Mifan or Mafan: Uncle Coffee

Tucked away in a nondescript hutong near Niu Jie, Uncle Coffee is exactly what many of Beijing’s third-wave coffee shops aspire to be. In the tiny shop, the owner, Bian Lin, serves only pour overs made from beans he hand-roasts in small batches himself. (Lin also happens to be a watercolor artist with his own studio next door – no big deal.) A step away from the in-your-face floral and fruity light roasts served at many major coffee establishments, Lin’s passion for darker roasts is a refreshing change of pace. 

Uncle Coffee’s eclectic selection of music and cozy decor make for a tangibly different experience than the sometimes sterile-feeling third-wave nooks that pepper the more oft traversed sections of the city. So, if you’re looking for really (we mean really) solid cup of coffee, Uncle Coffee is your guy. 

[Image via Carson Ramsdell for That’s]

See a listing for Uncle Coffee and read more Mifan/Mafan restaurant reviews