Italian restaurant Tiago opened five months ago at Indigo Mall and is already popular with lunch-goers. To avoid the crowds, stick to evenings and weekends for family meals. Expect friendly service and a simple but well-executed Italian menu. To find Tiago, go in from the main entrance, stay on the first floor, and head to the northeast side of the mall; the restaurant is across from Starbucks.
We’re greeted by Co-Owner Katie Li, who explains that her experience growing up in Australia influenced her decision to open Tiago. “Australians have simple dishes like fish and chips, so Italian and American food is very popular,” she says. The restaurant’s imported Italian ingredients and large wine selection are proudly displayed on shelves spanning an entire wall.
Our young (and adorable) diners today are German siblings Vincent and Philipp Lorenz, ages 5 and 4 respectively. The brothers attend House of Knowledge International Kindergarten and have lived in Beijing for three years. The boys try out the spaghetti bolognaise (RMB 42), a mini-margherita pizza (RMB 48), and farfalle alla carbonara (RMB 48). All the children’s dishes are served with star-shaped hash browns and sugarless yogurt topped with seasonal fruit.
It’s obvious that the wait staff at Tiago love children. While one server shoots hoops with the brothers in the play area, another dotes on them throughout the shoot. Pizza is the boys’ dish of choice; not only do they polish off two kid-sized versions in no time, Tiago also sends them off with a large pizza to take home.
With wood and brick embellishments and understated hanging lights, Tiago has an atmosphere that is both classic and modern. Black leather booths make up one side of the restaurant’s seating while large wooden tables with metal chairs make up the other.
Family-friendly facilities: Tiago has highchairs imported from Germany, kids’ utensils, bibs, and a small play area. Just outside the restaurant, a brand-new playground and beer garden are currently under construction and set to open in April. Tiago is non-smoking indoors, though smoking will be permitted in the beer garden. The nearest bathroom is in the mall on the second floor. It’s clean, with sit-down toilets, toilet paper, soap, and paper towels. There’s a separate room with a changing table next to the women’s bathroom.
Tiago
Daily 10am-10pm. L173, 1/F, Indigo Mall, 18 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District (6348 8772) 朝阳区酒仙桥路18号颐堤港商场1层L173商铺(星巴克对面)
This article originally appeared on page 28-29 of the March 2015 Issue of beijingkids. Click here for your free online copy. To find out how you can obtain a hard copy, contact distribution@truerun.com
Photos: Dave PIXSTUDIO