Spiked Coffee and Pumpkin Pastries Pair Beautifully at New Fall-Themed Café Duet
As the fading melody of summer blends with incoming winter bells, we briefly enjoy the resulting song of autumn. It is therefore appropriate that a shop called Café Duet would open in these months with drinks and pastries that embrace the harvest season.
Modern furniture lines the east wall of this long, wide café, all the way to the wall at the rear, where green potted plants cast their shadow. Overall, the place feels uncluttered and calm, and the toned-down playlist makes it an ideal spot for work or study.
In a somewhat strange decision, consider that we're now entering chill of November, almost all of the specialty drinks are served on ice. For the most part, they are coffee drinks, but two of the five are mixed with a dash of something to take the edge off of the caffeine buzz, and you had better believe that for RMB 50 a pop, we are trying one of the alcoholic options.
Specifically, the Autumn Fizz, which has an iced drip coffee base, a subtle splash of gin and lime, and a topping of Osmanthus flowers that are perhaps more for show than taste. As the name would suggest, the drink is shaken to give it a frothy head. If rum is more up your alley, the Falling Moon is made with cold brew and Bacardi and topped with tonic for bubbles and syrup for sweetness. The virgin option is the Duet, which is essentially soy milk and coconut water poured over an espresso ice cube. If you'd prefer tea, there's also an oolong and peach jam concoction called Last Summer.
With the weather changing rapidly, though, it is essential to have something warm. That role is fulfilled by the mulled wine and the pour-over coffees and teas. Perhaps readers who truly love to dive into the autumn leaves will have also noticed a curious lack of pumpkin. Not to worry: the pastries are nothing but – pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin tarts, and pumpkin pudding.
A lovely addition to Shizipo, we’re looking forward to seeing what other seasonal craftings come from this quiet little shop, especially if the menu expands to include additional hot options to keep us warm through winter.
Café Duet
8 Shizipo Street, Dongcheng District
二重奏：东城区十字坡街8号
READ: These Are the Best Board Game Cafés in Beijing
Images: Joey Knotts
