Beiluo Bread Bar Open on Beiluogu Xiang

With “Mean Beans and Badass Bread,” this new cafe and bar is helping make Beiluogu Xiang as much of a destination as the southern half, minus the tourist tact and bad food. Taking over the space that held Beiluo Cafe, the bread bar serves up German-style loaves and Italian pastas as well as coffee, beer and spirits.

We dropped by a mere three days after the doors opened and lingered in the bright cafe over some Americanos (RMB 15) and pesto pasta (RMB 35) for a few hours on a lazy Sunday, exactly what the space is made for. The coffee is brewed from Rickshaw Roasters beans and, thankfully, made by someone that actually knows how to work an espresso machine. On the day we visited, there were five choices for pasta. We enjoyed the clean flavors of basil and pine nuts on our al dente penne – it was a light, delicate dish.

The “Bread” part of the bar refers to the assortment of light, medium and dark German loaves. We were offered a sample of the dark bread which has a slow-building sourness, which results from the use of cornmeal in the mixture. Jam, cheeses, cold cuts and fresh vegetable can be purchased separately to accompany the bread.

In the evenings, this venue shifts into bar mode, with local expat crowds relaxing over a couple of imported beers (RMB 25-35) or a range of spirits, straight up or in simple mixed drinks.

Currently in its soft-opening phase, Beiluo Bread Bar will officially kick off with a September 8 opening party that coincides with owner Johannes Röwert’s birthday. Stop by to check out the space, sample some free food and drink and wish Johannes a Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Geburtstag!

Beiluo Bread Bar. Tue-Sun 12pm-10pm. 70A Beiluogu Xiang, Dongcheng District (8408 3069) 东城区北锣鼓巷甲70号(近南锣鼓巷)

Photos: Lauren McCarthy