Venture beyond your regular java spot and check out 12 amazing hidden coffee gems around the city

By Huan Hsu, Crystyl Mo, Joanne Yao, Nick Taylor and Kellie Schmitt

Strongest Cup of Coffee

The Japanese owner and coffee guru of Café Dan isn’t much for small talk. He’d much rather be left alone to painstakingly handdribble water over coffee grounds into various beakers for his many coffee-crazed customers. However, we did manage to squeeze out of him a recommendation for strong coffee: light-roast Kilimanjaro (¥45). Why? Well, this bean, grown in the rich volcanic soils of its namesake mountain, delivers a “sharp, wine-like acidity”. Why the light roast? Contrary to common assumption, a light roast preserves more caffeine than a medium or dark one. The owner roasts all the beans at Café Dan himself, and uses them within three weeks of roasting. The difference between a light and medium roast is not the length of roasting. Rather, it’s just 10 degrees. Light roasts go in the roaster for 25 minutes at 210 Celsius while a medium gets heated to 220. The Kilimanjaro should be approached with small sips; it is fiercely sour with a complex, intense body and a very, very long finish. The more you drink, the more sour it tastes. Pucker up, this is a caffeine whammy.
Where: No. 41, Lane 248 Taikang Lu 泰康路248弄41号
Tel: 6466-1042 


Most Extravagant

Here, we don’t mean extravagant as in “most expensive.” We mean, where can you get one of the world’s most celebrated coffees for a fair price? Jamaican Blue Mountain is one of the rarer coffees around (the most expensive is the notorious “scat” coffee, Kopi Luak). At 1919 Café, a cup of smooth Blue Mountain goes for ¥68 (¥32 cheaper than at Café Dan). Make sure to watch the barista brew your cup, employing the elegant vacuum extraction method. 1919 also offers dozens of organic, fair-trade coffees. Sip your cuppa on the spacious second floor with fantastic 180 degree windows overlooking the plane trees of Wulumuqi Lu and Huashan Lu.
Where: 1 Wulumuqi Lu 乌鲁木齐路1号
Tel: 6249-9117

Equipped to Brew

Check out three unique coffee-brewing apparatuses used to make your cup of joe

Turkish Coffee Machine
These are modern times, so look to this shiny coffee machine to brew your sediment- laced Turkish java. Coffee powder is loaded into the bottom of a beaker, which goes into the machine. After four minutes brewing time, savor your pungent, bitter, strong jolt of joe in an espresso cup (¥33).
Where: Anadolu, multiple locations
Tel: 5306-7765, 5465-0977 


Cool Distillation
Ice is loaded into the top chamber and, as it melts, drips down into a well-tamped pocket of freshly ground coffee. It takes up to eight hours to make two large cups of iced coffee (¥68 per). To keep things interesting, EASO has a rotating selection of singleorigin beans.
Where: EASO Room, 32 Xiangshan Lu 香山路32号
Tel: 5306-8026 


Vietnamese Filter
The holes in a Vietnamese filter are small and spaced out, so it takes around five minutes for water to drip slowly through coarse ground coffee. At Aniseed, it’s served with condensed milk, making a sweet but powerful cup of java that’s well worth the wait. ¥22 with condensed milk.
Where: Aniseed, multiple locations
Tel: 5382- 1186, 5477-7178, 6447-6488


Best Coffee Shops

Roasts from these places will get your caffeine buzz going strong

GZ Café
Hidden in a cluster of lane houses, this homey café recalls an eclectic friend’s studio with its mismatched furniture, bookshelves and colorful tchotchkes. The low-key atmosphere belies an attention to detail evident in everything from the fresh, expertly-prepared coffees to the homemade cookies that accompany them. GZ roasts all its beans on site daily, including an extensive list of single-origin varieties. They use the Ethiopian varieties for their house blend. If you’re buying by the bag, you can customize the roasts. Befitting the owner’s penchant for grown-up coffees, the espressos are excellent, but the must-try is the signature Ice Drip Coffee (¥38), which takes four hours to brew. It’s an extraordinary drink with the surprising floral notes of iced tea and the flavor profile of dark chocolate.
Where: No. 162, Lane 1025 Nanjing Xi Lu 南京西路1025弄162号
Tel: 5213-2139


