Sacre Bleu: Parisian Pastries in Sanlitun

A trifecta of boulangerie, patisserie and chocolatier, French-run Amandine is a quiet spot for your afternoon choco-caramel tart (RMB 25) and a slow cup of Illy coffee.

Considering that Amandine’s factory supplies bread to establishments such as Brasserie Flo and Hotel G, their sourdough (RMB 5/roll, RMB 30/loaf) is predictably excellent – dense and subtly tangy. However, with all products shipped in daily from the factory in Shunyi, the more fragile pastries suffer a little. The croissant (RMB 10) is delightfully buttery, but lacks the defining flakiness.

Even after two months of soft opening, the bakery still suffers from somewhat erratic opening hours – doors were closed to us at 9.30am, necessitating a confused phone call. Still, once you’re in, the environment is warm and the bread has character – full carbs ahead!

Also try: Queen’s Café

Amandine
Daily 9am-8pm. B1-330, Sanlitun Soho, Chaoyang District (8590 0586) 朝阳区三里屯Soho B1-330铺