Beer is Beijing's drink of choice these days and while the city isn't short of places to pick up a pint of craft ale, we were intrigued to hear of the opening of an international beer chain in an otherwise off-the-beaten-path (i.e. not Sanlitun) location – Chongwenmen.
The decor is more "hotel chic" than "brick cave"
As the name suggests, beer is the order of the day here, with, if not a whole world of beer, then certainly a pretty wide selection. They have 10 beers on tap, including local brands like Boxing Cat (RMB 50 for a pint of First Blood lager) and international favorites like Stella Artois and Guinness (RMB 70 for a pint of the latter), plus a large menu of bottled beers, including options from Germany, the UK, and the US.
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On our visit a couple of weeks after the official opening, they seemed to be struggling a little with stock, with only a couple of beers available on tap, but the pint of First Blood lager that we were able to get was well poured.
World of Beer also offers a number of cocktails, some beer-based
Foodwise, the menu tends towards classic American bar food such as nachos, burgers (RMB 78), and chicken wings (RMB 48 for five, RMB 88 for 10). However, the most intriguing thing on the menu is the burger wellington (RMB 98), WOB's chef's own creation featuring a beef burger patty stuffed with cheese and caramelized onions and wrapped in puff pastry. On the menu, it reads like a bit of a culinary abomination but it turns out to be delicious. To paraphrase Joey Tribbiani, "what’s not to like? Cheese, good. Pastry, good. Beef, good."
World of Beer's signature cheeseburger wellington
Whenever a bar like this opens, you can't help but ask yourself, "does Beijing really need another craft beer bar?" especially one that stocks beers that are available – and cheaper – at other venues. Arguably not, but then again, of all the areas in Beijing they could have opened in, Chongwenmen was a good choice, considering it is otherwise pretty lacking in drinking venues (there is a branch of Blue Frog nearby, as well as Yin on 12 at the New World Beijing Hotel with its attractive roof terrace). So next time you find yourself in this part of the city in need of a pint, you know where to go.
Photos: World of Beer, Robynne Tindall, Dazhong Dianping
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