Gulou and Angingmen’s Best Rooftops and Terraces

Gulou and Andingmen’s Best Rooftops and Terraces

Katie Coy, Managing Editor | Aug 7, 2024 5:30 pm | Add a comment | 468 reads

A few weeks back we took a look at the best rooftops and terraces around Sanlitun and Gongti and now we’re moving on to the hutongs around Gulou and Andingmen. There are countless rooftops and terraces hidden among the capital’s hutongs so we’ve picked out a few of our favorites along with a few that are perhaps lesser known.

Toast at The Orchid

Botique hotel The Orchid’s restaurant Toast has a lovely rooftop right in the heart of Beijing's old city. If you’re worried about the heat but still want beautiful hutong views, they also have an indoor terrace with large windows that open up so you can enjoy outside and AC at the same time.

A super popular brunch spot – though they also do afternoon tea and dinner – Toast does a range of East-Mediterranean-inspired mezze and tapas that are ideal for sharing. For brunch, they have classics such as Shakshuka (RMB 78) and Turkish Cilbir (RMB 78) or more unusual offerings like the Full Chinglish (RMB 98). For those wanting a little bit of everything you can’t go wrong with the Mixed Mezze Supreme (RMB 168), which has a variety of delightful nibbles.

Toast at The Orchid
65 Baochao Hutong, Dongcheng District
东城区宝钞胡同65号
Hours: 10am-9pm
Phone: 010 6402 0824

Pebbles Courtyard

There's no shortage of terraces and rooftops on Wudaoying Hutong, but our personal favorite spot is Mexican restaurant Pebbles Courtyard. Their long, spacious rooftop is simply decorated with wooden benches and tables, wicker chairs, and a tiled floor adding a bit of a rustic vibe.

When it comes to food their Tacos (RMB 50-75 for three) are not to be missed. They also do Al Pastor Wednesdays from 5pm, serving up their delicious slow-roasted pork on everything from Tacos (RMB 20-30 for one) to Nachos (RMB 48) to a Quesadilla (55) or a Burrito (RMB 75). What's more, they've changed up the menu from this week: RMB 98 for six tacos everyday (Tuesday-Sunday), and, upping the ante for that tacotacular day of the week, RMB 108 for ten tacos on Taco Tuesday! Of course, no trip to Pebbles would be complete without trying one of their signature mezcal and tequila cocktails, many of which are often on a buy one get one free deal.

Pebbles Courtyard
74 Wudaoying Hutong, Dongcheng District
东城区五道营胡同74号
Hours: Tue-Thu 5pm-10pm; Fri noon-2pm, 5pm-10pm; Sat-Sun noon-10pm
Phone: 010 8404 0767

The Factory

The Factory has a lovely little hidden rooftop where you can escape the hustle and bustle of Gulou Dongdajie. Surrounded by wood paneling, the venue's rooftop has an almost pub garden vibe and they’ve got the beers to go with it as well! They have a great range of regularly rotating beers on tap, plus they regularly do cask ale events in partnership with Beijing-based brewers Oak & Iron. They also often host events on the roof like Reggae Factory where they combine special Jamaican meals with live reggae DJ sets. To keep up to date with goings on you can follow their official WeChat account by scanning the QR code below.

The Factory
135 Gulou Dongdajie, Dongcheng District
东城区鼓楼工厂鼓楼东大街135号
Hours: 11am-2am
Phone: 185 1461 8664

Penthouse

Although Penthouse is more known for its live music, if you want to catch some rays instead of a live band they’ve got a great little rooftop. The space isn’t huge but has a great vibe, with ceramic tiles giving a bit of a Mediterranean feel. While there you can enjoy one of their delicious cocktails or grab a bite to eat from their Western menu.

Penthouse
93 Gulou Dongdajie, Dongcheng District
东城区鼓楼东大街93号
Hours: 2.30pm-3am
Phone: 132 4034 0120

Café by Alba

Café by Alba boasts a large rooftop with beautiful views of the hutongs below. They have plenty of tables and also some stools looking out across Gulou Dongdajie which makes for some very Instagrammable snapshots. Here you can enjoy one of their signature coffees like Coconut Milk Dirty (RMB 38) or French Style Mocha (RMB 38) as well as classic coffees too. They also have a selection of cocktails with offerings such as a Gin Smash (RMB 55) or the Beijing Mule (RMB 55), their take on a Moscow mule which combines vodka with chili, mint and ginger. To go with your drink they have a range of cakes and sweet treats available too.

