Here’s Where to Grab Great Coffee Beans in Beijing
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It’s not uncommon for Beijing-based caffeine addicts to hit up Taobao in search of their weekly dose of beans, and to be sure there are plenty of roasts to choose from on that and other platforms. But shopping locally has its benefits – community-driven idealism aside, walking into a real shop allows you to consult with the barista, or sometimes even the roaster about which selection is right for your personal tastes and preferred method of brewing. You can usually even have them whip up a pour-over to try out before you buy a whole bag, which is of course impossible when shopping online.
Seesaw not only offers a few good-value single-origin roasts and creative flavored blends, but they also win the prize for best branding – the cute and colorful minimalist designs on the bags will almost serve as an additional decoration in your kitchen. Each roast sports a fun name to boot. From the Giraffe House Blend RMB 45 for 200 grams) to the Orange Bourbon from Ethiopia (RMB 78) and the domestically grown Plum Tea (RMB 88). Meanwhile, the earl grey and Osmanthus flavored coffees may offend purists, but they can bring a little razzmatazz to your morning cup.
4 Gongti Beilu, 81, F1
工体北路4号院81号楼一层
This quaint and cozy two-story shop in Shuangjing, where I have wisely chosen to settle in to write this article, is an excellent spot for work and study that also offers a wide variety of roasts – dozens at a time, which are constantly being updated as they roast new ones. They’ve even got beans from harder-to-find origins, such as Mexico. Compared to the above, however, they are a bit pricier, with a 100-gram bag going for RMB 60+.
Guanghuabei Yijie Shuanghuayuan, Nan Sanli, Building 5, 101
光华北一街双花园南里三区5号楼1层101内1
A favorite among Beijing’s coffee connoisseurs, this Chaowai Soho shop doesn’t push it’s bagged beans too much, instead relying mostly on in-house pour-overs. That being said, they will bag them up for you at varying prices when asked. The beans are displayed in jars on the counter, conveniently arranged from lightest on the left to darkest on the right and ready for smelling. Prices range from RMB 60-120 for 100 grams.
Chaowai Soho Building C, F1
朝阳门外大街乙6号朝外SOHOC座1层
If you’re making espresso at home and looking for a change from cans of Illy and Lavazza, then you might want to try Baristar’s Italian roast, even though it won’t come cheap – as its RMB 180 for 50 grams. If Italian isn't your thing, they’ve also got coffee from other popular origins such their Columbia roast at similar price points.
81 Sanlitun Beijie, Nali Patio, F1
三里屯北街81号那里花园一层
Delving into international chains, Peet’s is often lauded as a preferred choice over a certain Washingtonian mermaid. Indeed, I’ve raved about their house blend in the past, as it’s one of the only places in town to make a decent drip brew that satisfies my American tastes. You can buy it in bags of 250 grams (RMB 98), but if its fruity notes aren’t right for you, you can opt for a more bitter French roast (RMB 118), or the chocolaty Café Domingo (RMB 128).
Sanlitun Taikooli South, Building 5 F2
三里屯太古里南区5号楼二层
Other beans from an international chain worth trying are those of %Arabica, a Japanese brand that’s been taking off like a caffeine-fueled rocket in China in recent years. Their standard blend is RMB 130 for 200 grams, though for just RMB 10 more you can have the same weight of a single-origin Yirgacheffe.
19 Sanlitun Lu, Building 2 F1
三里屯路19号2号楼一层
Finally, to take a step back from all of those fancy roasts, Rebrew offers a pretty good value bean at just RMB 160 for a whole kilogram. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it for pour-over, but I like to keep it around to put in my drip coffee machine.
2 Gongti Beilu, F1, 175
工人体育场北路甲2号1层175单元
READ: Capital Caff: V7 Caters to Coffee Connoisseurs, M+ Coffice is Summer’s Missed Arrival
Images: Joey Knotts, courtesy of the venues
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