Arch Raises Dongcheng's Cocktail Scene to New Heights, But Good Luck Finding It
When you think of hidden speakeasies in Beijing, the commercial hub of Sanlitun, with its abundance of such tough to find joints, quickly springs to mind. However, the likes of 3.3 Mall hidden gem Mokihi No. 3, as well as the aptly named Hidden House, and recently defunct Press Release in Topwin's basement are by no means dominant in that regard any longer. That’s because newly opened cocktail joint Arch Bar is quickly making a name for itself despite its off the beaten path location in a gated compound off Zhangzizhong Lu.
Despite being tucked away in the compound next to Yugong Yishan, the recently opened lounge was practically full when we stopped by this past weekend, filled with young Chinese couples and small parties of smartly dressed (mostly) female Chinese customers. The refreshingly buzzing atmosphere, compared to plenty of sleepy or even flat-out dead quiet cocktail bars in the saturated Sanlitun and CBD haunts, can in part be chalked up to owner Alfred Yu. The lanky, unassuming barkeep and proprietor with a flair for creative cocktails made a major splash in 2016, after opening Bar 4 Nine near Jiaodaokou with Leo Zhang and former Sweet Tart baker and founder Britt Langford (who headed up marketing at that bar).
That hugely popular spot drew on lao Beijing culture for inspiration, from the drinks (loaded with Chinese herbs) to the decor (the bar used the same type of cabinets used at local pharmacies and TCM shops). Despite its popularity, the bar was forced to close just before the Great Brickening crushed an array of other bars in that neighborhood and beyond.
Yu doesn't rely on as many old Beijing tropes with Arch, though its brick walls, nooky layout, and (above all) vintage hutong rafters exude an ambiance unique to our fair capital. However, the arches behind the bar, alluringly soft lighting, equally plush contemporary pop on the speakers, and modern art hanging on the walls give it an ambiance all its own – part modern, part medieval.
Yu also strikes a new note with the cocktail menu, eschewing the adventurous Chinese medicine evoking cocktails at Bar 4 Nine in favor of subtler, more refined mixes. He's supplemented those efforts by teaming with Gan Ze Qiang, a bartender who cut his teeth at esteemed Shanghai cocktail haven Union Trading and just finished a year-long stint at award-winning Sanlitun joint Janes and Hooch.
Together they've cooked up a handful of enticing cocktails like the RMB 120 Roasted Monkey (made with banana sous vide aged rum, coffee liqueur, smoky whiskey, molasses, and aromatic bitters); the even heftier and pricier RMB 125 Somewhere In Time (made with truffle oil fat washed bourbon and cognac, chocolate vermouth, PX Sherry, and bitters), the RMB 100 Take My Breath Away (consisting of dry sherry, Peaty whiskey, beetroot, lemon juice, cassis, orange, and chocolate bitters); and the lighter, sweeter and cheaper RMB 90 Blooming Sunshine (made with Pimms No. 1 Cherry Liqueur, pineapple, vanilla nectar, lime, and aromatic bitters).
Obviously, these drinks are on the steep side, up there with the snazziest lounges in town, and will certainly make the rough and tumble hutong bar crowd all but faint. However, the upwardly mobile Chinese crowd in attendance this weekend were clearly happy to have an upscale lounge this far west of Chaoyang. And while the drinks aren't as intensely boundary-pushing as what you'd find at Bar 4 Nine, the narrower focus and more nuanced approach make Arch's cocktails more consistent overall, layering flavors with high-end ingredients for distinctive palate-tinglers.
It's exciting to see a barkeep as talented as Yu get back on his feet after the beloved Bar 4 Nine bit the dust, and we're impressed to see a Sanlitun caliber cocktail bar opening to such brisk business in a neighborhood better known for its scrappy holes in the wall. Arch is not a cheap place to spend an evening by any means, but anyone looking to impress a guest or special someone with creative drinks and a singular Beijing backdrop will find that it has raised the bar in Dongcheng's comparatively small cocktail scene.
Arch Bar
Daily 7pm-2am. 3 Zhangzizhong Road, Ping'an Avenue (6333 6188)
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Photos courtesy of Arch Bar
