Paris is always a good idea.
But Paris is hard to get to. It’s expensive. It’s excessively crammed with tourists this time of year. And with all this in mind, Café FLO is your next-best bet.
The cafe and casual-dining spot, opened by the same team that’s behind – you guessed it – Maison FLO (formerly known as Brasserie FLO), is not new to Beijing. There are currently other Café FLO locations in Parkview Green and Guomao. But this latest opening is the brightest star of them all. And much of that has to do with its location.
Café FLO sprawls across a grand, high-ceilinged space on the top floor of Sanlitun’s bustling Taikoo Li South. The complex comprises a dining room, terrace and small shop – all decked out in a mixture of azure paints and wood. Inside its sunlit dining room, we realize how perfect a fit Parisian dining is for Sanlitun shoppers.
After all, Parisians know how to lunch. As such, Café FLO isn’t a grab-and-go sandwich joint (although you can take away yogurts and pastries at the shop counter); nor is it a stuffy dinnertime affair. It’s quality, hearty French food and swift service, but in relaxing, charming environs. It’s also a place with a lot of wine. Nothing makes more sense in Beijing’s pleasure capital, Sanlitun.
On our recent visit, we enjoy spreading rich pork pâté on our fresh bread before tucking in to tender duck confit and finishing it all off with a platter of desserts. And while it is a workday – we opt for coffee – we could easily spend longer at Café FLO lingering over glasses of pinot.
Alas, we have to run. But there’s good news on that front, too. This Café FLO location is the first to offer a DIY yogurt bar – choose your base of artisanal yogurt, a jam and toppings, and be out of there in a flash. But only if you must.
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