A cup of good coffee can relieve spring sleepiness and summer fatigue | Fuzhou boutique coffee map

"Compared to the cookie-cutter chain coffee shops, independent coffee shops are like friends with different personalities, scattered in different corners of the city."

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"I become gentle, like a cloud wearing pants."

I once used this line from Akhmatova's poem to describe the feeling that single-origin coffee gave me. Take a sip of the freshly brewed coffee, and the rich aroma rolls in the small space between your tongue and palate, like clouds rolling and spreading, filling your mouth.

This is what I think of as the tenderness of coffee.

Cafés have always been my favorite place. When I finish work and don’t want to go home, cafés are a warm and private place for me to relax, daydream, and sometimes escape from reality.

We seem to prefer independent coffee shops to those large chain stores. They often have a unique atmosphere, careful decoration, or harmonious but not too intimate relationships between people. All these things become reasons for us to visit again and again.

As I walk around more often, I naturally have some shops I frequently visit, so I have selected a few and made an incomplete coffee map of Fuzhou for you.

Visiting cafes is not so much about finding stimulation for taste buds as it is about exploring the texture of the city from a new perspective. In the process of exploration, I can't help but sigh that there are too many interesting cafes in Fuzhou, and it is impossible to finish them in one phase.

Grinded Coffee

A retro European-style cafe away from the hustle and bustle

At the corner of Hudong Road, Moman Coffee, which has been in business for 6 years, stands quietly. Whenever I walk into the store, I feel that the hustle and bustle of the four-lane road outside the store is completely blocked outside the door.

This is an exquisite retro coffee shop. The first floor is bright and spacious. You can choose to sit at the bar at the door and chat with the staff or regular customers about coffee and listen to their interesting stories. I prefer the dim light on the second floor, which, combined with the retro decoration, gives me a sense of privacy and security.

The sofa on the second floor is very comfortable, and it is not a problem to lie down and sleep. Time always passes quickly in the soothing piano music, and the volume is just right, not too noisy.

The last time I came here, the waiter recommended Kenya AA. I still remember the caramel-like sweetness of this bean. After the coffee cooled slightly, the original fruity sourness of Kenya gradually emerged.

The owner, Momo, is a pretty and gentle girl from Xi'an. In addition to the delicious coffee, this shop also seems to contain the delicate and exquisite thoughts of girls. In Moman, the experience is just like its name: grinding the endless time with the time of a cup of coffee.

Regarding this store, sometimes I am afraid that it will not be popular enough, and sometimes I am afraid that it will be too popular.

Address: No. 330 Hudong Road

Per capita: 40-168 yuan

WiFi password: 87654321

Coffee DAN

Industrial white and gray tones of minimalist coffee shop

You may get lost when looking for this shop. It is hidden in one of the alleys of Tonghu Road, opposite the Eighteenth Middle School. This is an industrial-style gray and white coffee shop. Although it has only been open for two years, it has a lot of popularity, even on rainy days.

Before becoming a regular customer, I had heard a lot of good things about this place. The owner was once a champion in a coffee competition. I like the undisturbed atmosphere here. Even if it is lively, it does not affect my own peace. Perhaps it is because of the influence of its cement decoration that all emotions seem restrained.

There was a cardboard box at the door, and the store clerks adopted a stray cat named "Kitty".

Barista Ah Hai wears black-framed glasses, and he always looks serious. Before brewing, he always uses a thermometer to test the water temperature, and only starts to add water and steam when the temperature is right.

The beans here cover a variety of flavors, from light roasted to dark roasted. After drinking the coffee, take a sip of warm water and you will find the water even sweeter.

Coffee DAN means simply focusing on making coffee. Having a simple and delicious cup of coffee is what I consider to be a small happiness.

Address: No. 129 Tonghu Road

Per capita: 35-55 yuan

WiFi password: 88888dan

Uncle Tat Coffee

The longest-running boutique coffee shop in Fuzhou

In Fuzhou's coffee circle, Uncle Tat's Coffee on Daming Road has long been well-known. It is the oldest boutique coffee shop, having been open for twelve years.

Every time I opened the door, a clear bell rang in my ears, and this was what impressed me the most.

The interior decoration style of the store is similar to that of an American cocktail bar. The warm lighting makes the main visual design of wood look even warmer. Opposite the bar is their honor wall, which is full of various competition certificates won by Uncle Da and his disciples. The current store manager, Xiao Q, is the coffee champion of 2015.

Some people say that Uncle Da Coffee has enough patience to give customers a complete coffee experience. Coffee is the beginning of a relationship, and the reason for repeated visits is more than just a cup of delicious coffee.

In the constant communication, a subtle connection is established between each other. The familiar greeting when seeing you come in may be more touching.

Xiao Q is a very cute person. He once joked to his friends that he couldn't take photos because he didn't wear a suit and didn't do his hair. When I took photos, he repeatedly asked me to make his face thinner.

