1 Xiao Xin’s Cafe

At this cafe, Xiao Xin is the man. Not only has he opened one of the most chill places to sip a cup, he’s also put his cake-making skills to good use, selling a wide array of tasty pastry treats. Free Wi-Fi to boot. Snugly located on Nanluoguxiang. Tel: 6403-6956

2 Thinker’s Bar

What’s coffee without a little philosophy? This Wudaokou getaway is perfect for meeting and chatting with friends or catching up on some reading while enjoying a nice cup of house blend “Blue Devil” coffee. Excellent food menu as well. Tel: 6276-8749

3 Waiting For Godot

It’s impossible to say what Samuel Beckett would think of this eponymous coffee shack, but it’s safe to say he’d be pleased with the regular turnout of hipsters who pretend to have read his works. Slurp down excellent coffee over a round or two of chess. Tel 6407-3093.

4 Space For Imagination

Another one of Wudaokou’s hidden gems, this bar and coffeehouse combo is noted for its weekly screenings of avant-garde cinema every Thursday at 6:30p.m. They’ve also got a great selection of books for those who feel the moving image is below them. Tel: 6279-1280

5 At Cafe

Regular visitors to the Dashanzi art district probably know this place as the one with the bombed-out brick walls and tree trunks that you can sit on. This quiet and peaceful cafe is the place to rub shoulders with the art elite while downing copious amounts of caffeine. Tel: 6438-7264