Hangzhou: a second home woven in aroma of Russian bakery

An increasing number of international friends are coming to Hangzhou to work, start businesses, and live, gradually making the city their second hometown. They are no longer just passing travelers but have settled down here, truly integrating into the fabric of the city. In response, Hangzhoufeel has launched a series of short videos titled Hangzhou and Its Friends, under the theme "This is Where We Belong." The series spotlights multiple foreign friends who have deep roots in various industries, sharing their stories of meeting and growing together with Hangzhou, showcasing a vibrant, inclusive, and warm-hearted city.

Tatiana’s daily work starts in her small bakery at West Wensan Road, preparing dough, checking the oven, and setting fresh bread out to cool. It is a routine she has repeated for eleven years in the shop called Russian Pie.

“We’ve been to many places, but Hangzhou makes me feel that life can slow down,” Tatiana said. Comfortable and livable, these were her first impressions of the city.

A bakery with Russian flavor

Speaking about why she opened the bakery, Tatiana said that although she and her husband come from different countries, they share one thing in common: bread is a staple in their daily lives. “For us, bread is like rice for Chinese.” At the time, however, bread options in Hangzhou were limited, and most were soft, sweet, Japanese-style breads. Wanting to start something of their own, the couple decided to open this shop.

“At first, I was really just making bread for myself and my family,” she said. She is not a professionally trained baker. Instead, she followed her memory to recreate the flavors of home. In the early days, customers in Hangzhou were not used to her bread, which was denser, more savory, and slightly sour.

“For me, the most important thing is to keep it traditional.”

Over the years, the shop’s best-selling product has been a traditional Russian bread that Tatiana is especially proud of. Made without sugar or oil, it was unfamiliar to many customers at first. Gradually, however, it found its audience. Some loyal customers now travel from far across the city just to buy it.

“I also make pies with different fillings, potato, cabbage, chicken, cherry, apple, and more,” she said. “At first, people found it strange. Bread with potato or cabbage? But now these pies have become quite popular.”

As time went by, most of her customers became local residents of Hangzhou, along with some Russians living in the city. Many of them cross the city just to taste a familiar flavor.

Hangzhou-Born Twins: This Is Home

“When we first opened the shop, my children were only one year old.” Tatiana and her husband have twin daughters, Maria and Katyusha. They were born and raised in Hangzhou, attend local public schools, and speak fluent Chinese.

“If you don’t look at our faces, we are no different from Chinese people,” Maria said with a laugh. “At school, we feel just like everyone else. But outside, when people ask where we are from, that’s when we realize we are foreigners.”

After school, the sisters often return to the backery to help, introducing products to customers and chatting with regulars. At school, they feel no different from their classmates. Outside of it, they become more aware that their family connects three different cultures, Russian, Saudi Arabian, and Chinese.

The twins are not only locals in the way they speak and live, but also long-time readers of Hangzhoufeel. Since kindergarten, they have also taken part in cultural activities such as tea picking, making zongzi, preparing mooncakes, and dragon boat racing organized by Hangzhoufeel. For them, Hangzhou is no longer just a place their parents chose to live. Since they were very young, they have participated in cultural events organized by Hangzhoufeel and have also appeared several times in its English publication.

When asked what Hangzhou means to her, Tatiana thought for a long time before giving this reply: “This is the place where I gave birth to my children, where I built my family, and where I made many, many friends. It is a city where I learned to understand Chinese culture. Here, I became more tolerant, and I began to see life from a broader perspective. Hangzhou is a place I always want to return to. It is calm, beautiful, and comforting. I consider Hangzhou my second home.”

Speaking of the city’s changes in recent years, Tatiana said that Hangzhou has developed very quickly. New districts have been built, and new transportation systems—especially the metro, which she likes very much—have been introduced. Modern technologies are now widely used across the city. And yet, despite all this, the city has retained its natural environment and its calm atmosphere. “I think it is exactly this combination of modernity, convenience, and natural beauty that has made me continue living in Hangzhou.”

If you and the foreign friends around you also have your own special connection with Hangzhou, you are welcome to share it. Hangzhoufeel has long been following such heartwarming stories — international friends working and living happily on this land of happiness is the most touching footnote to Hangzhou's internationalization.

Journalist: Jin Yingying

Editor: Chen Miaolin

Senior editor: Zhou Ji, Li Zheng

Source: Hangzhoufeel