The 8 Best Cafés in Chaoyang, Beijing

It’s hard to find a coffee shop in Guomao CBD with such good-quality handmade coffee at such an affordable price like Big Small Coffee. Located on the first floor of the former Beijing Traders Hotel, it is a perfect place for a break for the white collars nearby.

You’ll melt at the sight of the macaron-colored décor of the coffee shop, and you’ll melt even more when you see the fluffy friends kept in the café – yes, Lovely Time is a cat café. It’s also a book bar, so you are welcome to stay there for a whole afternoon reading books and playing with cats over coffee.

Wait, isn’t this café of the same name as the coffee shop where the main characters from the famous sitcom Friends hang out? You are absolutely right, as this is the duplication of THE Central Perk in Beijing. Not only have the sets of the Central Perk in the show been replicated, the café also has Chandler and Joey’s leather recliner that will make you go “Ohhhh” just like the two guys.

Newly moved to the Chaoyang Park area from their old shop in Qianliang Hutong, Gu’er is the best place to have a taste of the tranquil hutong in the buzzy Chaoyang District. Here you’ll find coffee handmade from the representative beans from all over the world, teas brewed from Chinese tea leaves and herbs, as well as its signature cheesecake that melts the instant you put it into your mouth.

If you happen to be a fan of Japanese or Korean culture, then you must be familiar with Line Friends, a group of personified animals that went viral because of the stickers used in the LINE chatting app. Like the Line Friends Café & Store in other Asian cities that are always packed with fans, the Line Café in Beijing’s Yintai Center became an instant hit when it finally opened in 2016, with people flowing in to snap pictures with Line Friends-themed coffee and desserts for their Instagram accounts.

Located in the Caochangdi art compound, the café is the best place to take a break from your art tour here and at the neighboring 798 Art District. Other than a variety of coffee and tea to choose from, the café also provides both domestic and Western dishes. The spacious café with comfortable sofas is especially cozy on sunny days, and you would totally want to spend your whole day there even if you are not in the mood to see any exhibitions.

This coffee shop is heaven for foodies who are craving matcha. Here every drink and dessert you can think of is perfectly adapted with a tint of matcha flavor. And the menu here is not limited to matcha – there are other flavors like Sakura Berry Mojito and Cherry Berry Oolong Tea that will also make you feel like you are in Japan.

The multi-functional space is not only a café and bar, but also a venue for talk shows and cultural lectures that enjoys a good reputation especially among expats in Beijing. It’s perfect for both afternoon reading and a late-night chat over beers, though it’s not suggested to count too much on its food.