Sanlitun Belgian Bar De Refter Set To Rebrand As La Platea's Second Branch

The ominous uncertainty assaulted me first a couple weeks ago, on my way to dinner at Sanlitun No. 4 Courtyard. Where other eateries and hotspots were beckoning customers in with neon signs and joyful bustle, De Refter was suspiciously closed. A check on the usual delivery apps showed no sign of the popular bar, either. “Another one bites the dust”, my friend concluded grimly.

Needless to say, this reporter vowed to find out the whole story. The grapevine led me to French entrepreneur Thomas Salou, part of the original trio that took over De Refter in 2018, in an effort to replicate a Belgian-style bar in the capital. What follows is a reassuring and happy update on their current and future endeavors.

Hey, Thomas! Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us. First things first — is this article going to be an elegy for De Refter?
Absolutely not! Our Sanlitun location is not going anywhere. Yes, we are closed, and no, De Refter’s name won’t stay on that brick wall, but you best believe we’re reopening soon at the exact same location.

Thanks be to Bacchus. Can you elaborate further?
Long story short, we’re going to resume operations at our Sanlitun venue sometime in April as a second branch of La Platea. This space will keep the long bar of De Refter and the fun drinking vibes, but mostly under the format of our La Platea in CBD. From our very beginnings at Sanlitun we sought to be an awesome bar. We had an outdoor terrace, late night parties with DJs and more. The original team that started De Refter wanted to bring the vibes of Belgian bars we knew and loved to Beijing. I think we succeeded in doing just that, with plenty of memories to cherish.

And then, as it happens, the pandemic hit.
Indeed, and De Refter survived through it all. We complied the best we could with every series of restrictions and changes. At a certain point, though, we also acknowledged the situation. We’re living a new normal, so we also needed a new formula. Luckily for us, we had actually been testing it already.

We welcomed our first customers to La Platea at CBD’s The Place last summer. The goal for La Platea was much different. While we still hope that our drink menu will persuade you to choose us for a relaxed drink in good company, La Platea offers a mélange of Italian, Spanish and French cuisine with no pretention, only a focus on good flavors at affordable prices. 

As we entertained a different vision for the future of De Refter, we were ready to move onwards. It’s worth noting here that a significant part of De Refter’s clientele has left since the onset of the pandemic. Our original team also experienced the changes that inevitably come with the years, even before the pandemic. Shortly after Chinese New Year, we closed De Refter, knowing that we would transform it into a fun twist on the original La Platea.

What a cool disposition to face the unexpected. May you introduce us to the current team?
Rita Yang is Chinese-Italian and knows her Italian fare very well; she’s also really energetic and driven. We've got help from our Spanish friend Miguel Emerico, from Not Your Type, his design agency, incorporating a storm of visual elements that embody the spirit of La Platea. As for myself, I come from the beer industry, making sure you can find great brews in our locations. 

What can we look forward to with La Platea at both of its locations?
For sure, we’ll return to Sanlitun with an opening party! Our food menu there will be a reduced version of the full deal here at CBD, but otherwise it’s this same, exciting concept that we’re constantly developing.

But we don't intend to stop there. We’re planning more things, from a gelato cart by VAI Milano, customizable charcuterie platters, and even a budding shop featuring products from the aforementioned countries. 

READ: Living La Dolce Vita: Five Places to Enjoy Aperitivo in Beijing

Images: Ana Padilla Fornieles, La Platea, De Refter