Beans & Beer Mean Big Love for This Small Beiluogu Xiang Café
Can a cozy café-turned-almost-chain retain its charm post-expansion? If said café is Big Small Coffee, then it's a wholehearted 'Yes.' In truly unexpected news for Dongchengers, who are so used to closure notices that they've forgotten how to express joy at all, Big Small have opened their fourth location just off Beiluogu Xiang.
And – keep your hats on folks – that is not even the biggest news. Big Small Coffee has invited Beijing-based craft brew purveyors Crafters along for the ride, giving them a space in which to dispense their wares via tap.
The decor happily shuns Scandinavian vibes
But first, the coffee. Truth be told, cafés in Beijing are not hard to come by. What is hard is to find a good cup of coffee among all the mediocrity. Big Small Coffee does not disappoint, and their well-priced RMB 20 black brew tastes like God intended: packing a flavorful punch. We didn't even have to ask for less water. If you want to go fancy, a cup of Ethiopian coffee will set you back RMB 40, and if coffee's not your thing at all, there's tea, hot chocolate, and other less caffeinated drinks.
The space is airy and light without being pretentious
The venue takes on a colorful but minimal interior that gives off a vibe somewhere between Hong Kong schoolyard and a gumball dispenser (and is frankly a relief; we can't be the only ones who have had it up to here with Scandi-minimalism).
Big Small also opened a Qianmen branch around a month ago
When it comes to beer, Big Small Coffee now stocks a humble but functional Crafters selection. 330ml brews go for RMB 30, 450ml for RMB 40, or you can get a flight of three 200ml glasses for RMB 60. The limited-edition Brexit Pain Reliever English barleywine (10 percent ABV) is ideal for anyone drinking to forget (i.e. anyone from the UK, and now most of Europe) but if you'd rather remember your evening, we'd recommend sipping on a Yunnan Honey Coffee brown ale, a collaboration brew with Peiping Machine. Other options include a gluten-free number and a double-hopped IPA, and if you are not into beer at all, try the Rooibos and Peach Punch or Malty Cider.
The landscape will surely look more appealing once that tree turns green
One of the other exciting elements of the Beiluogu Xiang's Big Small is the yard, where you can relive joyful (or sorrowful) high school drinking memories while you lounge on stationary bikes and concrete benches. While wining and dining al fresco encompassed a usual evening in Beijing a few years back, finding a spot to do so in the hutongs is now near impossible. Let's just say we can't wait for blazing hot summer days so we can polish these benches with a cold brew in hand.
If that wasn't enough, it makes for a convenient workplace for the freelancers and creatives. With an extra sturdy table facing the yard, a plethora of power outlets, and pleasantly upbeat music, it might just become your new second home for days of slaving away on your laptop.
Daily 8am-midnight
13 Langjia Hutong, Dongcheng District
东城区郎家胡同13号
Images: Big Small Coffee, Tautvile Daugelaite
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