Capital Caff: A Handful of Coffee Shops to Try in Beixinqiao

Vincent R. Vinci, Contributing Editor | Aug 16, 2022 10:19 am | Add a comment | 347 reads

Don't talk to me until I've read Capital Caff – your guide to the latest in coffee happenings around Beijing.

Continuing on our look at some of the better coffee shops around town, we now turn to Beixinqiao, one of the neighborhoods in the heart of the Dongcheng hutongs -- and a coffee lovers' paradise to boot.

Old World

This coffee shop hidden deep in the hutongs of Beixinqiao looks rather nondescript from the outside, but step through the door and you’re entering a café that doubles as a museum (and shop, considering some are for sale) of old toys. There are towering shelves filled with toy trains, cars, planes, dolls, and games all around the space; it’s a sight to behold. Plus, the coffee is pretty bomb too.

They have good pour-over options, but the things to go for at Old World are their latte (RMB 38), which has options for what kind of coffee roast you want in your drink; and the Mongolian Milk Tea, a savory take on milk tea which has bits of beef jerky atop.

Old World Coffee
68 Luoche Hutong, Dongcheng District
东城区罗车胡同68号

M+ Coffice

We wrote about this coffee shop that aims to be your office away from the office in Dongcheng when it first opened last year, noting their ample terrace space and extensive menu of pour-overs and espresso drinks. If you go here, bring your laptop and try one of their lattes – they’ve got options ranging from Vanilla to Sea Salt or Rose (all RMB 35) – or ask for one of their single origin espressos.

M+ Coffice
People’s Art Printing Factory, 7 Banqiao South Lane, Dongcheng District
东城区板桥南巷7号人民美术印刷厂内

D.A.O coffee

Hidden south of Beixinqiao Exit D inside Xiang’er Hutong is this little gem with a curious menu. While there are classics on the menu, there are yet more options that are simply titled “D.A.O special” with a number. What’s more, all drinks on the menu are designated with some kind of hand gesture (it might seem like sign language at first glance, but seems a bit more obscure). They’ve also got cakes. Yum.

D.A.O Coffee
69 Dongsi Beidajie, Dongcheng District
东城区东四北大街69号

Wait a Moment Café

Not too far down the street from D.A.O lies this spot, which along with an ample library – mostly of Chinese books and magazines – they’ve also got plenty of pour-over options. To help you on your coffee choosing journey, there’s also a map showing where the beans came from and their flavor profile.

Wait a Moment Café 且慢咖啡
117 Dongsi Beidajie, Dongcheng District
东城区东四北大街

self coffee

A hop and a skip down the street from Wait a Moment, self coffee turns heads thanks to minimalist interiors and a simple menu (did we mention they have Hutong’er pies on offer?). They’ve also got a discount of minus RMB 3 if you bring your own cup.

self coffee
125 Dongsi Beidajie, Dongcheng District
东城区东四北大街125号

ghost cafe

Situated near Grandma’s Kitchen just outside Beixinqiao Subway Station Exit C, this newly opened shop has a homely interior with ample natural light enhanced by white walls. They keep the homely theme going with a simple handwritten menu featuring five pour-over options (ranging from RMB 35-120 a cup) and the option for coffee and milk. Simple as it gets.