The northeast Beijing district of Haidian covers the Zhongguancun area, China’s Silicon Valley, and probably the largest concentration of colleges in China, and that’s why you can easily find concept theme cafés here, as well as the cafés that exude a bit more of an intellectual atmosphere. Here are our top picks in the neighborhood.
This café near the Xizhimen Railway Station is also a gallery, where special exhibitions are held regularly. How does it feel to appreciate paintings over coffee? You might find an answer to the question that can’t be solved in ordinary galleries. The café has the now very popular “dirty” coffee, which is made up of a double ristretto with cold milk, though it’s named Amber here.
This North European style-café in Wudaokou was opened by a couple, and its name, Qingchen, is made up of two characters each taken from the two owners’ names. Even the logo, a two pine-tree pattern, is to symbolize the two owners’ “supportive of each other” relationship. They run the café like their home and treat their customers with pour-over coffee made from fine beans from around the world like they are receiving their friends.
Like the many cartoon figure-themed cafés and restaurants, the Ali’s Café also features a very cute animal character: a red fox named Ali (阿狸,meaning “Foxxie”). Ali the fox was born under the paintbrush of Chinese cartoonist Xu Han while he was in middle school. He later wrote stories and painted picture books for Ali, who gradually became a household cartoon figure in China. The latte art of course features Ali characters here.
This café and restaurant is one of the most go-to diners for white collar workers in the Zhongguancun area. It features the lately very stylish healthy light meals, and has a chill-out atmosphere perfect for taking a break from work.
Twin Windmills has above average coffee, but what mostly attracts its customers are its beautiful and tasty desserts. Apart from the typical cakes you can have in a café, like Red Velvet, there are also characteristically Chinese cakes like durian layer cake and jasmine tea layer cake.
Prefer a large and open working space to a small and squeezed-in one? Then dotcom COFFEE is your perfect café, as it has high ceilings, clear French doors, and cleverly divided seat sections that guarantee customers’ privacy. Above all, it has a wide selection of high-quality coffee.
Luckin Coffee has its brick-and-mortar shop, but it is more known for devoting itself to bringing hot coffee to the desks of those who work in Zhongguancun. It has its own delivery service that guarantees a maximum of 30 minutes for your coffee to arrive. Other than various coffee and drinks to choose from, it also provides tasty desserts and refreshments.
Yan Ji You is first and foremost a bookshop, then a café and restaurant. The brand is known for its specialty in design books, children’s picture books, and locally designed stationery. While the bookshop allows its customers to read the sample books, the café is an ideal place to take a break from your reading.
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