The 10 Best Late Breakfasts And Brunches In Gulou Beijing

Near Gulou (the Drum Tower) in Beijing you’ll find numerous hutongs (narrow alleys) in which you can find delicious brunches and late breakfasts. We look at the best Chinese and Western late breakfast and brunch options in the area.

1. Café Zarah

Cafe, Coffee Shop, European, Healthy, Vegetarian, Coffee

Housed in a renovated ancient Chinese courtyard, with a fabulous roof terrace and garden, Café Zarah is a comfortable little coffee shop offering plentiful brunch sets. Café Zarah even occasionally arranges big brunch buffets on Sundays from 10am to 4pm, in which you and your mates can have a wide variety of brunches with various delightful drinks and wines.

2. Mr. Shi’s Dumplings

Restaurant, Cafe, Chinese, Asian, Vegetarian

Jiaozi is a kind of Chinese dumplings that locals usually have for breakfast or lunch, and Mr. Shi’s Dumplings is definitely a nice spot where you can enjoy this traditional old Beijing brunch. In the tiny yet cosy cafe you will be able to find plentiful kinds of steamed, boiled, and fried Chinese dumplings.

3. The Orchid

Hotel

The Orchid is a fine hotel offering brunch daily. They serve not only their residents, but everyone who wants to have a refreshing morning with The Orchid’s fabulous homemade bread and jams on a terrace. The Orchid understands the importance of coffee, therefore they have picked the best, Shangrila Farms’ Yunnan Blue, as their daily espresso blend.

5. Vineyard Café

Cafe, Chinese

Vineyard Café serves modern and delicious Western-style brunches. The food in Vineyard Café is just tasty and fine. You can try their fabulous pizzas, burgers and salads, or the very popular baked potato skins, all complemented by their good selection of coffees, teas, or wines.

6. Yao Ji Chao Gan

Restaurant, Chinese

Opened in 1989, Yao Ji Chao Gan has long offered the people of Beijing with local snacks, such as douzhi (mung bean milk), jiaozi (Chinese dumplings), and zha jian mian (noodles with soy bean paste), which are all perfect choices of breakfast or brunch. Whilst the chao gan (stewed liver), Yao Ji’s speciality, is also a good pick and worth trying.

7. Kaffa Café

Coffee Shop, Chinese

Kaffa Café is a homely coffeehouse offering different kinds of brunch sets and drinks displayed on their hand-written menu. The café is tiny, with usually only one or two baristas serving you with their aromatic and delicious home-brewed coffee, you can therefore freely enjoy your morning or noon there with a cup of coffee and a finely baked pizza or bread.

8. Beiluo Bread Bar

Bar, Restaurant, Chinese

Beiluo Bread Bar serves fabulous bread and coffee which are perfect for brunch. Or try their wide range of pizzas and pastas, such as the aromatic pepper and parmesan pasta and the fresh arrabbiata pasta. The restaurant also offers plenty of drinks (the coffee, tea and beer are all excellent) as well as their terrific desserts, including apple cake and carrot cake.

9. Palms L.A. Kitchen and Bar

Bar, Korean, Mexican, Fusion

With the bright décor of sunny Los Angeles, Palms L.A. Kitchen and Bar serves Korean-Mexican fusion cuisine, which is definitely special. They offer plenty of interesting snacks which are perfect for late breakfast time, such as kimchi quesadilla, Mexican-style baked bibimbap, and vegetarian tacos, providing amazing tastes.

10. Yantai Da Kuai Rou Cai Bao (Yantai Steamed Stuffed Bun)

Bakery, Chinese

For Chinese people, baozi (steamed stuff buns) are definitely one of the best types of breakfast, as they are tasty and the flour-made bun can provide everyone with enough energy for work and study. Yantai Da Kuai Rou Cai Bao mainly sells buns made in the Yantai-style, which are huge and stuffed with meat and vegetables.

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