798 may be good for a spot of intellectual enrichment, but when it comes to actual nutritional enrichment, well, the choices are on the slim side – unless you like mediocre cafe food that is (each to their own …).

Praise be then to Factory (by Salt) and their “Creative Working Lunch,” a savior for those working in the 798 area and looking for something a little bit more substantial or somewhere nice for a lunch meeting. At RMB 80 for two courses or RMB 100 for three courses (add RMB 20 for a glass of house wine), pricing is on a par with other lunch deals downtown. 

The menu changes frequently according to what’s in season, but on a recent visit it included end-of-summer dishes like salmon gravadlax on avocado and tomato crostini, chilled tomato and watermelon gazpacho, pan-fried sole, and lemon and aubergine risotto. Take our advice and don’t skip dessert – the chocolate mousse in particular is to die for. 

Lunch is taken in a sunny conservatory that wraps around the side of the brick building Factory inhabits – perfect for winter, a little warm in summer. Larger groups may find the space a little cramped, but it’s a nice break from the usual echoey open dining rooms.

Lunch is available Monday to Friday, 11.30am-2.30pm. Keep an eye on their website for details of occasional dinners and one-off events.

More stories by this author here.

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Photos: Robynne Tindall