Gulou Hipsters Bar Hop

Welcome to our new “Bar Hop” series, where our girl-about-town Napatra winds her way through the city’s pubs, dives and sky-high lounges. This week we’re trouping through Gulou, home to some of the last swathes of extant hutongs in the capital, young rockers and coffee-sipping hipster types. It’s not all about lattes though. We all know the usual longer-term Gulou suspects like Salud and the Drum and Bell, but Napatra shows us some newer and more hidden gems where you can sip the harder stuff in the shadow of the Drum Tower.

They all say the best season in Beijing is autumn. This may have something to do with the beautiful turning of the leaves, but let’s be honest – you can’t deny the appeal of donning a wool cardigan and comfy scarf for your chilly autumn nights out. Since Beijing autumn comes and goes in a blink of an eye, why not spare a night or two to explore Gulou’s bar scene, home to many hidden hutong bars of Old Beijing while the season lasts.

Charge up your energy for the evening by hitting Irresistible Café (14 Mao’er Hutong | 帽儿胡同14号). Czech native Marian Gajdos, one of the bar’s three owners, knows how to add a unique touch to the drinks menu. Try imported Czech Republic beer at RMB 25 or opt for a Czequilla – a shot of Becherovka on the rocks at RMB 28. To get more bang for your buck (RMB 80 to be precise), keep an eye out for Irresistible Café’s popular themed nights for special dinner deals. Past themed dinners include Indian, Iranian, and organic buffet. Check out the café’s website for reservation details.

After finishing your Czechaholic drink at Irresistible Café, cross Nanluoguxiang and head to Banchang Hutong for delicious, straight-from-the-oven pizza at Mao Mao Chong (No. 12 Banchang Hutong | 毛毛虫 板厂胡同12号). Their Margherita pizza (11” at RMB 45) is heavenly – even better when you can have it at RMB 35 on Margherita Monday. Cocktail prices range between RMB 30-45, but come on Wednesdays and you can enjoy most of them at RMB 25.

Wrap up your meal and head one hutong up north to Jianghu Jiuba (No. 7 Dongmianhua Hutong | 江湖酒吧 东棉花胡同7号). A popular live music venue for both the local and foreign crowd, Jianghu features an eclectic mix of music performances ranging from French gypsy jazz and Beijing pop rock to Mongolian folk. The bar also offers a decent drinks list. Try Gleckes draft beer (RMB 25 for light, RMB 30 for dark). That way you’ll enjoy a good beer in your hand while listening to great tunes. A cover charge sometimes applies here depending on the event, so it’s a good idea to check local listings in advance.

Reunite with the rest of Beijing’s hutong hipsters at Amilal (No. 48 Shoubi Hutong | 寿比胡同48号), located in a 1.5-meter wide alley parallel to Nanluoguxiang, accessed off Guloudong Dajie. Two of the many reasons why Beijingers keep going back to Amilal are the friendly owners and their lap-warming cats. Amilal’s mojito (RMB 35) is a guaranteed delicious choice but its fine selection of import beer and wine is not to be overlooked either.

If you are feeling like having a serious quiet night, skip Amilal and opt for Penghao Theatre Café (No. 35 Dongmianhua Hutong | 蓬蒿咖啡厅 东棉花胡同35号) right next door to Jianghu Jiuba instead. Although well known among Beijing’s theatre crowd, the café-bar section of Penghao Theatre remains off the beaten track, so seize the opportunity while it lasts. The hutong is tucked in immediately behind the Drama Academy – keep your eyes open as it is easy to miss.

Finish off your hutong bar hop with a high note at Siif (No. 67 Beiluogu Xiang | 如果 北锣鼓巷67号). Head to the Nanluogu Xiang and Guloudong Dajie intersection, cross Guloudong and go straight up the opposite quiet leafy hutong of Beiluogu Xiang. Enjoy the wee hours showing off your groove on Siif’s glass dance floor, playing some pool or foosball with the locals, or simply drinking away. Special note to female hutong bar hoppers – Siif’s crisscross stairwells and glass floor are not conducive to short-skirted, high-heeled attire, especially when you are trying to balance yourself, holding a drink in your hand.

For those hopping around hutong bars looking to end the journey with a more sophisticated touch, bypass Siif and head further west to Contempio Temple Bar (No. 4 Zhangwang Hutong | 张旺胡同4号), just northeast of the square behind the bell Tower. The elegant décor of the 600-year-old, Ming Dynasty temple provides an enchanting backdrop and the living spirit of Old Beijing. Quiet and dimly lit, Contempio is perfect for bar-hopping couples who hope to find some quality time with each other before calling it a night.

So that’s your blueprint for a Gulou hutong bar hop. Now it’s time for you all Beijing hipsters to lace up your shoes and hit the alleys.