The Best 10 Cafés in Beijing's Hutongs

The best cafés in Beijing's hutongs are those that are popular, good for tourists, and accessible from the major tourist hutongs. Here is our suggestions for 5 cafés.

Tourists like to visit the hutongs to learn more about Chinese life and sightsee. But while there, you'll want to relax after walking around, so here are our recommended cafés in the popular and touristy hutongs of Wudaoying, Guozijian, Nanluogu, Liulichang, and Dongxijiaominxiang.

1. Metal Hands - In Wudaoying Hutong

Tanghulu, candied fruit, on sticks is a popular Beijing snack.

Metal Hands is on Wudaoying (五道营 Wǔdàoyíng), a very popular sightseeing hutong. If you are looking for a good place in Beijing with a lot of cafés and teahouses, it is a top choice. It is rated 85 of more than 1,500 things to do in Beijing on TripAdvisor and gets their Certificate of Excellence. It is also known for its Beijing street food.

While you are walking its 600 odd meters and you want to stop for a drink near Lama Temple near the eastern end of the street, Metal Hands is an option for you. It is a fairly small coffee shop run by real coffee aficionados. The coffee here is good, and there are amazing cakes inspired by Asian flavors. We can recommend the matcha cake!

• Accolades: highly rated
• Location: 61-65 Wudaoying Hutong, Dongcheng District
• Prices: moderate, about 3 or 4 USD for expresso, more for other coffees
• Bus: 909 to Andingmen
• Subway: Line 2 to Andingmen Station

2. Café Zerah - Nanluogu Hutong

Nanluoguxiang (南锣鼓巷 Nánluógǔxiàng) is known for being a ceremonial/official street of the Qing Dynasty. There are lots to sightsee, and it is known for its Beijing-style street food and arts/crafts/souvenir shops. It is easy to access via subway. The residential side is seen if you go behind the touristy facade to the alley ways behind.

Café Zarah has a sedate, wood beam interior. It is good for families with children and kids and for people who want to be creative and write.

• Accolades: Certificate of Excellence on TripAdvisor
• Location: Gulou Dongdajie 46, Dongcheng
• Prices: high (coffee, about 4 USD+)
• Bus: 113, 127, 612, and Special 11
• Subway: Line 5 to Beixinjiao Station

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3. Soloist Café near Liulichang and Qianmen

Liulichang Culture Street

Soloist Café is conveniently between Liulichang (琉璃厂 Liúlichǎng) Hutong and Qianmen and is about 250 meters from Liulichang's west end. Liulichang is a cultural hutong known for antique and art supply stores, and it is rated Certificate of Excellence on TripAdvisor.

Soloist's prices for coffee and the western deserts are pricey, but the quality is good and the setting is cozy, quiet, and excellent for relaxation, conversation and contemplation. The second floor terrace is sunny and has picturesque views. They also have fresh juices and healthy salads.

• Accolades: 17 of 402 for Coffee and Tea in Beijing on TripAdvisor.
• Location: #39 Yangmeizhu Xiejie, Qianmen
• Prices: moderate, about 3 USD for expresso, and more for other kinds
• Buses: 20 or 71 to Qianmen
• Subway: Line 2 to Qianmen Station

4. Xique Café on Guozijian Street

Guozijian hutong

Xique Café is a place to stop on Guozijian Hutong (国子监街 Guózǐjiànjiē). This lane has the Guozijian (Imperial College) and the Confucius Temple (1302). Yonghegong Lama Temple is next to the east entrance of the street.

Xique, conveniently on the street, serves light meals such as pasta, pizza, and sandwiches. It is a place to sit, talk, chat, and go online.

• Accolades: rated high for dessert in Beijing
• Location: 76 Guozijian Street
• Buses: 127 or Special 11 to Fangjia Hutong (方家胡同) stop.
• Subway: line 2 to Andingmen Station is the closest; or line 2 or line 5 to Yonghegong Lama Temple to enter from the east end of the hutong

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• 1-Day Beijing Hutong Tour

5. Costa Coffee near Dongjiaomin Hutong

During your long walk on Dongxijiao Hutong (东西交民巷 Dōngxījiāomínxiàng), we suggest Costa Coffee that is situated about 300 meters from the western end of Dongjiaomin on Chongwenmen Outer Street. The lane is a part of Dongxijiaominxiang that is 6.5 kilometers (4 miles) long and a tourist favorite for the old foreign buildings, and the Forbidden City area is nearby.

Costa Coffee is an international chain. The servings are large, and the ingredients are better quality than in most cafés in Beijing. It is quiet and you can relax there.

• Accolades: well known international brand and tourist popular café
• Location: G/F Glory Mall, 18 Chongwenmen Outer Street
• Prices: moderate
• Buses: 12 to Huashilukou North Station
• Subway: Line 2 or Line 5 to Chongwenmen

Touring the Hutongs with China Highlights

Visiting the hutongs by bike

To get to know Beijing, don't miss the hutongs during a Beijing tour!

• Private 4-Day Emperor's Tour of Beijing - We'll help you pick the hutongs you'd most like while you tour the major sights such as the Great Wall.
• Four-Day Beijing Discovery Tour - A full exploration of Beijing's culture and history and seeing the real life of Beijingers by visiting Hutongs with no shopping unless you want to.

For an individulized itinerary created just for you, contact us.

• 6-Day Beijing Winter Tour with Skiing in a 2022 Olympic Winter Games Venue
• 1-Day Beijing Hutong Tour

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