Iams House Offers a Picturesque View of Guijie's Hutong Roofs
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It's all too common for a shop or restaurant to open as a blatant effort to attract influencers and earn likes on the internet. But how many of them put as much effort into creating mixed coffee concoctions as an expensive cocktail bar does with their drinks?
It's clear some thought went into furnishing Iams House
Iams House has certainly put the effort in and based on the coffee-tea concoction we tried, we have to admit that it's paid off in the form of a complexity of flavors that is not usually associated with your typical latte. A number of other tempting options are on the menu, including a coconut cold brew topped off with a mint leaf and served in a wine glass, or if it's a particularly cheeky afternoon, a Bailey's Latte. The question is: is any of it actually worth it?
The Coffeade, with coffee, lemon tea, and wax gourd tea, served with a lemon slice
At present, the café strangely does not allow drink-only purchases and only sells in combinations of their drinks and specialty desserts at the price of RMB 108-128. It's therefore not likely to become a go-to breakfast and coffee for those on a budget, but on a lazy Sunday morning with a nice book? What the hell, treat yourself.
Little deserts like this have become popular in Beijing's cafés
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After all, Iams House is certainly furnished for lounging, with comfy couches both downstairs and up. The upstairs balcony is a welcome addition, with a view that makes you feel like you're floating in a sea of fine hutong roofs.
The balcony offers a view of the beautiful surrounding roofs
There is no shortage of bizarre but memorable furniture at Iams House
On the other hand, almost every piece of furniture does seem like it's trying a bit too hard to be photo-worthy. Tables are either shaped like pieces of abstract art or unfold to reveal a basin of little practical value, while lamps are held somewhat tackily on fake books. Only the balcony, with its wooden bar seating, feels like a normal place to sit and have a cup of tea.
Books and jewelry are shown off in a mini-gallery downstairs
Although it didn't make our list of top terraces in Beijing, Iams House is a good place to show off to visiting friends who are interested in what's going on in the hutongs – as long as you can afford it.
Iams House
Daily 10am-8pm
62 Xintaicangyixiang, Dongcheng District (183 7301 0400)
东城区新太仓一巷 62号
Images: Joey Knotts
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