Café by Alba
70 Gulou Dongdajie, Dongcheng District
东城区鼓楼东大街70号
Hours: 10.30am-9pm
Phone: 138 0128 8011

MOONEE

Just north of Houhai, MOONEE’s large rooftop offers up spectacular views of the Bell and Drum Towers and is a particularly great spot to enjoy during sunset. Its rooftop has an undeniable Mediterranean feel with its tiled floor and white stone walls contrasted against bright blue cushions and chairs. They offer up a range of classic and special cocktails, beer, wine, and other drinks along with some of your usual Western fare like burgers, tacos, pasta, and more.

MOONEE
51 Jiugulou Dajie, Xicheng District
市西城区旧鼓楼大街51号
Hours: 4pm - 2am
Phone: 155 0357 1026, 131 4125 1700

Great Leap Taproom Gulou

One of Great Leap’s Taproom franchises, this Gulou branch has a banging rooftop with stunning views of the Drum Tower. With fake grass, wooden benches and a number of Great Leap’s signature brews on tap it definitely has a pub garden vibe. As this is a taproom rather than a fully-fledged Great Leap, you can’t get Great Leap’s food here but you can get a range of chuan’r and Beijing style hotpot, plus other classic Chinese dishes perfect for enjoying on a hot summer’s evening. They also have a projector screen set up where they’ll often screen football matches and other sporting events.

Great Leap Taproom Gulou
19 Dianmenwai Dajie, Xicheng District
西城区地安门外大街19号
Hours: 9am-2am
Phone: 185 1023 3888

Slowboat Shichahai

At Slowboat’s Shichahai location not only do they have a lovely rooftop overlooking the lake but also a terrace area right by the water just a little bit south of the taproom. With beautiful views of Shichahai and the Drum and Bell Towers in the far distance, Slowboat’s rooftop definitely has some of the best scenery on this list. With numerous tables plus seating along the wall where you can look directly out onto the lake, it’s an ideal spot to enjoy one of Slowboat’s signature beers or burgers. At this branch, they also do an exclusive snack the Deep Fried Lotus Root (RMB 36) which is a must-try!

Slowboat Shichahai Taproom
Bldg 2, Commercial Street, Hehua Market, 51, Di'anmen Dajie, Xicheng District
西城区地安门大街51号荷花市场内商业街2幢
Hours: Sun-Mon 11am-midnight; Fri-Sat 11am-2am
Phone: 130 5140 5508

Dali Renjia

Nestled along Baochao Hutong, Dali Renjia is an unassuming Yunnan restaurant that has a charming terrace and rooftop, both surrounded by trees and views of the hutongs below. They boast an extensive menu with plenty of Yunnan classics like Fried Beef and Mint (RMB 58), Jasmine and Egg (RMB 38), Lemon Grass Grilled Fish (RMB 68), and an impressive collection of mushroom dishes – they have a whole two pages of them to be exact!

Dali Renjia
80 Baochao Hutong (100m north of Gulou Dongdajie), Dongcheng District
东城区东城区宝钞胡同80号（鼓楼东大街往北走100米）
Hours: 10am-10pm
Phone: 010 8402 2479

Page One

Page One’s Andingmen location has one of the largest rooftops on this list, stretching across two levels. Its muted, grey color scheme is reminiscent of the hutong buildings surrounding it and makes the greenery dotted around appear more vibrant. It’s an ideal spot to settle down with a book while enjoying one of their refreshing drinks or a bite to eat from their Western-style menu. They also have a small terrace area just outside the entrance if you don’t fancy climbing up the winding staircase to the roof.

Page One
No. 1, Z Zone, Huayuan Hutong, Dongcheng District
东城区花园东巷城市空间1921文化产业园1号楼
Hours: 10am-7pm
Phone: 185 1894 0895

Bonus: Parallel Line Coffee

So this one is more situated near Beixinqiao, but it is definitely worth a mention. Parallel Line Coffee opened up in April last year, taking over the space previously occupied by Old World. Their rooftop features low tables with camping chairs and a tasteful row of potted plants to add some color. On the menu, they have a range of coffees like Americano (RMB 20), Flat White (RMB 35) etc. as well as carefully crafted cocktails like the Gin Jasmine (RMB 45) that mixes gin, rum and jasmine tea and the Ousky Seaside (RMB 55), a colorful little number that combines blue curacao with tequila and orange.