights, the series in which we take the opportunity to “highlight” businesses in NYC, like delicious chocolate and or gelato from Venchi. After the tumultuous and crazy year we’ve had, brick and mortar locations have taken a hit, and so it is important for us at Downtown to make sure that we’re serving the places that are serving us.

Venchi

This week, we have been transported to Italy via our New York, Venchi, an Italian gourmet chocolate shop. This place evokes a sensory experience, from homemade chocolate to refreshing authentic gelato. The sights, smells, tastes, sounds, and feel of their shop are unlike any other. The best part? You don’t need a passport to enter this little slice of Italy.

We sat down with store manager Michele Sbarigia to get the scoop on Venchi’s story.

Venchi started in 1878 in Torrine, Italy. Their claim to fame is their nougatine, a decadent treat of caramelized hazelnut coated in 56% dark chocolate. Twenty years ago, Venchi incorporated gelato into their decadent repertoire.

One of the most stunning features at Venchi is that its ingredients are as authentic as it gets. They use all-natural ingredients, importing their specialized ingredients directly and exclusively from Italy. Hazelnuts come from Piedmont Italy. Pistachios come from Bronte, a small village in Sicily. Lemons come from Sorrento, a small village under Naples, and so on.

By staying true to the pillars of rich tradition and quality ingredients, Venchi remains as authentic as it gets in NYC.

For more Downtown Highlights, click here.

As a design addict, one of the most enjoyable elements of New York City is its retail landscape. There is no end of eye-candy, from a fashion-forward brand with all of its mesmerizing tailored patterns to the lighting design store the next street over, inspiration abounds on every corner. And while this year has seen a loss of quite a few iconic stores, we have also seen the arrival of a few new ones. Society Limonta, a Como-based home textiles and ceramics brand opened up a 2,000 square-foot flagship store in Soho at 78 Grand Street.

Part of the Costa Masnaga-based Limonta Group, Society Limonta references the 19th-century historic textile firm’s roots, with incredible, soft-to-the-touch linens, bedding, bath towels, and accessories. A curated array of ceramics round out the offerings. With every collection displayed in its natural setting—from dining tables, to bathrooms, bedrooms, and specially curated vignettes, each area showcases the sought-after aesthetic of a Society Limonta room. Luxury Italian design at its finest, Society Limonta is currently open to shop.