Brewers blending culture into coffee in Chongqing

CHONGQING — While coffee has made its way into many young Chinese people’s daily lives, a growing number of independent coffee shops in Chongqing are not only serving quality coffee from all over the world, but are also trying to infuse their coffee with local culture.

Rather than offering the usual combination of coffee and sandwiches, Chongqing’s coffee shops have made the drink a companion to the popular local dish of Chongqing spicy noodles, or xiao mian.

In the Yuzhong district, there is a coffee shop called Miankaka which exemplifies this cultural fusion. Located in a pedestrian zone centered around the Luohan Temple, it blends a buzzing lifestyle and tranquil Buddhism.

Inside, the menu offers noodles and coffee in different combinations, such as a 22-yuan ($3) set consisting of xiao mian, American coffee and a fried egg. “This cafe understands young people,” said Song Ning, a 26-year-old customer. “Xiao mian and coffee are both regular parts of our daily lives. I am so happy to find them in one place.”

Apart from creative matching, other coffee shops are also concentrating efforts on the coffee’s flavor, tailoring it to local preferences.

“Just like Chinese tea, which can be made in different ways in other countries, a foreign product like coffee can also be given a local taste,” said Long Ye, the 30-year-old founder of the Wuyinmen coffee shop.

His was one of the first independent coffee shops in Chongqing when it opened in 2018. There were some misunderstandings at first, as Wuyinmen is located in an old neighborhood that is home to many senior residents who were confused by the menu.

“Since I used Chinese-style decor, people thought it was a tea house rather than a coffee shop. However, it was my aim to open a Chinese style cafe,” Long said.

For example, he serves coffee in teacups with lids and saucers, the way tea is traditionally served in China, and launched a special blend that combines coffee with Sichuan pepper and tea.

Wearing a Taoist-style outfit with his hair tied up in a bun, Long spoke softly during a recent interview, giving off a Zen vibe, which he said he also tries to infuse into his coffee.

“To me, coffee is a beverage that can make you physically and mentally comfortable. So, I hope my customers will also find a moment of peace while they are drinking mine,” he said.

The number of coffee shops has increased significantly in Chongqing. There were 4,000 coffee outlets in the city in 2021, according to Tan Hua, head of the coffee roasting chamber of commerce in Yuzhong.

At the 2023 Chongqing International Coffee Festival in April, a blend of coffee called Hotpot Base got a lot of attention from visitors.

“We roasted two kinds of beans from Costa Rica and Colombia to create a spicy, numbing taste similar to the taste of Chongqing hot pot,” explained Liu Bo, a 27-year-old former basketball player who runs a coffee shop called Jisui.

In addition to the special flavor, Liu mounted his pour-over kit on a motorcycle, another symbol of the mountain city, to amplify its local feel.

“A coffee shop, in my understanding, is like a spiritual museum. So I want my coffee shop to reflect the core elements of my city,” he said.

Zhou Hui, a 32-year-old tourist from Shanghai, a city dubbed the “coffee capital of China”, feels much the same way. After going to several coffee shops and attending the festival, Zhou was impressed by Chongqing’s coffee culture.

“Everything is nice here. The coffee culture is similar to what we have in Shanghai,” Zhou said.