This Hidden Web Store Has French Bistro Chairs for Under $100, and They’re Perfect for Small Gardens and Apartments

One morning, shortly after moving into my new home, I woke up to a gorgeous October day. I still had an air mattress on my bedroom floor, and there were boxes in every corner. But as I opened the door to the balcony, and let the crisp autumn breeze waft in, I had a vision of a perfect little French balcony garden.

Maybe it was the combination of the bohemian vibes of sheets thrown over the mattress and the single topiary plant sitting just outside. But the entire vignette felt like I’d been whisked away to Paris. 

And that meant I needed to go all-in on recreating a French-inspired aesthetic — bistro chairs included. But here’s the catch: I hate spending money on outdoor furniture. I’ve tried high-end. I’ve tried low-end. It all seems to succumb to wear, tear, and the elements exactly the same. And, unfortunately, as you’ll see in the photos above and below, I don’t have the kind of space where I can bring my outdoor furniture inside during harsh weather or store covers to put over the furniture when not in use.

I set out to find bistro chairs that were both budget-friendly and felt like they might be able to stand up to more than a season. My search — and pages of scrolling through the Google Shopping tab — led me somewhere very unexpected: Webstaurant Store. 

Webstaurant Store is primarily a restaurant supply store, and that got my wheels turning. If they’re supplying the bistro chairs that sit outside at a restaurant — chairs that are used daily, exposed to the elements, beaten down by sunshine and rain — then these things must be durable.

They’re made to stand up to first dates, long coffee shop afternoons, and late evenings with one-too-many rounds of negronis. Certainly they could stand up to my morning latte ritual?

Beyond durability, these chairs had another winning quality: price. Last year, when I bought these chairs, they were just $70 each. They’re now coming in at $94.99, but that’s still a steal when compared to most other retailers — believe me, I’ve looked everywhere online. And if you need to buy more than 12, you get a bulk discount (so maybe pair up on ordering with a friend for extra savings?). 

Even on Wayfair the most similar set of chairs comes in at $464.32, or $232.16 per chair. You can find other sets that are a bit less, but you’re still going to pay $135 or more per chair, and in this economy $35 savings on a chair matters!

Now that I’m hooked on buying commercial-grade outdoor furniture from a restaurant supply store rather than going the traditional residential retail route, I’ve been perusing everything from the dining tables to the umbrellas. I’m even wondering if I need to give my patio a café makeover to continue the French theme. And if you’re curious how my French vision came together, a marble table with scroll detailing and array of French-inspired herbs brought the dream to life.