Wukesong-五棵松

Jing-A's biggest location and first location in Haidian offers thirsty locals a wide selection of craft beer, including plenty of creative single-batch and seasonal brews with Chinese characteristics. Along with a wide range of pub classics such as Bangers and Mash, burgers, sharing plates and more.

JE takes the interior design of their space just as seriously as their food, which is a fusion of Western and Chinese culinary traditions. The restaurant's name, JE – aka Just Enjoy – speaks to the refined simplicity of their ethos. 

DL is the definition of a neighborhood barber and is a local fixture for nearby basketball fans who, while not getting new cuts, can bide their time looking over the array of signed sneakers and merch from famous basketball players that line the wall.

Like the Wukesong neighborhood that houses it, it’s both easy to underestimate Su Thai, and it’s also a mistake to do so. As you walk up a nondescript sidestreet near Wukesong station and the Live Hi-Up complex, you’ll no doubt be surprised to realize the restaurant — which has five stars on Dianping and abounds with enthused comments on that reviewing platform — is housed in a dingy Holiday Inn Express.

Plenty of Beijing businesses strive for an easy breezy vibe. But one of the few to literally attain that quality is Basic Element. This cafe, only a few short blocks north of Wukesong's Live Hi-Up complex, boasts a sprawling floor space and huge picture windows that let plenty of air in. One of those huge windows has an outside counter for patrons that want to go alfresco but still be in shouting distance of the staff.

The menu includes fancy imports like Costa Rican Geisha for a bargain RMB 39 (a price you'd never find at a more central cafe).

This cafe’s ambiance, while not groundbreaking, is nevertheless charming. It boasts white brick walls, blue brick arches between its rooms, along with vines entwined along the ceiling’s waterworks.

Aside from lattes, Americanos and other standard coffees for RMB 25-30, they also have a handful of satisfying desserts like fluffy coconut mousse (RMB 20), and a mango layer cake (RMB 25).

Wukesong’s cocktail scene is as parched as Sanlitun’s is saturated. In fact Lift pretty much goes it alone in that west-end haunt, standing out from the gaudy lighting of most other Live Hi-Up bars with a design sleek enough to rival Sanlitun’s most hyped lounges.

Try the refreshing and bitter-sweet RMB 90 Lady Basil cocktail made with vodka, watermellon syrup, vanilla liqueur and basil. The RMB 90 Lolita's Secret cocktail, meanwhile has a sweet and creamy yogurt liqueur, the first we’d heard of in Beijing.

China's most widely loved cheese tea brand has branched out into the baked goods biz, attracting equally long lines at Wukesong.

Try their flakey RMB 25 berry bread. It will hit the spot if you’re craving sweet, fruity carbs, thanks to strawberries and blueberries wedged in a slice in the bun, which is also stuffed with creamy, berry flavored custard. Their brown sugar bobo bread, meanwhile, is a simple but satisfying option thanks to its puffy texture and dusting of brown sugar.

Not to be confused with the original Mao Livehouse at Gulou (closed in Sep 2017), this music venue follows much the same philosophy and will likely host many of the same bands. One 700-sqm space, with a bar hidden to the right of the stage along with the bathrooms, and a row of lockers (and a vending machine, strangely) in the back corner. Stairs to the left of the stage lead to a VIP section, though I wouldn’t be surprised if that space will open to the public during smaller events.

Art museum in the Wukesong Arena complex.