Tucked away in a hutong near the beautiful Yonghegong Lama Temple, though nowhere near any actual vineyard, is Beijing's most popular (non-hotel) Western Breakfast. The Vineyard Cafe's delicious selection of homestyle European cooking acts as a home-away-from-home for the city's many expatriates, and is bustling and overbooked on any given weekend. Reservations are highly recommended.If a friendly atmosphere and traditional Western food is what you are looking for, the Vineyard Cafe is the perfect place, though the extreme popularity of this restaurant means your orders might take a while, but upon arrival may already be too cold.
The Vineyard Cafes bright and airy, located in a refurbished hutong with high ceilings and skylights that let in plenty of natural light. It is divided up into a front and back room (recommendation: book a table in the front room for a weekend brunch, as the back feels slightly cramped), and the whitewashed walls, wooden furniture and sparse white walls dotted with random pictures and green plants give off a rustic, yet comfy feel, similar to the atmosphere in Luce at the Drum and Bell Tower.
We decided to order three dishes from the enormous brunch menu. For fans of poached egg, like myself, the selection of Eggs Benedict, with great variety and quirky names hits the spot for a light brunch. Unfortunately, our first pick, the "Ben-e-'fish'-ial - poached egg and imported norwegian salmon on a bed of Aragula served on a toasted English muffin with Hollandaise sauce, was already sold out. So we settled for the next choice of Eggs Benedict - the "Ben-addiction" - poached egg and grilled bacon on a toasted English muffin with Hollondaise sauce. The egg was beautifully poached, with just the right amount of bounce and the golden yolk poured out onto the well-presented dish to give it a final touch of eggy goodness. Unfortunately, the entire dish was a little on the cold side, probably because the restaurant was completely overfilled.
Our next choice was the traditional Quiche Lorraine with bacon (RMB 44). The slice of Quiche Lorraine was served with fresh salad and coleslaw. Though it again was a little too cold and the consistency of the egg in the quiche was not quite fluffy enough, the freshness of the salad and the ample amounts of bacon and cheese in the quiche redeemed it.
Finally, we picked the Mediterranean pizza to round off our brunch. This thin-crust pizza is topped with mozarella, feta, tomato sauce, pepperoni, aubergines, pesto and courgettes and costs RMB 69 for a normal and RMB 82 for a square pizza for approx. 3 people. The pizza was delicious, and especially the crust was particularly noteworthy. Although the edges were a little large, the crust was crunchy and not too doughy, unlike that at Sureno. The toppings, especially the pepperoni salami, were excellent, and the pesto was a perfect touch.
We accompanied our brunch with freshly squeezed orange juice, though the selection of imported coffees and teas also looked equally enticing. Real freshly squeezed orange juice is quite the rarity in Beijing, and this one was perfect with just the right amount of pulp and sweetness.
The Vineyard Cafe is a great weekend brunch spot, and for those lucky enough to be able to brunch during the week, their Weekday lunch deals are a great bargain at RMB 60 for a premium round pizza, side salad and soft drink, amongst other options. Though service is a little slow, dishes are a little too cold and the restaurant is overfilled, noisy and lively, the Vineyard Cafe is perfect for families with children, or groups of friends sick of the hotel brunch scene.
Perfect for: families with kids, relaxed lunches and dinners with friends
Order recommendations: all options for Eggs Benedict, pizza and "prime cut" steaks such as imported Autralian rib-eye with a selection of sides, vegetables and sauces
Honourable mentions: homey decor, buzzing atmosphere, very popular, offers takeout and delivery, open-air courtyard
Not-so-honourable mentions: slow service, slightly too cold food, a little cramped and overcrowded
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