It is fairly unlikely, that many people will visit this area. But if you do: in the basement of the Fortune Financial Center in Beijing, opposite the CCTV building, check out Flatwhite.

Google maps:

The place looks like any other coffee shop, and the general menu is just as random with all kinds of drinks and snacks. But there’s a surprise section of pour-over coffees.

I tried it on multiple occasions, with different baristas and every time the process was pretty perfect. Filters and all drippers were always rinsed, scale and timer were closely checked every time. The pours all came in at around 3 minutes and were very precise – no ‘all at once’ or any funny business.

Only the paper cup was never rinsed; that would have been the cherry on the cake.

The results were great. I found the Colombian a little too dark and didn’t love the heavy chocolate notes. Much better was the Kenyan with a lighter profile, and adding more lemony acidity. The best was the Ethiopian: strong lemon, super acidic, very bright.

The place is hidden in an unlikely area for passers-by. But if you pass by, give it a try – definitely worth it!