Simple Stone Bakery

You can sit comfortably on the sidewalk near Dali University, sometimes just to sit for a while and have a cup of coffee. American coffee is 12 yuan, aromatic enough. The bread is baked very well (European-style bread, high hydration, natural yeast). A ciabatta sandwich (braised beef) and a cup of coffee make a great meal. Their chicken liver pâté sandwich is also good. Pizza and desserts are also nice. There are also homemade specialty ice cream, wine, and cocktails, all of which are good. I'm not a particular expert in Western food, but I feel that from the people to the food, the quality is very good. The location is on Hongsheng Road near Dali University, and it is also often our meeting point for activities.

The beginning and development of Simple Stone Bakery are full of serendipity. The shop started operating around 2021. Before coming to Dali, Rio was a fashion designer. When she met Locky, he was a rock climbing coach. They lived in Om Cave for a while and often baked pizzas and bread in a wood-fired kiln in the yard to share with friends, and everyone loved the taste. Later, other jobs were not easy to make a living from, so they thought of opening a bakery, just selling some bread and pizza.

After renting the shop, they went to Laos, planning to return after a vacation and start renovation. Unexpectedly, the pandemic started while they were in Laos. Since the shop had already been rented, they bought the first batch of tickets after the price increase and came back. If not for that, they would probably have been stuck in Laos for the next two or three years. The shop opened soon after. Then an Israeli guy named Yali became their partner. When the pandemic just broke out, he was traveling in India, and for some unknown reason, he still came to China where the pandemic was erupting, and then he stayed. He has rich chef experience and travel experience around the world. He contributed a rich and distinctive Mediterranean-style casual Western food, which is quite different from the usual average brunch. He was also very happy, having always been a chef following restaurant requirements, but this time he did it according to his own ideas. That was during the pandemic, everyone was idle, and there were not many outside travelers, so we often had the chance to chat together. Soon, Simple Stone became a shop very much loved by community friends. Later, because it was so popular, the space of Simple Stone expanded, was rearranged and renovated, and became even better.

Rio and Locky are very kind to people, and the work partners they found are also great. Together they created a friendly and cozy space. So we often have coffee there, and even the meeting point for long-distance activities is mostly there. Even our team leaders, such as Xiao Li and Yang Mi, once worked at Simple Stone, and still have a good personal connection today.

An interview with Rio, June 29, 2025

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