Way back in 2014 – OK, not that long ago, but that’s like, 29 in dog years – Ramo opened its doors and floor-to-ceiling windows to the teeming hipster masses of Fangjia Hutong. The restaurant’s blend of pizza pies and pop art was a hit. But then, earlier this year, Ramo’s beautiful windows were bricked over (as were its neighbors’) and it closed not long after.
So, what’s a Fangjia restaurant to do? Find another hutong spot and risk getting on the wrong side of construction, again? (RIP, MoxiMoxi.) Relocate and rebrand somewhere close? (Hi, Nina.) No, no, Ramo literally looked the other way – way up north, to Lido.
Ramo’s new location is more Wangjing South than 798 Art District. But what seems like an off-brand move actually works surprisingly well. It’s a major size upgrade – two floors and an outdoor patio – but the character remains the same. The colorful space is pet-friendly – during our visit, we spot a Siberian husky chilling outside.
The menu has expanded to include handmade pasta, and the clientele has expanded to include small children. There’s both a ball pit for kids and a bar upstairs for adults – the Lido version of Ramo’s old bar Mimi e Coco, which also shut down.
The restaurant’s pizza and flatbreads are now made with imported flour and cheese, which sounds – and tastes – legit. Our Parma ham and rocket pizza is solid. We order a large because, well, obviously, and also the only other option is small. That’s right: no more pizza-by-the-slice for you. We also order the juicy classic beef burger. And the barbecue wings. And pickles.
This order-everything-off-the-menu strategy works well, and we advise you to do the same. Nobody has to know (mainly because Ramo is so much further away).
Images by Wang Huiwei
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