Two Gems of Beijing’s Independent Coffee Scene

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A decade ago an independent café selling specialty coffee found it difficult to even obtain quality beans from major producing countries. Fast forward and there are now a handful of specialty shops with a decent selection of beans ― many now roast up to 15 origins in-house.

By Si Chen

Me & Temple of Earth café (The Corner)

BEIJING, China

Fan Yang manages the ‘Me & Temple of Earth’ café. She is a delicate woman with a sweet youthful voice that contrasts the cool, industrial tone the building presents. The café is a part of a multi-purpose complex located just outside of the Temple of Earth near Ditan park in Beijing’s East district. The main building houses an avant-garde auto body shop. The café is located in a tiny corner of the complex, which led to its English name - The Corner.

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The Chinese name is more revealing. Shi Tiesheng, one of the most distinguished modern authors, serves as inspiration. Shi wrote an essay titled Me & Temple of Earth, reminiscing about old Beijing, weaving an inner dialogue on the topics of loss, the meaning and life, and death. Temple of Earth owner Tian Bu, is a Beijing native who owns the adjacent garage and body shop.

“I hope this place, with a modern appearance, can re-kindle people’s passion for literature and the quest to lead a meaningful life,” he said. There are several quotes from Shi subtly hidden around the bar area. You need to look closely to see them. Bu’s favorite: “In a suffocatingly-dense metropolitan, a tranquil place where you could park yourself for a while seems like a God’s intent.”

Specialty coffees sell for RMB27. A single pull espresso is RMB 17 or RMB 19 for a double. Americanos sell for RMB21. A no-frills menu includes cookies, muffins, tiramisu, and biscotti.

Specialty coffee consumers in Beijing are generally attracted by the unique, sometimes eccentric design common to independent cafes. It is rare to see people talking in a café in Beijing. The casual, community chats over coffee so common in the west depend on a sufficiently large number of cafés adapted to neighborhoods. In some shops you do see people sitting on a big couch start to talk to each other. The idea of a ‘third space’, that is, a public space other than home and work where people can relax and read/write, is a new concept in China. Chinese traditionally gather for meals to talk. Teahouses are strictly reserved for business occasions rather than pleasure. Specialty coffee clientele can be described in four words: young, female, white-collar, interested in lifestyle.

Art-oriented city dwellers love to meet like-minded people in places that they identify themselves with, and independent cafes serve this function. Unintendedly, Me & Temple of Earth won its first batch of loyal customers from architects and designers. Many have good connection with media or themselves have a sufficiently handsome fan base. Fan told us over an embarrassing smile that consumers have been taking selfies here. Sometimes they get too comfortable, she says.

Good coffee is an add-on, rather than a defining factor yet, due to the majority is still relatively unfamiliar with specialty coffee – no loyalty yet. Chinese gently progress in the world of coffee: back in the 1960s, it was only a handful that had the opportunity to taste instant coffee. Only for those whose work involves an international element got to have this exotic beverage. Instant coffee became available in the supermarkets in the 1990s, going for Starbucks’s coffee was considered to be chic. And just about 10 years ago a small circle of elite coffee drinkers started to ask for specialty coffee. “The ratio for customers’ order is 1:2 for drip coffee and espresso drinks,” said Fan, given that most people are familiar with espresso drinks from mainstream franchise cafes.

Located: 8B Hepingli Nanjie Xikou, Dongcheng District

和平里南街西口甲8号B+汽车服务体中心西

Sikastone Coffee

Sikastone coffee officially opened its doors in March 2017. STiR visited in August. The shop features a Nordic minimalistic design with a large open skylight that infuses this building (two stories and a loft) of over 3,000 square feet space, rendering it a contemporary gallery. It is a perfect location to hone one's coffee skills.

It is so genuine and paradoxically intimate in such a minimalistic space. Visitors are welcomed to an introvert's workspace by Johnny Zhang manager/coffee master, who speaks without reservation. It is as if we have been longtime friends.

Sikastone is a coffee school, certified by Specialty Coffee Association. Staff offer monthly courses on foundation and taster, roaster, barista specialization. Striving to excel on training, Sikastone has invested in professional machines from top brands such as La Marzocco, La Cimbali, Nuova Simonelli, Rancilio, Mahlkönig, and Mazzer.

Zhang is a Q-Grader, one of a handful of Chinese among the 4,000 coffee professionals worldwide who hold a Coffee Quality Institute certificate. He shared his insights on coffee growth in China and Chinese coffee consumers.

"Coffee growth [in China] was 20% last year,” he says. “Compared to Europe and America, China is such a winner. Big coffee companies have already made their moves to invest more in China.” He chatted about Yunnan Arabica and the growth of China’s specialty coffee culture.

Specialty coffee is far from a 'wavy' movement yet, said Zhang. “We are barely making any splashes, that is, we are very, very early on.” This is different from how Yang describes the market. “There is a lot of people coming in asking for drip coffee, and already knowledgeable or at least very comfortable to try,” Yang said.

During the interview, Zhang made one Yirgacheffe and a Guatemala coffee from beans freshly roasted in-house three hours prior. From the fluidity of his movement you see someone who has put his heart into cultivating his skills, “gongfu” style. Zhang is very into his art, and also very open at the same time about sharing his passion.The school, and its floral training center across the street, where you can also grab a cup of coffee, has prospered in such good hands.

Location: Qikeshu Innovation park C2-2, NO.55 Banjieta Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing

北京市朝阳区酒仙桥半截塔路55号七棵树创意园C2-2

Learn more: coffee.sikastone.com