Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
DRINKING
The ancient and once quiet
hútòng
of Nanluogu Xiang, which runs north-south between Gulou Dongdajie and
Di'anmen Dongdajie, has become one of Běijīng's nightlife hubs in the last few years. While the character of the
hútòng
has changed irrevocably - most of the residents have rented out their homes for bars, restaurants and
shops and decamped to the suburbs - it does now feature a wide range of bars that cater to both locals and
Westerners. The main strip can get quite busy, at weekends especially. For a less-hectic time, try Beiluogu Xiang,
immediately to the north of Nanluogu Xiang, or the alleys around the Drum and Bell towers. Some of the coolest
GREAT LEAP BREWING
( Dàyuè Píjiǔ;
www.greatleapbrewing.com
; 6 Doujiao Hutong, beer per pint ¥25-50; 7pm-midnight Tue-Fri, 3pm-
midnight Sat, 2-9pm Sun; Shichahai)
A hidden gem to beat all hidden gems, this micro-brewery,
run by American beer enthusiast Carl Setzer, is housed in a hard-to-find, 100-year-old
Qing-dynasty courtyard and serves up a wonderful selection of unique ales made largely
from locally sourced ingredients. Sip on familiar favourites such as pale ales and porters or
choose from China-inspired tipples like Honey Ma, a brew made with lip-tingling Sìchuān
peppercorns. From Nanluogu Xiang, walk west down Jingyang Hutong , bearing right, then
left, then right again before turning left down Doujiao Hutong.
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EL NIDO
(59 Wǔshíjiǔ Hào Jiǔbā; 59 Fangjia Hutong Dongdajie, beers from ¥10; 6pm-late; Andingmen)
Friendly
pint-sized bar, with more than 100 types of imported beer. There's no drinks menu; just
dive into the fridge and pick out whichever bottles take your fancy. Prices for the foreign
beers start at ¥30, while Harbin beer costs just ¥10 a bottle. There's also some imported li-
quor, including a number of different types of absinthe. If El Nido's is too packed (it really
is tiny) then try walking up the road to
No 46
, where there's bunch of bars and cafes in a
small cul-de-sac.
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REEF BAR
( Chùjiāo; 14-1 Nanluogu Xiang, 14-1 beers from ¥20, cocktails from ¥25; 2pm-late; Nanluoguxiang)
Much
more of a bar for locals than many others in the area, Reef has a friendly vibe that makes it
an easy place to hang out. Located in a converted
hútòng
house, there's a small bar area, a
few sofas and tables, and a wide selection of foreign beers. Run by a cheerful husband-and-
wife team, it stays open into the wee hours on busy nights.
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ZÁ JIĀ
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