LP Café
Art-splayed walls house a down-toearth café. The experienced baristas pull espresso shots precisely to suit your taste. However you like your espresso, you’ll find your match in the dark-roast signature 1399 blend (roasted on the premises), mild illy or robust Lavazza coffee beans. Iced coffees (¥30 and ¥35) are shaken like martinis before being strained into chilled glasses, so the last sip is as cold–and as intense–as the first. LP also runs classes on coffee tasting and preparation.
Where: Bldg 1, 1399 Huashan Lu 华山路1399号1楼
Tel: 6294-0233


The Living Room
Arranged with ‘20s and ‘30s antique furnishings and a display of beautiful teacups, this cozy café achieves its goal of providing a home away from home. Try the espresso con panna (¥28): rich Lavazza espresso with a crown of unsweetened whipped cream. A small selection of single-origin beans, including a rough, floral variety from Java (¥38), are brewed using a siphon coffee maker, resulting in a richer flavor, deeper body and less caffeine.
Where: 480 Huashan Lu 华山路480号
Tel: 6248-2206 


Carimo Specialty Coffee
Hiding in plain sight within People’s Square Metro station, this pint-sized venue offers high quality coffee, made from your choice of 30 single-origin beans from all around the world. Every batch is labeled with roasting dates. The coffee is made using the Japanese single-cup filter method to highlight the distinctive flavor in every variety. The resulting brew is packed with flavor without being acidic or bitter. Try the Brazilian black coffee for ¥25.
Where: Exit 17, 1-111 People's Square Metro Station 人民广场地铁站1-111号17出口
Tel: 2205-6985

Central Park
This bright, three-floor café places a premium on freshness (buying locally roasted beans every two weeks), consistency (dual-head Brasilia machines from Italy) and precision, even while encouraging the baristas to experiment with new processes. Try the creamy tiramisu latte (¥35 medium, ¥38 large), with lovely hints of mascarpone and cocoa.
Where: 542 Shaanxi Nan Lu 陕西南路542号
Tel: 5466-9918


Cat & Jazz
This warm, cozy space paired with fresh artisan coffee has it all. Try the siphon-brewed coffee (¥36), which uses a glass apparatus called vac pot to concoct a clean, smooth cup of gourmet joe. As soft jazz plays in the background and fluffy cats nuzzle your legs, it’s hard to believe you’re not relaxing in a good friend’s living room.
Where: Rm 301, No. 3, Lane 79 East Ronghua Lu 荣华东道79弄3号301室
Tel: 6278-6377




Off the Menu

Three baristas reveal their own one-of-a-kind coffee concoctions

Name: Nancy Wong
Drink: Latte with Bailey’s and Caramel
Coffee Chain: Citta Coffee
“I used to work in a bar, so I was always working with liquers. That’s how I thought to add Bailey’s–it has a milky taste and sweetness that pairs naturally with our Citta espresso, which tastes a bit like chocolate. I use the caramel to subdue that alcoholic taste. The drink sounds sweet, but it’s actually quite light. ¥31 regular, ¥37 large.”
Where: Unit 102C, 318 Fuzhou Lu, Nanjing Dong Lu 福州路318号102C室
Tel: 5178-2065

Name: Jonathan Wong
Drink: Swiss Orange Chocolate
Coffee Chain: Gloria Jean’s Coffee
“A combo of expresso and fruit, this has a light coffee flavor. I add half an ounce of orange syrup, then layer milk on top with a spoon and do the same with a shot of espresso. I top it off with a crown of whipped cream and sprinkle on Gloria Jean’s dried orange peel powder along with knots of fresh orange peel. Stir before drinking. ¥28 regular, ¥31 large.”
Where: 1/F, Channel One, 155 Changshou Lu 长寿路155号 调频壹广场1 楼
Tel: 3131-5112

Name: Jorg Shi
Drink: Caramel Hazelnut Soy Latte
Coffee Chain: Starbucks (multiple locations)
“I like soy milk and used it for this latte because it’s healthier than milk, and it lends a nutty flavor that goes well with the caramel and hazelnut. We get a lot of health conscious customers, so this is an ideal drink for them. ¥29 tall, ¥32 grande.”
Where: 1/F, Innovation Building, 1009 Yishan Lu 宜山路1009号创新大厦1楼
Tel: 5435-5157

Your favorite coffee shops not mentioned? Let us know below.