Hide and Eat: Bar Veloce Now Serving Lunch

Lunch service has arrived at Bar Veloce, a New York wine bar tucked into the 1949–The Hidden City complex in Sanlitun, and it's set up to be a great location for lunch dates and meetings. Set lunch deals top out at around RMB 60 and include coffee or a soft drink.

A juniper berry, apple and gorgonzola salad was scattered with lovely balls of cheese that paired well with the sweet crispness of the apple slices. Sandwiches can either be chosen as panini or ciabatta sandwiches and include a side salad. I had an excellent sorpresatta spicy salami on ciabatta. The tomato sandwich with mozzarella and pesto was a lighter option that was pleasant but had few surprises.

Wine may be the main draw at Bar Veloce – and what a draw it is – but the food is also well thought out and fairly priced. Given the hidden nature of the 1949 compound, it should offer a nice retreat if you want to duck in there during the day.

Photo: Josh Ong