Operators of the three-story Piazza Italia say their new super store is one of the biggest Italian food centers outside of Italy. The huge multi-million dollar complex, located at China Central Place, next to Shin Kong Palace, sells more than 2,000 different imported Italian products. It houses an authentic cafe, a cool and elegant bar, a top-class restaurant and even has a travel office promoting Italian tourism.

Emanuele Plata, CEO of CRAI Beijing Commercial, refers to the complex as a "lifestyle communication center".

"This is different from any of the large-scale retailers the Chinese have ever seen," he says. "The venue carries the Italian people's friendliness and enthusiasm, and will make shopping, as well as dining, an enjoyable experience."

The store has already been a big hit with locals. According to restaurant management, the first-floor shopping area has attracted more than 1,000 customers every day since it opened in September and many Chinese are venturing to the second floor to enjoy spaghetti and pasta.

Italian fashion, culture and especially Serie A soccer, have been hugely popular in China for many years. Italian soccer, widely televised in China for more than two decades, has a massive Chinese fan base with teams such as AC Milan and Juventus, attracting millions of loyal followers.

Piazza Italia opened its first and second floors in September and last month launched its third-floor Lounge Bar. The bar offers top-quality Italian wines and the nearby restaurant's Italian chef has worked in Michelin star restaurants.

The Pausa Cafe caters to Italian coffee fans who can take their cup to the second floor and enjoy reading Italian magazines in the sun room.

Packaged food products make up 40 percent of the stock on the first-floor shopping area, with ham and cheese making up 30 percent, wines 20 percent, and olive oils 10 percent.

The Dalce & Salato patisserie offers freshly baked traditional Italian desserts and opposite are shelves stacked with snack foods, beverages, pasta, Parma ham, and Grana Padano cheese. All the brands are on sale; Panini sandwiches; Ciabatta bread; Kono pizza, and Piedmont coffee. The second floor has three open-kitchens and a casual dining area, which offers hot and cold Italian foods - appetizers, pizza, pasta and various meats.

There is also an authentic Italian display kitchen, which shows how to build your own Italian kitchen. The center holds cooking classes for beginners.

About half of the second floor is taken up by wine and olive oil, with 50 Trentino wines as well as 70 other top wines. There are 70 different extra virgin olive oils.

On sale are books about Italian fashion design, and an area promoting tourism in different areas of Italy.

Daily 7 am-2 am. Bldg 2, China Central Place Apartments, 89 Jianguo Lu, Chaoyang District. 5200-8080. 朝陽區建國路89號華貿公寓2號樓

(China Daily December 9, 2008)