We Dig the Mellow Vibe at This New Shuangjing Space 3 Café

Mellower Coffee – a Shanghai coffee chain with a handful of Beijing branches including a location at Shuangjing’s recently opened Space 3 complex – stands apart for a number of reasons.

For one: fancy imported beans are not its be-all-and-end-all, like so many specialty cafés sprouting up all over town. Instead, the coffee given most prominent billing on its latest menu is a chai masala latte. Don't scoff just yet, snooty java slurpers. Yes, it may be an item that hit its stride a decade ago, but Mellower isn't afraid to buck the imported bean craze and serve the chai latte up with frothy and subtly sweet aplomb. The cinnamon stick to stir the coffee with is an added bonus.

Despite those, ahem, mellower touches, the café is no slouch when it comes to coffee varieties from far-flung locales. In fact, they have everything from Colombian, Kenyan Yunnanese, Mandheling, and more. It’s a specialty menu rivaling just about any other café's in town, and their price range (RMB 48-58 mostly), along with a lack of needy emphasis on those higher-end options, make Mellower a refreshing alternative to plenty of its competitors.

It's decor also makes for a welcome change too, namely to that of fellow Shanghai import Seesaw or Gongti's slick addition in Bracket. Instead of big, bright lighting and clinically white counters, Mellower opts for darker hues and softer lighting. We like the blocky street-side-style bench running along one pink painted wall, where laptop warriors type away on humble copper colored tables that wouldn’t be out of place in a Beijing park. The overall vibe, as well as sizeable coffee options, make Mellower a comfortable venue for locals looking for a regular work spot or one-off coffee drinkers wanting to escape the bustle outside.

Moka Bros' New Space 3 Shuangjing Branch is Their Biggest (and Best) Yet

Mellower Coffee
Daily 8am-10pm. 1-09, 1/F, Block B, Space 3 Complex, Bldg 22, East Third Ring Road, Chaoyang District (6770 4360)
朝阳区东三环中路22号楼乐成中心B座一层1-09号

Photos: Kyle Mullin