Bill Harby

Flon is full of surprises. Within a few metres, a curious soul can buy a lamp made from a movie camera, eat sushi, smoke a hookah, go bowling and dance until dawn. There are really two Flons, one by day, one by night, like fascinating twins. A suggestion: come for lunch, stay until brunch!  Here's our roundup of the best things to do, where to eat and what to buy in Flon.

The very cool kids’ clothes here will have discerning urban (and suburban) parents wishing these casual fashions came in larger sizes. The store is a colorful confetti of T-shirts, skirts, sweaters, jackets, dresses, overalls, jeans, sweatshirts, socks and much more. This isn't a place to save centimes, but the brand's quality and comfortable contemporary styles promise nice hand-me-downs.  

Fair warning: owners of fashionable feet who don’t even “need” new shoes, may quickly start to think about selling the car to buy a pair of NavyBoot’s elegant, stylish, well-made shoes for men and women. Green suede desert boots? Red high-polish pumps? Supple grey moccasins? This Swiss company has all that, plus bags, belts and other accessories. 

Anyone in love with the decor in the American TV series Mad Men, will go crazy for the furniture at Galerie Port Franc. It’s full of 1950s and ’60s antiques, most of the tables, chairs, lamps, and other stuff in excellent condition at reasonable prices. And, believe it or not, delivery anywhere in Switzerland is free. Mad men and women can’t pour themselves a martini at Galerie Port Franc, but they can get coffee, tea or juice at the little bar. However, that cappuccino could cost a few hundred francs if a shopper falls in love with a retro kitchen table or chairs.

Yummy Japanese food is a natural fit for exotic Flon, partly because of the restaurant’s bright futuristic décor. The varied menu has lots of choices at reasonable prices. Sushi is made fresh to order. There’s also teppanyaki and udon; or get a rice bowl. Drinks include an OK selection of Japanese beers and sakes. Some diners will prefer sitting by the large windows with a view out onto the envious passersby. Others will like sequestering themselves at a table along the polished winding path to the back. 

Switzerland has a handful of bowling alleys, one of which is the lively, noisy, family-friendly Bowl Bar. Its 10 lanes pulse with psychedelic lights and pop music, which brings in the teens too, as do the video games, foosball, popcorn, ice cream and potential for hook-ups. There’s also a full bar for those of a more advanced age. The lanes are even open Sundays. This is a rather raucous, but harmless scene with lots of moving bodies, some of whom probably never even bowl a game, but get caught up in the other games and drinks and snacks.

It’s couplesville at either the low-light, candle-lit lounge serving tapas at cushy couches, or in the restaurant with its full menu. Tapas include shrimp and porc meatballs à la vietnamienne and vegetable cakes. The restaurant offers vegetarian dishes like couscous with root veggies and dried fruit, seafood and quail breast with quinces on risotto. There’s a respectable wine list, too. At the centre city end of Flon, Nomade is an enticing place for couples to start or end their festivities. It doesn't get noisy, so whispering sweet somethings into the ear of a certain someone is normally no problem, even if it's to ask them to share the cost of that pricey bottle of wine.

This odd collection of second-hand clothes, original furnishings and intriguing arty things is a promising place to find off-kilter little treasures at tempting prices. You can even rent theatre costumes here. Along with recycled fashions, the shop features the work of non-professional creative types from around the Canton of Vaud who put together one-of-a-kind chairs, tables, lamps, jewelry and other items. Textura also serves a social purpose by helping people in their efforts find work, and includes vocational training, social integration and promoting recycling.