The first half of 2017 has big for cafe lovers, with a myriad of trendy new locations opening up across the city. Needless to say, we have been busy visiting as many as possible and reporting our findings to the good folks of Guangzhou.
Curious which ones have wowed us most? Here's a list of the ones from 2017 we liked the best (so far), taking into account quality, atmosphere, service and value for money.
1. Brasston
Brasston, a vegan and gluten-free dessert shop with a secret (which you can discover in our full review), occupies a prime spot along the Pearl River in Haizhu District. Its large windows in front are perfect for people watching or taking in views of the charming riverside promenade across the street.
Named in part after ‘brass,’ which cofounder Tsui Chong describes as a “pretty yet low-profile material" used to make everything from instruments (he loves jazz) to wires ("they connect things, like we do people"), Brasston strives to be 'subtly chic,' i.e. the opposite of tuhao gold.
Its founders are vegetarians who care deeply for animals and try to connect that passion with their work. During the next Chinese Valentine’s Day (the Qixi Festival) in August, for example, Brasston will be selling boxes of chocolates with a romantic gift, the proceeds of which will be used to help stray animals in Guangzhou. Pets aren’t only welcome at Brasston – in the future they may even enjoy a menu of their own.
Price: RMB50
Who’s going: ladies, Sebastian (La La Land)
Good for: vegan and gluten-free desserts, Wi-Fi with a built-in VPN
Read our full review here. See listing for Brasston.
2. Enzo & Max
Enzo & Max, which offers catering for events and parties, crafts crepes both savory and sweet. For a main dish, try the La Forestière (RMB53), mushroom-scented and enriched with Port wine and cheese. Another solid option is the La Marinière (RMB53), infused with smoked salmon and a lemony cream sauce.
Dessert crepes come with fruity add-ons like diced mango, bananas, whipped cream, caramelized apple slices and ice cream of various flavors. We topped our chocolate crepe (RMB28) with vanilla ice cream and banana slices, but you may ‘go nuts’ with your Nutella (RMB23) served with mango and caramelized apples. Dine with a glass of imported cider (RMB25) – it’s what they do in France.
Price: RMB70
Who’s going: everyone who reads this review, crepeholics
Good for: authentic crepes, catering option
Read our full review here. See listing for Enzo & Max.
3. Get Lab
Liwan isn’t exactly known as a hot spot for new F&B openings, but wander down any of its secluded alleyways and you’ll find dozens of contemporary cafes, stylish cocktail bars and modern art galleries glowing within weathered Xiguan residences. Get Lab is one such coffee shop, housed in a three-story Lingnan abode that overlooks a sea of clay rooftops as far as the eye can see.
Coffee is the name of the game here, and the ‘lab’ in the establishment’s moniker reflects the experimental element in some of the drinks, such as the iced coffee with fresh lemon slices (RMB23-26). Known as the shilian (失恋) or ‘break-up’ drink due to its jarringly bitter flavor, this one is best left for black coffee lovers seeking a refreshing pick-me-up on a blistering summer afternoon.
Price: RMB20-25 for a coffee
Who’s going: Xiguan xiaojie, friendly coffee snobs
Good for: patio hangouts, weekend excursion
Read our full review here. See listing for Get Lab.
4. Hay Coffee
We never thought we’d say this, but it’s getting harder to keep Guangzhou’s specialty coffee shops straight. Between Laihui, Pressroom, Apf. Kafe, The Scientist, Wantok, Lock Chuck, Grace Coffee Roasters, Green Room, Nido and now Hay, you can sip caffeinated bean juice from nearly every region in the world that produces the stuff – well, except for maybe China.
So how’s Hay's coffee? Smooth and sweet – the easiest to drink without milk and sugar that we’ve tried in Guangzhou to date. Part of that has to do with Hay’s choice of beans, which, when ground, release sweet extracts of citrus and pear (Yirgacheffe, RMB36), blackberry and honey (Kenya, RMB36) or ginger flower (90+ Drima Zoda, RMB48).
Another important factor is that Hay roasts its own beans locally instead of importing the finished product, allowing it to modify the flavor as needed.
Price: RMB35
Who’s going: Cantonese artists, aspiring baristas
Good for: Panama geisha coffee, friendly service
Read our full review here. See listing for Hay Coffee.
5. Wagas
A popular brand in Shanghai with more than 50 outlets in China, Wagas suits the health-conscious digital nomad who wants to upload a gigabyte of data online and write a press release by the time she finishes her carrot and mung bean salad (RMB40/58). She’ll leave feeling a tad more accomplished than she is full, unless she decides to splurge on the well deserving lemon tart (RMB35) served atop a hefty crust and guarded by a mound of heavy cream.
Highlights on the lunch menu include the smoked salmon sandwich with cream cheese, capers, onion and rocket (RMB58) and the falafel wrap stuffed with mango kale salad, red peppers, yogurt dressing and carrot humus (RMB55). If living in China has opened your eyes to the joy of a sandwich-less lunch, try the grilled salmon quinoa salad (RMB68) or savory penne with pesto, chicken, pine nuts and feta for RMB58.
Price: RMB90
Who’s going: health-conscious dudes on lunch break, unemployed shoppers
Good for: fancy fresh juices, edible dishes with kale
Read our full review here. See listing for Wagas.
READ MORE: Guangzhou's 9 Best New Restaurants of 2017 (So Far)
Read more Guangzhou cafe reviews.
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