Irish Coffees and Serenity at the Hutong-Based Wild Child Coffee

Having opened three months ago, Wild Child Coffee in the Dongcheng hutongs thankfully missed the unending mess that was the Great Brickening, delivering us an experience more akin to a hint of spring among the ruins of its surrounding neighborhood.

That's because the founder of Wild Child Coffee got his start as a barista's apprentice, gradually working his way up over 10 years to become the owner of his own small coffee shop in the hutongs.

Walking into the cozy, wood and concrete venue, you'll feel like you're entering a friend’s home, with neat furnishings and friendly staff making Wild Child a strong contender for your go-to daily spot for joe.

Posters of movie stars like the late Leslie Cheung and a playlist of Cantonese pop demonstrate the owner’s obsession with '80s Hong Kong culture, whereas the minimalist menu is written in Chinese and English and features coffees that range from RMB 25-30, with hand-poured coffees costing the most at RMB 35. Though a little pricier than what we're used to at our local chain, Wild Child Coffee makes up for the extra price with some exquisite and delicate foam work added to each cup.

In need of something with a little extra kick, we opted for the zhongdu huanzhe (RMB 38, pictured above), literally "severe patient", a modified version of Irish coffee in that it switches cream in for a small cup of milk, giving it a richer and rounder feel that allowed the coffee notes and boozy aroma to shine. The cup came with a wallop of bitterness and a nicely balanced rich roasted flavor, thanks to the coffee beans having been hand-roasted by the owner.

Since they were out of tiramisu at the time, we opted for a slice of chocolate cheesecake (RMB 38) instead to accompany our afternoon treat. The cake did not disappoint as a suitable alternative thanks to its light mousse-like texture and a sprinkling of milk powder.

Overall, Wild Child Coffee presents those nearby with a relaxing hangout with just enough noise seeping in from the outside – a reminder of the vivid and frenetic nature of life in the hutongs – and represents another venue that is helping Beijing's beloved alleyways return to form.

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