Opening of the Season(ing): SALT in Sanlitun

On March 19th we reported that the “FOR RENT” sign on The Rickshaw had been taken down. Not much happened for a couple of months, and then last week scaffolding went up. There’s been plenty of speculation as to who is taking over the enviable spot on Sanlitun Nanlu. Some said it was the Lush / Pyro Pizza guys’ new Californian pizzeria; others that it might be Constellation, a Shanghai cocktail bar set to open soon. But we are pretty convinced (despite no official confirmation) that it will be SALT moving in.

Originally scheduled to open on June 8th, the SALT team told us to tack on a couple of weeks to this date due to some delays with the interior design. But they stressed that they don’t believe in soft launches, so once open, it’s open to all. As to the restaurant concept, SALT are tight-lipped, partly to wait for everything to be fully confirmed, and partly to protect their intellectual property from would-be imitators. But we do know that the new opening will be a bar / restaurant, with several mixologists hired to create cocktails. The cuisine will still carry the Latin signature SALT fans have grown to love, but the new concept will be “a first for Beijing”, according to SALT marketing guru Jennifer Eden. The music policy will be cool and contemporary, with DJs spinning laidback beats. The name is also unconfirmed, but we’re betting it’s not “N-Peppa”.