Melo Lounge: Lido Acquires Low Key Cocktail Spot
At first glance, Melo Lounge’s name does little to describe the nightlife addition to the quiet, family-oriented Lido neighborhood. The lounge’s avant -garde decor looks like it could have been plucked from Beetlejuice’s estate sale, while the roaring sound system and cluster of flashy cars regularly parked out front recall that ragerhosting noisy neighbor back home. You wanted to forget about him, we know.
But night is followed by day. Melo’s sweeping floor plan, replete with a towering wall of fake bookshelves, Roman columns, and two-storey windows looking out onto a summery terrace, becomes a chill quarters with the quirkiness of Maan Coffee and the charm of an eccentric collector’s home after sun up. Where else can you enjoy such a vast selection of whiskey atop a fur-lined table, under chandeliers made to look like spindly, white coral under a pleasant, afternoon glow? Especially looking to cater to families, Melo promises outdoor barbecues and tea time.
Try the Imperial Blackberry Martini (RMB 65) for a refreshing blend of fruit and vodka, or the Twilight (RMB 65) for an apple-toned mix of cherry liqueur, fresh orange juice and Glenmorangie Original.
We only hope Melo’s sound system improves – their funky, live cover band creates the right kind of jazzy vibe, but unfortunately, sounded jumbled when we went in mid-May.
Melo Lounge
Daily 3pm-late. Bldg 1, 6 Fangyuan Xilu (east of Lido Park), Chaoyang District ( 5643 6798 )
朝阳区芳园西路6号院1号楼（丽都公园东侧）
Photos: Mitchell Masilun
