Dearest Carqon, welcome to the family.
By Studio Fle, Düsseldorf
Welcome, fabulous cargo bike.
Just a couple of weeks ago, the Carqon Cruise moved into our home, and we’ve been raving about it ever since.
In this article, we will take you on a city tour of Düsseldorf with our cargo bike and our little one and show you all our favourite spots.

Shari’s Kitchen, or rather: our second home
Where else can we start than with our favourite spot?
Home to an idyllic courtyard, a perfect venue for any celebration, the most delicious cake – and one of the few places in Düsseldorf where you can get a Paloma.
But what makes this place so special? Shari herself, of course.
Or let’s put it this way: Shari, thank you for letting us visit your kitchen. You are amazing, and your culinary skills are exceptional… Our compliments.

Our favourite(s)!
Where do we start?
Shari posts the lunch menu every day on Instagram Stories, which means we want to go there for lunch pretty much every day.
Shari’s legendary truffle evenings are also incredible. Super rare, but an absolutely unique experience. The dates are posted on Instagram, but you need to be quick if you want to book a table on time.
The private parties in the courtyard are also a feast for the eye.




Sharon’s favourite: the French croissant with maple syrup and fruit. And if you’re looking for a heartier breakfast, Shari’s breakfast bowl is a must.
BAR OLIO
For more mouth-watering food, we usually end up at Bar Olio, especially in the summer. Uncomplicated, with an amazing outdoor space and the finest pasta.
Whenever we visit, we always feel like we’re on vacation there.
Kimi’s favourite food: spaghetti with veal bolognese followed by a slice of warm chocolate cake.


Let op: houd rekening met langere wachttijden, er kan niet gereserveerd worden. Natuurlijk maak je het wachten gezellig met de eerste drankjes. Je kunt ook plaatsnemen aan de zijkant van de bar.
Learn more about our Cruise.
The Carqon Cruise’s box is made from EPP (Expanded polypropylene). For a comfortable and soft interior. The outside is finished with a stylish, robust Dibond outer shell for optimal protection. Thanks to the high collar and sturdy rail, your children are optimally protected in the box. This makes the Carqon Cruise extra stable, allowing you to negotiate traffic with ease.

You can choose from one of two powerful Bosch batteries with a range of up to 40 to 70 kilometres per battery. Making the Carqon Cruise an excellent, sustainable alternative to driving in the city.
Information: www.carqon.com
Hermannplatz




Saturday is market day, and that means a visit to the Hermannplatz.
We try to meet up at least once a month with all our friends at the Hermannplatz. For some of us this means having fried fish for breakfast, while others indulge in Swedish cinnamon or cardamom rolls, followed by a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice or a cup of freshly brewed coffee; and to finish, we shop for pastries, cheese, and flowers for the weekend.


A huge plus: the adjoining playground. Half of our group can usually be found next to or in the sand pit or on the climbing gym, explaining to the kids how to go down the slide backwards. It’s the perfect outing for the little ones. They enjoy our coffee date as much as we do.

Sometimes a slice of cake in Hüftgold… sometimes followed by an extra slice of cake.
The café is located on the Ackerstraße in the Flingern district. The entire area around this street is worth a visit and we have been known to spend our entire Saturday coffee hopping.
My hands-down favourite at Hüftgold: cheesecake brownies!

Düsseldorf has plenty to offer when it comes to culinary delights, but there is so much more.
Thehomestory is my go-to shop for gifts, inspiration, wish list additions, or just browsing around.
It’s an interior design shop also located on the Ackerstraße, with an extensive range of items. The other side of the street now boasts thehomestory’s showroom with even larger furniture items, making a visit extra worthwhile.



‘One spaghetti ice cream with strawberries, without whipped cream, please.’ ‘And one with whipped cream for my male better half, please.’ With whipped cream? Yes, I don’t understand it either, but that’s how it is.
A summer without Nordmanns ice cream is unthinkable for us in Düsseldorf.



A tip for ice cream enthusiasts around Derendorf: you can also find delicious Nordmanns ice cream in the Tannenstraße.

My husband had this to add after he had read my post: ‘Kimi, spaghetti ice cream is ONLY spaghetti ice cream when the vanilla ice cream is served on whipped cream.’
Are you looking for unique flower bouquets from a delightful shop with the finest cut flowers in Flingern?
Then Bloombox, a truly stunning flower shop, is the place to visit.
Since we have known each other, Sharon gives me a Bloombox bouquet for my birthday every year. It’s a tradition I look forward to immensely every year.



Carqon x good to know
For the little one, we currently still use the Carqon toddler seat. But once he’s outgrown the seat, he can sit on the bench with a seat belt.
In addition to the little one, the Cruise also has room for the stroller and a bag, toys, and other small items.
For short stops, you can close the box cover and lock up the bike with the supplied lock. The battery switches off automatically. We always take the bike with us wherever we go; we’re just that happy with it.
We also have an extra safety lock and a rain tent for longer stops and parking.
After two or three test rides without the little one, we both felt comfortable and safe on the road with the Cruise.



This is an amazing concept, because they have everything: breakfast, coffee, a fabulous selection of wines (or so I’ve been told) and delicious food. Most of the time, you can only find great coffee OR great food. Here, you have both.
Their opening hours are also an invitation to a round of drinks after work.


Carlsplatz
If you ever find yourself in Düsseldorf, do not leave without having visited the legendary Carlsplatz. A pricey market, but also a must-see location.
I can’t even decide what we should recommend here – just take it all in and go with the flow. Enjoy a bowl of Dauser soup, try a falafel wrap, treat yourself to freshly squeezed juice, buy herbs and spices, taste wines, and – our personal favourite – indulge in freshly made pasta for lunch.

The atmosphere is beyond compare and the food is truly fabulous. I personally don’t drink alcohol, but the restaurant is famous for its excellent wines.

I would like to mention here that this recommendation comes entirely from my husband. The French fries are amazing, but I don’t like currywurst.
That’s the reason why Sharon always meets up with his friends there. I stopped by for our Carqon tour.
By the way, the two gentlemen swear by the currywurst (and with the second gentleman, I don’t mean our little one).
The restaurant also holds a special place in my heart today because this is where my little one tried his first French fry.






A place where you can always meet people in record time. That’s probably because Markus has a lot of regulars who all seem to know each other in one way or another and like to sit together.
And here, Sharon and I are of one mind: it has to be a double Taleggio.
Rekord also serves dinner on Fridays. You can look up the menu beforehand on Instagram.
O, and they have delicious waffles in the winter!


During our Carqon tour, we paid our first visit to the delicatessen shop Chez Olivier. We opted for a Comté cheese, which was delicious.
This shop is a must for cheese and wine lovers and pure hedonists alike.
We can’t wait to experience many more adventures with you, dear Carqon.




Check out the original blogpost on the website of Studio Fle