Cafe Flatwhite's New Zhongguancun Location is a One-Stop Shop for Work, Rest, and Play

For long-term denizens of downtown Beijing, Zhongguancun may seem like the ends of the earth but it is an essential destination for anyone involved in tech or science. In fact, the only regular complaint regular visitors to the area have to make is the relative lack of good dining options, particularly for Western food. Visitors to Zhongguancun Dongsheng Science and Technology Park, at least, don’t have to worry about that point anymore now since Beijing-wide chain Cafe Flatwhite opened a branch there at the end of summer 2018.

Cafe Flatwhite first gained renown for their coffee, the beans for which are sourced from Rickshaw Roasters and roasted weekly, but their food keeps people coming back as well. Their breakfast options, which include everything from eggs benedict to a full English breakfast, are a particular favorite among early birds. Also of note is their burger, which has previously had a strong showing at the annual Beijing Burger Festival and the Burger Cup (vegetarian friends tell us their veggie burger is great, too). All the food is created by their in-house chef, who hails from New Zealand, in keeping with their overall New Zealand theme.

At the Zhongguancun Dongsheng Science and Technology Park branch, their signature coffee and Western food can all be enjoyed in an airy two-story space surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows. Both these windows and the expansive outside terrace afford views over the technology park's surprisingly beautiful landscaped grounds (more than 50 percent of the park is green space), which are a pleasant place to spend a couple of hours. The store manager tells us that families often visit at the weekend to have brunch and make use of the grounds. As an added bonus, one of the nearby buildings is home to a library/bookstore so you can pick up some reading material for a long, lazy afternoon with a cup of coffee.

Despite its distinctly leisurely aesthetic, this branch's main customers do come from the surrounding offices and as such, they are well equipped to meet the needs of modern professionals, whether that be abundant power outlets (for all those laptop-toting freelancers), fast wifi, or good value lunch specials. Upstairs, there are two spaces for meetings or private events, equipped with audio-visual facilities and the space can be hired out for a range of different types of events, from presentations to cocktail parties. The aforementioned New Zealand chef can also design a custom menu for your event (which can also be delivered if your event is in-house).

A welcome addition to the already-appealing Zhongguancun Dongsheng Science and Technology Park, Cafe Flatwhite is a surprisingly versatile space for any occasion. 

Cafe Flatwhite (Zhongguancun Dongsheng Science and Technology Park)
Mon-Fri 8am-9pm, Sat-Sun 9am-8pm. 1 Ville Commercial Street, Zhongguancun Dongsheng Science and Technology Park, 66 Xixiaokou Lu, Haidian District (6295 3810)
海淀区西小口路66号中关村东升科技园Ville商业街1号

Cafe Flatwhite has branches in more than 10 locations across Beijing, including Sanlitun Soho, Jianwai DRC, 798, China Central Place, and Beijing International Studies University.

This post is paid for by Cafe Flatwhite
Photos courtesy of CafeFlatwhite