Café Zarah
Café Zarah has earned its name for being an excellent place to study, relax or spend a leisurely afternoon. The location is a beautiful renovated courtyard with a terrace that’s perfect on a balmy summer evening. Even in the winter, the large glass pane windows bring light into the room, creating a cozy hideaway from the cold. On top of great coffee and a wide range of food, the café also hosts exhibitions in its art gallery.
46 Gulou Dongdajie, Dongcheng, Beijing, China +86 10 8403 9807
Barista Coffee
Barista Coffee is no place to pretentiously sip a latte with a laptop. More than just a place to ‘get a coffee’ it’s a place to fully appreciate coffee. The in-house barista takes the process very seriously and every cup is made with mathematical precision. The space is intimate and seating limited to six people, but always full of coffee lovers getting their fix of ‘the good stuff’.
47 Wudaoying Hutong, Dongcheng, Beijing, China +86 135 0981 6880
The Bridge Café
The chief Wudaokou 24 hour hangout dedicated to students who study hard and also party hard. The Bridge Café offers brunches, lunches, dinners and coffees around the clock and plenty of room to chill out on the comfortable sofas. While the drinks may not be the best in Beijing, the location remains popular. Furthermore, the café hosts public speakers and discussion sessions, bringing together the inhabitants of the many universities in the area.
12 Huaqing jiayuan, 35 Chengfu Lu, Haidian, Beijing, China
Voyage Coffee
The area of Beiluoguxiang is a hipster mecca, with the surrounding hutongs packed with stylish coffee shops and restaurants. A good choice of daytime getaway to sit back with a cup of coffee and get some long overdue work done in a relaxed atmosphere.
80 Luogu Alley, Dongcheng, Beijing, China +86 186 1132 2067
Moka Bros
A leader in the Beijing health-food scene, renowned for power bowls and fresh interiors. With a number of locations around the city, you can locate the most convenient one from their website. Moka Bros aims to bring Beijing the perfect place to work, socialise and enjoy a healthy and nutritious meal.
81 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang, Beijing, China +86 010 5208 6079
Village Café
The Village Café is located in the trendy Opposite House hotel. It opens in the early hours of the morning for a leisurely breakfast, in the afternoon for a stylish business lunch and stays open until late for a dinner of great international cuisine. The design doesn’t fail to impress and the service is of consistently high standard.
11 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang, Beijing, China +86 10 6410 5210
Hatchery
China’s first culinary incubator – it doesn’t get any more hipster than that. The concept is based around providing entrepreneurs with a space to grow and ‘hatch’ their ideas. They pitch their concept and Hatchery provides the space to make it happen. Thus the menu at the Hatchery is not fixed and depends on the projects currently presenting their ideas to the public. There is also a permanent café for those more interested in a coffee rather than an experimental meal.
88 Dongsi Jiutiao, Dongcheng, Beijing, China
Green Cow City Café
Founded by a husband-wife team who found it difficult to find great quality produce in the city, so decided to offer it themselves. The production of the ingredients is overseen from start to finish at the couple’s Green Cow Farm. Despite the name, it’s located outside the city centre in the residential area of Shunyi, but worth the journey for the goodness you get in return.
Tribe
An honorary descendant of Moka Bros, Tribe is all about the healthy aspect of food. Every meal is dissected for the selective eater catering for vegans, vegetarians, paleo eaters or gluten-free seekers. The café collaborates with local organic farms and the menu reflects the change in seasonal ingredients.
2 Gongtidong Lu, Chaoyang, Beijing, China
Baker & Spice
The Shanghai-based bakery has stolen the hearts of Beijingers with delicious pastries and handpicked wines. The various breads offered at the bakery are a treat for any long-term visitor to China. A perfect stop to get a daily fix of baguette, chocolate or many other beloved treats.
19, Dongfang Dong Lu, Chaoyang, Beijing, China
Soloist Coffee Co.
This Dashilar Alley stylish joint provides a great way to spend and afternoon. A coffee and dessert, perfectly paired with historic lamps and furniture. To top it all off the building itself is steeped in history, being a public bathhouse in the past. The joint is run and patroned by those attuned to the taste of good coffee.
39 Yangmeizhu Xiejie, Xicheng, Beijing, China +86 10 5711 1717
Peanut Café
Peanut Café is strategically tucked away in the east of the Duan Qirui complex. Frequented by the artsy crowd, the café provides an eclectic combination of coffee, outside seating and tango matinee. The location may be slightly out of the way for many visitors, but will provide the seclusion and uniqueness that any hipster café should have on offer.
3 Zhangzizong Lu, Dongcheng, Beijing, China +86 10 6403 0688