VIBE

Sleek lakeside lounge and restaurant-cum-architectural museum. Housed in a 250-year-old traditional building from Anhui province that was shipped beam-by-beam to Beijing, Le Quai is surprisingly forward-looking, with futuristic furnishings, a DJ spinning in the evenings, and innovative “New School” Chinese eats on the menu. The downstairs houses an avant-garde gallery in addition to the dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows and a buzzing bar, while upstairs, the space is broken up into swank private dining rooms furnished with plush sofas.

CROWD

The ambiance draws in a well-heeled beautiful people crowd. Business powerhouses come here to unwind, while Beijing’s flocks of millionaire artists pop by to scope the competition.

WHAT WE WOULD WEAR

Chic casual–we’d go with a trendy dress or jeans, glam flats, and funky accessories.

GO HERE WITH

A date; friends; colleagues or clients

WHY WE LIKE IT

The location smack-dab in the center of the verdant Workers’ Stadium complex makes this a lovely escape from Beijing’s usual grime and noise–sitting on their lakeside terrace in the summer is a delight. Also, the one-of-a-kind architecture and the grown-up yet not overly buttoned-up ambiance make this a nice spot for wooing dates and winning over potential clients.

WHAT WE WOULD CHANGE

Though the presentation is always incredibly creative, the flavors of the “New Chinese” fare don’t always live up to the stellar ambiance.

GOOD TO KNOW

It can be tricky to find–it’s located inside the Workers' Stadium complex, just south of the stadium and just north of the lake. If your taxi driver can’t find it, get dropped off Gong Ti Dong Lu (Workers’ Stadium East Street) or Gong Ti Xi Lu (Workers’ Stadium West Street) and walk in–it’s only a short but pleasant stroll through the Workers’ Stadium gardens. Wi-Fi, an English menu, and a non-smoking section are all available, and international credit cards are accepted.

CLOSEST COMPS

Green T House (Beijing); My Humble House (Beijing)

Read more about Le Quai in The Diary