Analog Brews No Frills Coffee on Nanluogu Xiang

The Nanluogu Xiang adjacent Analog Coffee not only evokes its namesake, but also numerous synonyms. Minimalist. Spare. No frills. To the point.

You get the idea, and then some, upon walking into the petite cafe. The walls are blank slate white, except for a patch on the far wall that is artfully chiseled and smashed to reveal bricks behind it as an avant-garde expose of sorts. A book shelf is hung in one corner, while a small display of coffee table books and a couple of curious Hillary Clinton and George W. Bush voodoo dolls are placed by the entryway. The tables and chairs are hardwood with standard iron legs painted black, while boiler plate like lamps hang from the ceiling. That's about it.

The coffee options fit the decor: very minimalist, with a few artsy quirks. A mere twelve choices adorn the menu, which is framed and hung on the wall by the register. The RMB 20 espresso is caffine-injected enough to make you instantly alert. Customers with sweeter teeth will prefer the RMB 25 espresso panna, thanks to its sugary cream being thick as jelly. The RMB 30 Americano and RMB 35 cafe latte are also strong and rich. There's also hand poured and cold brew options that change on a regular basis.

These options make Analog a subtly artsy, unfussy destination for caffeine fiends in the Nanluogu Xiang area. However, the owners aren't absolutist in that motif: they also serve up RMB 30 rooibos teas and RMB 35 Chappuccinos and Chaffogatos from the equally quirky Big Small Coffee in the Xiang’er Hutong a few minutes stroll away. That offbeat combination makes Analogue an intriguing member of the hutong cafe scene, one with a style all its own that still finds room to accomodate a variety (albeit narrow range) of tastes.

Analog Coffee
Daily 9am-7pm. 29 Banchang Hutong, Dongcheng District (136 9323 4166)
东城区板厂胡同29号

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Photos: Kyle Mullin