Is Joy City Finally Living up Its Name? Four New Nearby Hot Spots to Check Out

Beijingers priced out of apartments in trendy Sanlitun, Xinyuanli, and the CBD no longer need to look back in envy. After years of those central haunts hogging the spotlight, other neighborhoods are slowly but surely coming into their own. Prime example: the Chaoyang Joy City area, which is buzzing of late thanks to a cluster of bars that have opened up near the juggernaut mall. 

While we predicted the neighborhood’s rise a few years ago, with pioneers Bora Bora tiki bar and Chaplin bar and restaurant leading the charge, followed by Australian burger joint Royal Stacks last year, a few fresher establishments with chic interiors are giving Shilipu and Qingnian Lu residents more reason than ever to stick around instead of hiking it to the city center. Here are our favorite new finds in that once forgettable neighborhood:

Zun Bar

This unassuming lounge rivals many of its more hyped counterparts in central Beijing. Dark brick walls, five bar shelves chock-a-block with glowing backlit bottles, and a half dozen tall tables with stools make for an inviting vibe.

The menu has plenty of sturdy drink options, front and center of which is their RMB 80 eponymous cocktail. It features splashes of whiskey and rum, Aperol, Lillet aperitif, and a cinnamon stick garnish that all amounts to a stiff, bitter mix. Lighter alternatives include a watermelon juice-doused negroni (also RMB 80), the Ceobanach (made with Bombay Gin, lemon juice, St. Germain Liqueur, and cucumber; RMB 75) and the tart and cheekily named Durex Love (featuring vodka, raspberries, cranberries, and bitters; also RMB 75). Their creative mixes and their lower than average prices make Zun a nice alternative to the many overpriced cocktail bars in Beijing's downtown.

Owlery Cafe & Brew

Whether you need a caffeine fix to start the day or a beer after a long day, Owlery has both early birds and night owls covered. The Zun Bar-adjacent café's vibe is charming and low key, and with a decent range of caffeinated and brewed beverage options.

Most notably, the beer fridge offers some imported options that aren't easy to come by in Beijing, including the nitro milk stout from Boston's Left Hand Brewing (RMB 60) and the grapefruit and guava tinged RMB 65 North Brewing Co Pinata Tropical Pale Ale from Leeds, England (their beer menu rotates regularly, making repeat visits fun). They also serve in-house coffee cocktails like Bailey's lattes and rum-laced Americanos (RMB 36-50) should you want to nip both cravings in the bud.

Wine & Philosophy

A little further north of Owlery and Zun you'll find Wine & Philosophy (also pictured at top). When we stopped by on what should've been a sleepy Tuesday evening, the bar was more than three-quarters full and buzzing with upbeat chatter. Lights in the shape of glowing arches run along the stone walls, racks upon racks of wine bottles sit to the left of the bar, and the service was prompt, attentive, and friendly.

The menu impressed as much as the ambiance. The wine runs from affordable (RMB 50 for a glass of Luis Felipe) to pricier: bottles of Belcorvo Prosecco Treviso extra dry for RMB 380, Banfi Rosa Regale DOCG for RMB 580, and Perrier Jouet for RMB 980. It's for that reason that Wine & Philosophy makes wine approachable and fun, and is helping to render the days of vino snobbery a distant memory.

Naughty Monkey

This craft beer joint is more fun than a barrel of monkeys thanks to the 20-odd rotating brews on tap (typically priced RMB 45-75). The list is well-curated, with tempting rarities like a hazy, mango, and pineapple-tinged Tiki Fractals IPA from Southern California's Belching Beaver Brewery, and a crispy and clear, fruity-nosed Mega Mosaika from Quebec's Brasserie Dieu du Ciel. Recent additions include a tart and citrusy Gose Gone Wild from Maryland's Stillwater Artisanal Ales, the fruity Three Little Fonzies from Wokingham's Siren Craft Brew, and a peanut butter stout, among others (each RMB 65).

Temper your buzz from all those tempting brews with snacks like chorizo and Nuremberg sausages (RMB 48 per order), or a roast sausage platter (RMB 78), as well as chicken wings (RMB 50).

READ: Our Favorite Haunts in the Rising Northeast Neighborhood of Wangjing

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Email: kylemullin@truerun.com
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Photos courtesy of the owners