A French Bistro Table is a very useful table to own for any homeowner. Today the so called French bistro tables as we find them in the US don’t have much that is French any more.
It is called French because initially they were created to accommodate the terraces of French cafés, and the rooms in French restaurants where space was always at a premium. They were often light tables that could be moved easily and joined together to form larger tables, the same way we do in the US when we have a large group of people.
The round French bistro tables were more for small groups of 2 to 4 and are still very popular in France or anywhere else they are used. A round bistro table in a French café almost always has a pedestal leg made of cast iron. The weight makes it a perfect table for outside where winds cannot tip the table over. While it is not very practical for many homeowners to have such a heavy table shipped, it is a great table for a windy yard.
Manufacturers who are concerned about the needs of their customers have created wrought iron bistro tables, that can be used outdoors and face the elements with practically no maintenance. These tables are not as heavy, but what they lack in weight they make up in style. You will find different styles of table tops and different styles of table legs.
Today French café owners buy whatever tables they need and so should you without worrying about the label. If a bistro table has a style that is pleasing to you, and is made of the materials that fit your situation, then you should get it.
There are times however, that only an authentic French bistro table will do. If you are a collector or an antique connoisseur, you might not want anything else, and that is understandable.
Because a table top made a perfect place to advertise products, some companies had bistro tables made with great images and their logo. These tables used to be given, to café owners, as promotional items. Some of these from a bygone era are still available and very authentically French. You can also find exact reproduction of these tables, but I have not seen any in the States. This does not means you could not have one shipped. I would probably forgo the heavy base and only buy the table top if I had to get one shipped from France. It is possible to find cast iron bistro table legs here.
