With the Holey Artisan Bakery downstairs and the O'Kitchen Restaurant upstairs, the Dhaka eatery with large windows looking out at a lush lawn suggested an oasis in an increasingly dangerous city.
That illusion ended at about 9 p.m. on Friday, as gunmen burst through the door of an establishment that sells profiteroles and pizzas to Dhaka's elite.
"It is an elegant place: diplomats, successful businessmen, and politicians would meet here," said Agnese Barolo, wife of the international affairs adviser to Bangladesh's prime minister.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.