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    Food Review: The Loft

    Written by: Nida Qasim
    Posted on: June 27, 2016 |

    The 'Loft' experience

    On the 20th of May, a new café called The Loft emerged in Jinnah market. This small, cozy café really gives you the feeling of being inside a loft. The moment you step inside, the warm wooden exterior gives you the impression of being at a hill station far away from the city. The wooden staircase at the entrance leads up to a cozy little attic room.

    But before you decide to go up, you can't help but be drawn towards a delightful assortment of treats on your left. This small bakery (previously part of the restaurant Tiramisu) offers all kinds of delicious treats, ready to be picked up by those who are in a hurry and short on time to eat a meal, or simply for those who just want to pick up dessert after enjoying a meal at The Loft. See for yourself how tempting these desserts are! I actually treated myself to one of their mango tarts and it was delicious. With a crispy tart base, filled in with custard and coated with a layer of mangoes, the mango tart is a perfect dessert for the summer!

    Cafe The Loft, Jinnah Market, Islamabad

    Desserts on display

    Once you ascend the beautiful wooden staircase, you find yourself inside a cozy and compact café, with mini-sofa lounges on one side and sit-down tables in the middle. There is also a food counter on the left side of the café, which the owner promised would function as an interactive food counter in the near future. By this I mean over the counter soft cones, drinks, salad, chaats and even rotisserie chicken. So, you could sit and order something or you could go over to the live bar and have something prepared before your own eyes, if you really want to have the full culinary experience.

    Cafe The Loft, Jinnah Market, Islamabad

    Wooden staircase leading up to the cafe

    Now, on to the best part: the food! What does The Loft have to offer and what makes the food here so special? Well, in the owner’s words:

    It’s café food, so it’s very casual. Some people might say that our dishes aren’t classically the way they should be, but when you put the food in your mouth, as long as you say “YUM”, that’s all that matters to me. Whether you’re eating a waffle, a Korean beef bowl, a Nutella French toast, a Mediterranean omelet, a rib and chips sandwich, or even a brownie, what really matters is that it should taste good in your mouth – and that’s all I want.”

    Cafe The Loft, Jinnah Market, Islamabad

    The cafe interior

    After trying a few dishes at The Loft myself, I realized that even though their menu isn’t exceedingly large (unlike most cafes these days), every dish that they serve on their menu is, in one word, delicious. From the Korean beef bowl to the Faalsa juice to the Belgian waffles (I tried all of these), every part of the food experience is top quality. I think that’s what sets this place apart from many of the cafes in Islamabad, in that they are not obsessed with having a million different kinds of dishes; they just have a few good ones, but at least you know that whatever you order, it will taste good and won’t be a waste of your money.

    Cafe The Loft, Jinnah Market, Islamabad

    The menu

    Since it's the month of Ramadan, here is some information regarding timings: they are open from 7:00 pm to 2:45 am. For iftari, they offer a deal for Rs. 1,200 per person with a choice of an entrée (Korean beef bowl, pizza, American burger, Fettuccine, or Khawsvey) along with dates, sandwiches, fruit chaat/dahi baray, vegetable samosa or spring rolls, chicken finger, honey mustard sauce, and mint margarita/rooh afza. Their sehri menu starts at 9:00 pm and goes on till 2:45 am, and it’s just their regular menu, including crepes, French toast, omelets, waffles, entrees and drinks.

    Cafe The Loft, Jinnah Market, Islamabad

    In a nutshell, The Loft is a cozy and welcoming place offering delicious food, so whenever you find yourself in the mood for a delectable meal, snack, or drink in a relaxing atmosphere, be sure to give it a try!


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021