Nanluoguxiang / Gulou Dongdajie-南锣鼓巷鼓楼东大街

A hidden, nooky high-end cocktail lounge off Zhangzizhong Lu with pricey drinks but worth the added expenditure thanks to swanky flourishes like banana sous-vide aged rum and truffle oil. The owner, Alfred Yu, already has a big following after opening the popular, now defunct Bar 4 Nine. This new venture is fancier and more focused, and that makes it a more consistent experience overall than its predecessor. It's also one of the few upscale lounges in the hutong area. 

This gorgeous courtyard space combines the spirit of old Beijing with modern design. It is also trendy in terms of its various functions, sporting not only a cafe but also conference rooms, co-working spaces, a rooftop lounge, hotel rooms and even a small cinema. 

Folk focused live house opened by the owner of 69 Cafe (which also used to be on NLGX until it moved to Beijing's west end) and Mogu Space. Expect low key, cafe style vibes and deep, dark, heartfelt acoustic tunes akin to the Nick Drake album from which this venue takes its name. 

Wheat Cake (仙豆糕 xian dougao) in Gulou sells small Chinese cakes made of wheat and with purple sweet potato, red bean, and cheese fillings.

A bike shop and cafe that goes heavy on cycling themed decor, and sells simple but inexpensive cups of java.

Offbeat, simplistic decor helps this café stand out from many of many of its same-ish contemporaries in Beijing.