This is a quaint little place that serves real french food, not the chinese version.
Prices are reasonable for a French restaurant and they have a good selection of wine(avoid the house wine though). The steaks here are delicious; steak tartar being one of my favourites.

The Service is friendly and most of the staff speak english. However there's this young, chinese waitress that i always avoid, who does the day and night shift. I think she's the manager cause she spends her free time on the restaurant's computer. She can be rude and snooty, even though she's not french.
Other than that, i'd give this one a try.

I was quite surprised about the polemic from people stuck into the stupid cliche of the snobish french. I think its quite safe to call it racism. French people are not arrogant nor snobish -this categorisation is stupid- and If you don't like french food or french people then don't go to a french restaurant. Period
There are instead many fake "french places" in China managed by locals that serve boiled steacks coated in this gross pepper-suggar powder for you to go. You won't see any french there.

The "Café de la poste" (Cafe from the mail office in English) is a decontracted, good and really affordable restaurant with a cozy lounge athmosphere. The kitchen is clean -you can see it from your table- the service is good -not pushy or absent but good, a TRUE rarity in China- and the waiters speak English and Chinese. Unlike what was told I have never seen one of them speaking french. They have a big list of vegetarian friendly dishes that I can't speak of, because I come from the giant T bone steack and the Carpaccio, both excellent. If you order meat just be VERY carefull and explain the cooking. French people like their steack reddish-blue and quite rare so if you don't, insist on that.. The creme brulé (burned cream) is good too. The bill is around 100rmb for a steack, a beer and a dessert. Roughtly the same price as a place in Paris. And roughtly the same service and food.

The bar serve asahi draft beer for 10 kouei a half, a true bargain and pastis glasses -a liquor to mix with water, perfect in summer- for the same price. This is a place for "habitués" (regular patrons in french) wich mean that after a while people will know you. People here are quite chatty (usually in French) and most of the time don't mind you joining conversation.

And no, french people don't pretend they don't understand you or speak french to exclude you. Its just that with 12 times more words than in the English vocabulary (true) we feel better using this language (its more precis ) and we usually slide back to french unvolontary.

Small cafe with good services. Food is reasonable with affordable price. Various selection of drinks. Nice atmosphere at night together with friends. Especiall if you are foreigners, they are nearby Metro station.

I came here for dinner and it was delicious-- I'm a vegetarian who's open to eating very good cheese. The prices were a bit higher than I'd expected, but not bad for a French restaurant in Beijing. I loved the ambiance. Also, the service was excellent. It felt fancy and comfortable at the same time. I can't wait to go back, and try more of the dishes.

But, to the other reviewers, come on, you can't have an idea of who the guy is who asked how it was vegetarian-friendly if they serve steak. To many American "flex-itarians" like me, vegetarian restaurants are a bit wearisome, too much fake meat and pretentious menus. We'd rather just go to "normal" restaurants with non-vegetarian friends, and find food that works for us. But when my friend Dhruv's family was here from India, they found a vegetarian restaurant and went to it every day. Imagine if you were a strict vegetarian for religious reasons, and the smell of steak cooking could make you feel nauseous, offended, uncomfortable.

So, sorry to sound like my grandma, but aren't we here to be critical of restaurants, not fellow reviewers? The guy who asked about vegetarianism wasn't making proper use of the website, but it doesn't follow that he's a prat, or stupid.

Anyway, my point is that we could all use less anger and more meals at Cafe de la Poste. THAT would solve all sorts of problems :)

dikran wrote:

Review of Cafe de la Poste
2

I haven't been to Cafe de la poste yet, but I would like to ask paticamelo in his/her review Oct 2009, how could you refer to the restaurant as "vegetarian friendly" while the place is serving steak?

I think you are confused by the meaning of vegetarian friendly, which I'm assuming means they have a good selection of vegetarian dishes.

Not: that they refuse to serve meat to pander to ethical vegisnobs (that would be "Prat friendly")or cater exclusively to vegetarians (which would be simply a "vegetarian restaurant")

Glad I could help, and since we're now reviewing places we've never been to simply to make comments....I hereby give Cafe de la Poste a well deserved 5 stars!!!!

EDIT: you may want to contact them about that link. At http://www.cafedelaposte.com.cn all I get is a bunch of sponsored links and a message that the domain is for sale.

it's not Japan but sadely ,it's in French Cafe la Poste in Pekin .first Visit & last.
we got there a weak ago , NO Sorry you Can't have a drink we are closing Even though they still got a dozen of clients @ the restaurant,However when we went the next day @ lunch the fOOD Was horrible & fillet was Blue Old Stock, the stuff were Ok but Not Hygenique the worst is the smeel of the Open Mix (WC),the Bar embarassing stage, The wine was absolut Shame ,Considering all that propaganda of the Best Steak in Town ,(No thank you ,i'prefer mine @ home )
However,you must speak french if not you don't look good you look Stupid ,Not comfortable at all ,please stop
missleading the New Comers & the Locals Foodies get the Job Done Or just Change your life ! Cooking & Restaurant Bussiness it's more than speaking French !??, it's global Art form ! forv every body to love & accept.
One Star for the Clients that were lost in translation !

Perhaps I'm a unrefined when it comes to appreciating French cuisine, but I, too, get turned off by the snob factor - so Cafe de la Poste gets a thumbs up in having the a down-to-earth, gregarious waitstaff, along with a damn fine steak.

I've never been a huge fan of French food, but this place certainly has some of the tastiest, most tender meat I've had in a country notable for its love of tough, fatty stuff.

Prices aren't particularly cheap, but the atmosphere is warm and relaxed, and the staff can speak Chinese, English and French.