Bakery – Imma Bakery and Café
Imma Bakery & Café
Tainan is full of bakeries, but any visit to sample what the locals think bread should be will inevitably leave foreigners dismayed, if not horrified. Most bakers in Taiwan think bread is made with white flour, sugar and a whole lot of leaven. The result is a sweet, airy concoction similar to Wonderbread. But people can no longer complain that there isn’t a decent bakery in Tainan. In November of 2009, Imma Bakery & Café opened its doors on Shulin Street, not far from the Ximen Mitsukoshi.
The name Imma comes from the Hebrew word for mother. Three Israelis and a Taiwanese run the place, importing baking expertise from the Mediterranean. Despite their origin, however, Imma is more of a European bakery than a Jewish one. They offer Mediterranean and French pastries along with French and German breads. Most of the ingredients are imported, and everything is hand-made. Prices reflect imported ingredients and expertise, but just one bite will show you where your money went. Olive loaves, nut breads, baguettes, pies, quiches, croissants and cookies are just a sampling from the baker’s oven.
In addition to being a bakery it is also a small, comfortable café with a clean, white, modern design and seating for 12 to 20 people. It is full of light and has glass exposures to both the street and the baking kitchen. They serve Lavazza coffee and the usual assortment of espresso drinks.
Hours: Open Wednesday to Monday AM09:00 ~ PM22:00; Closed on Tuesdays.
Phone: (06) 2142102
Location: No. 322 Shulin Street (樹林街) Sec. 2, West Central District, Tainan City