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Casual Food

Atelier Nido

Photography by Agota Lukytè

Atelier Nido is a little piece of Japan in the historic centre of Mendrisio. Established in 2011 as an architects’ studio dedicated to the design of living and community spaces, Atelier Nido was founded by Andrea Scheuber, from German-speaking Switzerland, and Taro Sakurai, of Japanese origin, both graduates from the USI-Academy of Architecture in Mendrisio. After a short time in London, where they both worked for leading firms of architects, they decided to start up on their own in the place where it all began, where they had first met and where they would one day build their family and, indeed, their nido, or nest.

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A few years later, in 2013, Andrea and Taro decided to combine their backgrounds in design and architecture with their passion for traditional Japanese food in the hope of extending what Mendrisio had to offer with a quality, fast and inexpensive service. A five-minute walk from the Academy, Atelier Nido is now a focal point for locals and for the many international students who populate the city. It is a place they can come back to everyday, or a place where they can just make an impromptu stop with the certainty of always finding a friendly and attentive service, and authentic, tasty and original food on offer. “From the outset we thought of Atelier Nido as a place for students and young architects eager to gain experience, a starting point from which they could take flight, and which they could always return”, explains Taro.

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They serve primarily onigiri, a delicious snack from the Japanese culinary tradition consisting of a triangle of rice with a fish, meat or vegetable filling. There are many variations on offer, with Atelier Nido's onigiri handmade by Taro and Andrea using top-quality ingredients from Japan, like the famous seaweed, and, whenever possible, from local producers and suppliers according to the seasons. Over the years Atelier Nido has expanded its range to include miso soup, udon, curry and tiramisu. “We wanted make our onigiri a part of people's lives. We weren’t about passing fads, but about little everyday pleasures. It was a new thing for a small town like Mendrisio, and was something of a challenge, but as the years have gone by, we feel more and more that we have become part of the community”, say Andrea and Taro.

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The space itself is small and cosy with wooden beams and a counter where all the different onigiri are on display. There are no sit-down tables as Atelier Nido’s service is take-away only. Alongside the Japanese street food, customers find a selection of books on architecture, design objects and stationery supplies handcrafted by Swiss and Japanese artists, as well as from small brands carefully selected by the two owners: “We are very keen to sell objects that we would be happy to have in our own homes and that meet our personal tastes and lifestyle”. Atelier Nido is that perfect mix of the souls of two young owners influenced by their education and their different cultural backgrounds, always with attention to detail, creativity, love of tradition and a spirit of innovation.