Capital Caff: Five Coffee Shops to Try in Sanlitun Taikooli
Don't talk to me until I've read Capital Caff – your guide to the latest in coffee happenings around Beijing.
Taikooli Shopping Center in Sanlitun is no stranger to cafés. A little search on Dianping’s map function for 咖啡厅 kafei ting brings up roughly eight or so shops, all in walking distance of one another.
Here’s the rub – these eight or so shops are either local or small chains intermingled with big global brands – Starbucks, Peets, Costa, and Nespresso amongst them. Here’s a list of ones that are worth your time.
%Arabica
This sleek shop, with its plain interior and simple, minimalist touches originally hails from Kyoto. Perhaps the youngest big chain on this list, %Arabica first landed in Taikooli as a small mobile shop outside the Opposite House in 2019, but it’s since opened up spaces in both Taikooli South and North.
The menu features a few classics – Americano, espresso, latte – but the stuff to try here is their different latte varieties, like the Kyoto and Spanish Latte. They’ve also got treats like coffee flavored ice cream and beans to go.
%Arabica (Taikooli South Branch)
S2-13B, 1/F, 19 Sanlitun Lu Courtyard, Bldg 2 Taikooli South
朝阳区三里屯路19号院2号楼一层S2-13B单元
Elephant Grounds
This little shop, which can be found not too far from the Apple Store in Taikooli South, is quite the eclectic spot. Once again, they’ve got a range of classic Italian coffees, with the best of the bunch – in this writer’s humble opinion – being the espresso or macchiato. Beyond that, they’ve also got some nice pour-over options, as well as food like Japanese style sandwiches and, every once in a while, a really solid Wagyu burger topped with an egg.
Elephant Grounds Coffee
S5-15, 1/F, 19 Sanlitun Lu Courtyard, Bldg 5 Taikooli South, Chaoyang District
朝阳区三里屯路19号院5号楼一层S5-15单元
Soloist Coffee Co.
Having one shop in the Dashilar area close to Qianmen wasn’t enough for Soloist, who opened up their location at the northwest side of Takooli South in 2017. Soloist puts a certain amount of skill into their pour-overs and Americano options, making them some of the best to be had in the capital. Plus, they come served to go in some pretty nifty cups, which is an added bonus.
Soloist Coffee Co. (Sanlitun Branch)
S3-18, 1/F, 19 Sanlitun Lu Courtyard, Taikooli South, Chaoyang District
朝阳区三里屯路19号院太古里南区S1-18单元
Manner Coffee
This Shanghai transplant, recently opened in Taikooli West, serves a quality Americano for unbeatable prices – only RMB 15 for a cup. Nuff said.
Manner Coffee (Taikooli West Branch)
W1-11, 1/F, Taikooli West, 58 Gongti Bei Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区工体北路58号太古里西区一层W1-11单元
Grid Coffee - The Black Spot
This newly opened, literally giant black stand in the Taikooli South complex, says it promises black coffee only. On this Grid Coffee delivers with their menu options split into Americanos, pour-overs, and something called “fruity beasties”. From there the offerings are split by bean variety or, in the case of their Americano menu, four different varieties of this particular style.
Grid Coffee - The Black Spot
1/F, Across from S6-16, Sanlitun Taikooli South, Chaoyang District
潮阳区三里屯太古里南区一层S6-16对面马路(SANDRO门口)
READ: Capital Caff: China Post Opens Beijing Cafe, Grid Coffee Pops Up in Taikooli & Other Coffee Stuff
Images: Emre (via Unsplash), Dianping, Kyle Mullin
