Three hot new café openings for your daily java fix in Beijing

Posted 2021-05-27 TimeOutBeijing

Break out of the old routine and power through the week with a fix from these new joints 

In our caffeine-addicted city, one thing you can rely on is a solid cuppa to fuel us through the week. With seemingly more pop-ups and new café openings than you can shake a stick at every month, we rounded up three of our favourite joints to get caffeinated now, from a minimalistic hole-in-the-wall specialising in cold brews, to a charming library cafe with wall-to-wall nostalgia and the latest coffee venture by fashion house Ralph Lauren.   

Berry Beans (Xingfucun)

While still popping up in Sanlitun, the perennial popular coffeehouse chain seems eager to welcome another addition to the neighbourhood, with a new joint tucked in the nearby Xingfucun next door to O’ Steak. The new outpost is reminiscent of the capsule and hole-in-the-wall appeal of its Sanlitun location, with a walk-up window outside for those after a quick caffeine fix on the go – a good call given its rather slim, single-chair-fitting interior.   

What it lacks in size it makes up in detail and a commendable array of java options that should appeal to both purists and experimentalists. An impressive display of siphons lines the wall and gives nod a menu that specialises in cold brews, with interesting bottles of flavours like whiskey (65RMB), watermelon (48RMB), lychee (48RMB), coconut water (38RMB) to choose from (their knowledgable baristas will pour you some of the supplies to sample if you’re unsure of what to get). Also find a pour-over menu with a variety of single-origin beans, as well as plenty more creative and boozy riffs on espresso-based drinks like red osmanthus oat latte (38RMB), winey latte (38RMB), and whiskey iced mocha (45RMB).  

 10.30am-7pm daily.

Gogo Good  

A quirky new cafe has moved into Spring Whispers Book Club, the achingly hip magazine library in the hutongs and we dig it. The venue is almost borderline-obsessively kitted out with 80s’ household items that all feature OTT motifs of the traditional Chinese character for joy and happiness. Think vintage baijiu shot glasses, plates, vacuum flask for hot water, tins and kitschy trinkets unanimously engraved with traditional red ornament design.  

Despite the heavy dose of nostalgia, the decor somehow blends brilliantly well together with the the library’s minimalist aesthetic, thanks to the large floor-to-ceiling window letting in abundant natural light, and plenty of wood panelling. The coffee doesn't disappoint either. Choose from three single-origin beans for your espresso. A latte only sets you back 25RMB while americano goes for 20RMB in the soft opening period ('till June 6). With ample seatings, AC comfort, and numerous sights to explore in the surrounding area (a Ming-dynasty waterway, grassy sections and ornamental bridges), there’s always potential to while away a whole afternoon here.   

 9.30am-9.30pm daily.

Ralph’s Coffee

Mainland's first Ralph’s Coffee by fashion mogul Ralph Lauren has landed in Taikoo Li, bringing with it a chic vintage interior with white-and-green-tiled wall, wooden floor and long leather booth seatings, as well as a few tables dotted around the entrance outdoors. The coffee venture, part of three-story Ralph Lauren store, offers an array of coffee blends and roasts, as well as dessert options for those who fancy a break from browsing polos and other apparel and accessories like hats, totes and mugs.   

On the menu you’ll find special concoctions like salt caramel latte (46RMB) and jasmine iced latte (46RMB), if you want to switch out your usual order of latte, americano, flat white, mocha as well as cappuccino and dirty which go from 34-42RMB. A decent stop for a cuppa in Sanlitun, just as long as you don't mind the standard wait for seats during peak hours.

 10am-10pm daily.

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