A mommy friend asked me, “Where can I send my ayi to take my daughter to hang out all day that’s safe, where she won’t be bored, and I don’t have to spend hundreds on a play place?” Well, that’s a pretty specific inquiry and there’s one place that comes to mind – Indigo Mall.
Here’s why Indigo is perfect for those with young kids.
- It’s good for any weather. Unlike Solana, where the open play area is outdoors, Indigo is all indoors. The massive Winter Garden always has kids playing there all year round. The mall also puts in the effort to keep Winter Garden fresh and entertaining for kids and grownups with their pop-up exhibitions. They’ve had everything from Harry Potter to mini food festivals, to the most recent INDIGO x OPENFILE art festival that’s filled with bright, colorful kid-proof pop art.
- They’ve got kid-friendly bathrooms. If you’ve got little kids, especially those still in diapers, you know how important a big clean bathroom stall is. They’ve got it!
- They’ve got a BHG supermarket on the B1 level and basically the entire third floor of the mall is filled with kids’ stores. If you forgot to bring any diapers, snacks, or other essentials, you can very easily find one in Indigo.
- There are restaurants to meet all price ranges in the mall. I’m not saying we’re cheap, but if you’re looking for a regular hangout, a place with affordable casual dining is essential. Treating ayi to a RMB 300 meal every once in a while is ok, but we can’t make it a daily thing. There’s a huge food court and plenty of affordable restaurants all over Indigo – perfect for those who hang out there all day.
Speaking of restaurants, I was so thrilled to find out that Avocado Tree and The Pizza Show have joined the Indigo family! Owned by the same parent company, the two restaurants share one common space and offer inside seating as well as serve as a hub to provide Lido residents with even faster delivery time.
Located right by McDonald’s, these healthier (and much tastier) options are now available all day long, serving up the same menu as their downtown locations.
What can you find at Avocado Tree? Avocado Tree first opened in Beijing back in 2010. They serve delicious Mexican-inspired salads and burritos, as well as a nice selection of juices and smoothies to compliment your order. Their original salad bowls can be served as one meal and they come in four different flavors: chicken at RMB 32, barbacoa (beef) at RMB 40, tofu at RMB 30, and carnitas (pork) at RMB 32.
And as for The Pizza Show, their new Indigo location will also be serving up Neapolitan pizzas with classic fluffy crusts with slightly crisp edges, all assembled to order right under your eyes.
Their menu features a variety of 9-inch combos priced between RMB 63 and RMB 83, through a long glass case in front is full of sauces and toppings. This setup will eventually allow customers to make their own pizza combinations, at the perfect height for a toddler to observe.
Find it:
18 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区酒仙桥路18
Images: Avocado Tree, Indigo, Eloise Wester
