The best hutong bars in Beijing

Photo: Nina

The best spots to wet your whistle in Beijing's famous alleyways

It's finally time to brace ourselves for some cooling breeze this weekend, and there's no better way to do it than with a nice drink in the city's winding hutongs. From cosy courtyard space to cheery neighbourhood bar and tropical paradise, explore and meander through the hutong bars with some of our top picks for a drink.

Pinó

Photo: Pinó

We love Pinó because it’s simply accessible. Whether you’re a laid-back drinker a wine devotee, you’ll find everything you need and more on its menu. It lists only three adjectives to describe its wines, leaving a wide berth for personal preferences. Tucked away in Jiaodaokou, the bar boasts an impressive square footage for a hutong space, which includes an outdoor terrace for summertime sips. Our favourite drink is frozé (a frozen rosé for those not in the know), a cheeky, crowd-pleasing blend of rosé wine, tequila, triple sec and lime (70RMB). 

Píno. 1, Shoubi Hutong, Dongcheng district 东城区寿比胡同1号. Open 5pm-late daily.

Nina

Photo: Nina

The sister bar of Pinó, Nina is another cherry hutong favourite that serves affordable and very good cocktails. The stars of the bar are its negronis and spritzes (try artichoke spritz). It also offers a groovy sharing menu of small pizzas, brilliant mix ‘n’ match arancini and croquettes, and some seriously well-priced charcuterie options.

Nina. 66, Beiluoguxiang, Dongcheng district 东城区北锣鼓巷66号. Open 6.30pm-2am.

Arch

Photo: Arch

If you’re on the lookout for good drinks and good company rather a raucous night out, Arch is the one for you. Tucked away in a not-so-notable carpark of a more notable former residence of Republic of China-era warlord Duan Qirui, the bar is about as close to a hidden gem as it gets. It has an extensive wine and whiskey list, and a cocktail list features truly special tipples made with the likes of truffle oil bourbon, sous vide banana-infused rum and cardamom bitters. Don't let the high-class hooch and exotic liqueurs put you off, its ambitious menu is, despite its price point, particularly well-considered. 

Arch. 3, Zhangzizhong Lu, Dongcheng district 东城区张自忠路段祺瑞执政府旧址. Open 7pm-late.

Mao Mao Chong 毛毛虫

This trendy hutong cocktail spot has remained popular thanks to its inventive creations and fun twists on the classics. Enjoy quirky drinks made from locally sourced ingredients, one like the Mala Mule (45RMB), made with Sichuan peppercorn, and the Ladyboy, made with kaffir lime- and lemongrass-infused vodkas. The prices of its drinks are some of the cheapest in the city (most cocktails 40-50RMB). And the gourmet pizzas are equally worth a visit alone.

Mao Mao Chong 毛毛虫. 12, Banchang Hutong, Jiaodaokou Nan Dajie, Dongcheng district 东城区交道口南大街板厂胡同12号. Open 5.30pm-late daily.

The Tiki Bungalow

An island paradise in the middle of the hutongs, The Tiki Bungalow, one of Beijing’s most iconic bars, hardly needs our help. Their delicious and fruity rum-infused drinks served alongside voodoo iconography, bamboo fixtures, tiki masks and thatched grasswork will surely make you feel like you're on a beach vacation.

The Tiki Bungalow. 46, Fangjia Hutong, Dongcheng district 东城区方家胡同46号. Open 7pm-late daily.

4corner

The rebooted Vietnamese bar and restaurant is perfect for either a boozy celebration or a quiet meal out. It sports a hip courtyard bar that serves innovative cocktails (around 70RMB) on top of Vietnamese staples, and is transformed into a raucous bar from a chilled spot when nightfall. Expect a packed weekly schedule of events there –  weeknights include an open mic night, a pub quiz and story-telling sessions. 

4corner. 27, Dashibei Hutong, (off Gulouxidajie), Xicheng district 西城区大石碑胡同27号. Open 11-1am daily.

Great Leap Brewing Original #6

No beery haunts in the hutongs will be completed without the mention of the original location of Great Leap. The sweet-yet-fiery Honey Ma Gold is Beijing summarised in a glass: a mix of old Eastern ingredients and modern Western techniques, enormously attractive to hipsters and, thanks to Great Leap’s location, intimately tied to the city’s winding hutong alleys. Plus it’s enormously alcoholic, just like a sizeable chunk of the city’s foreign population. 

Great Leap Brewing Original #6. 6, Doujiao Hutong, Di'anmenwai Dajie, Dongcheng district 东城区豆角胡同6号院. Open noon-11.30pm daily.

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