Usually when we label a new establishment ‘hard to find,’ it’s with a puff of frustration (slash exhaustion) after walking in circles for 5 kilometers, but that was hardly the case with Apf. Kafe. The 10-minute journey from Tianhe Sports Center Metro Station Exit B takes one left and then straight for a few minutes before snaking right down an inconspicuous alleyway shaded by a canopy of green. Follow your GPS closely – like you’re playing a video game – as it’s easy to make a wrong turn and end up outside locked iron gates.
Architecture and Interior design: LUKSTUDIO
The serene walk puts one in a reflective, pre-cafe-chill-out kind of mood, and it’s reassuring to spot the crisp white exterior of Apf. Kafe immediately upon emerging from the shadowed path.
A menu featuring just eight beverages is listed above the front counter. Caffeinated options include espresso-based and filtered varieties, while lemonade (RMB36) and Melbourne’s rich Mörk hot chocolate (RMB38-40), served hot or iced, suit non-coffee drinkers.
Photography: Dirk Weiblen
The spacious, northward-facing cafe offers secluded clusters of chairs that would normally grant a feeling of privacy if it weren’t for the dozens of young girls snapping selfies. Their eagerness is understandable: pretty much every subject looks satisfyingly ‘artsy’ in pictures set against a minimalist design that took 14 months to construct.
“I wanted something simple and clean,” says 22-year-old proprietor Peter Fong, after whom Atelier Peter Fong (Apf.) Kafe is named. “This is a Scandinavian-inspired design… it’s a style I settled on after traveling to coffee shops all over the world.”
A separate studio next door will soon open as a co-working space for the public, featuring Wi-Fi that has certain, er, perks we probably shouldn’t put in writing.
To really taste the quality of the coffee (because you are paying a lot so might as well appreciate the difference), start with a pour over (RMB38) and your choice of single-origin beans, all of which are roasted by Seven Seeds in Australia. We tried a medium variety from a producer in Cauca, Colombia, that was extremely aromatic but a little sour. Thankfully, the shop also serves tasty croissants (RMB30-32) from Perma bakery, so we could balance our acidic brew with something sweet.
Served in an insulated clay pitcher, the coffee comes with a card that lists its origin, process and producer, as well as a useful graph depicting its flavor composition. Even if you’re not that into coffee, it’s fun to learn exactly what you’re drinking, what it’s supposed to taste like and where it comes from.
Since Apf. Kafe only offers light and medium roasts (in line with the trend in Australia), those seeking dark, full-bodied brews should head elsewhere. As for us, we’ll be stopping back on weekday mornings this winter to avoid crowds and cozy up to the enveloping aroma of freshly ground, specialty coffee.
Price: RMB65
Who’s going: fans of Australian coffee culture
Good for: Wi-Fi that scales walls, tracing the origin of your coffee
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