Vintage Furniture, Indulgent Lattes Make Nali Patio's Coffee x Antique a Real Gem

After Uiui finishes pouring your frothy, steaming latte he pauses to grab a small, wooden-handled dabber, in order to add a few finishing touches to the leafy cream pattern in the foam. The lanky Taiwanese manager of Coffee x Antique (which he runs with his twin brother 莊政倫 on the first floor of Nali Patio), has an endearing disposition that is reflected in the shop’s menu.

No, there’s no exotic beans or scientific means of perspiration here, which would likely leave the nerdy caffeinated set that frequent Soloist or Big Small unsatisfied. Yet a more casual customer looking for a sweet, textured latte with warm, friendly service in a unique setting could certainly do worse than Coffee x Antique. There's a hazelnut latte for RMB 40 that's softly sweet, and frothy mint, mocha, vanilla, and rose lattes for the same price, an Americano for RMB 30 and (most tempting of all) an Irish coffee for RMB 50, gloriously titled "Bei Li poetry milk latte" (say it out loud ... if you still don't get it, click here).

The atmosphere certainly lives up to its name, with retro leather chairs and pretty hardwood tables placed throughout. That all gives Coffee x Antique the vibe of your rich uncle’s parlor, where you can settle in with a few friends on a lazy Sunday to wile an hour away with idle chat over hot, indulgently sweet drinks. That retro furniture has yet to go on sale, but if you're one of those people that use the word "antique" as a verb, you can stop by in about month to check the prices and make a purchase (most of which will be too costly for average customers, though).

Don’t go if you’re in a hurry, because Uiui’s picky coffee art preparation can't be described as “a quick cup of joe on the go,” to say the least. But if you have some time to kill and are looking to treat yourself and a friend, or if you're looking for a unique backdrop for a date, this shop and cafe is a fine choice. 

Coffee x Antique
Daily, 10am-8pm. 1/F Nali Patio, 81 Sanlitun Beijie
朝阳区三里屯北街81号那里花园1/F

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Email: kylemullin@thebeijinger.com
Twitter: @MulKyle

Photos: Kyle Mullin