Here, I often order Muse. Not only because it tastes good, but also because it is relatively cheap. Usually, there will be a swirling aroma in the front and middle parts that spreads to the throat, sometimes releasing a minty coolness, and when it comes back to sweetness, it tastes like honey.

Location: No. 71 Daming Road

Average price per person: 38-118 yuan

WiFi name: betty

WiFi password: 22709337

Green Coffee

A bar-style cafe on the banks of the Antai River

One day, I was bored and went to several coffee shops. When I arrived at Green Coffee, it was already dark. The reason why I chose this place last was because Green Coffee was the shop that was open the latest that I knew.

I drank too much coffee that day and felt a little tipsy, like I was tipsy. Perhaps this state is more suitable for a late-night cup of green coffee.

Green Coffee is located at the end of Nanhou Street, on the south bank of the Antai River. This is an old shop that has been in business since 2013, with a history of nearly 6 years. The reason for choosing this location is that on the day of the inspection, the team leader Panda fell in love with the look of sunlight shining through the leaves on the Antai River. He used to be a rational IT practitioner, and this is one of the few emotional moments in his memory.

At night, the dark environment of Green Coffee is more like a bar, with groups of customers sitting in the store, telling their own stories. Or you can do as I did, sitting by the Antai River, drinking a cup of coffee, feeling the wind brushing your ankles, and feeling time slowly and comfortably passing away.

Needless to say, the coffee here is of high quality. They are one of the few teams in Fuzhou that can supply coffee beans for roasting. The beans of Green Coffee and its sister store Prussian Blue need to be debugged for nearly a month before they are used. After being roasted, cupped and baristas, a cup of good coffee can be served.

Location: No. 6-8, Yingfangli, Sanfangqixiang

Per capita: 40-168 yuan

WiFi password: qing0816

Prussian Blue

Fresh and bright internet celebrity cafe

Since we are talking about Green Coffee, we have to mention its sister store, Prussian Blue. It is located on the second floor of Dongbai C Hall. Compared with the heavy and gloomy Green Coffee, Prussian Blue is brighter and clearer. The coffee above the quality line, plus the open space and clean decoration design always make people feel happy.

There are only five types of coffee here, which is not amazing, but it is stable. Compared with simply tasting coffee, Prussian Blue may be more suitable for drinking coffee and then working. I don’t know how many times I have worked here with my computer until the store closed.

From the terrace, you can see the eaves of Sanfang Qixiang. The relaxing scenery here is probably one of the reasons why I come here again and again.

For beginner coffee lovers, this may be a good starting point. The store clerk will usually introduce you to some little knowledge about coffee, combined with beautifully designed cards.

Location: 2nd floor, Dongbai Building C

Per capita: 40-98 yuan

Kangshan Lane

Here you can enjoy the leisurely and unhurried style of Lao Cangshan

Kangshan Lane is hidden on Duihu Road and has a history of about 9 years. Its two entrances are covered with green plants, and from the two huge windows, you can easily see the guests chatting and laughing inside.

It is a leisurely place, rain or shine. There are many customers, coming and going, and the table by the window is a bit narrow, but it is easy to fill it up.

Although the decoration here is more of a European and American industrial style, it does not seem frivolous. In the words of a friend, it feels like the old Cangshan, and it is not hurried or slow. A corner of the house is also hung with certificates of honors won by the store staff, and on the walls of the small room, you can also see group photos taken with Polaroid cameras.

Single origin coffee is usually the first choice here. As a well-received shop in the coffee circle, the coffee quality here can really stand the test. Whether it is Italian coffee or single origin coffee, the desserts are also good, and the first few sips are particularly fragrant.

Chatting with the shop assistants here, you can feel the sunshine and purity in their personalities. When the conversation gets excited, they will even ask you to try a cup or two of other beans to taste.

Location: No. 21 Duihu Road

Per capita: 35-60 yuan

WiFi password: kangshanli01

Qilin Bookstore

Ming Diao Coffee Bar with Books as Your Companion

I don't know when I started to have a prejudice that coffee in bookstores cannot be trusted. But the coffee in Qilin Bookstore is an exception. In other stores, I would buy books and sit for free, but here I would buy coffee and sit for free. Qilin Bookstore, located in Daguangli, Sanfang Qixiang, has been a place that many people have been thinking about since it opened last year.

Under the blue bricks and white tiles is a spacious and bright courtyard, with large French windows bringing light into the white interior space. Order a cup of coffee and open a book you like, and spend the whole afternoon or evening like this.

The quality of the food and tea here is good. I still remember the first time I drank espresso was at Qilin Bookstore. After a cup, after a short and intense bitter taste, only the fragrance lingering on the throat was left. The recent Geisha beans are very popular, and there are only two kilograms left of this batch.

Location: No. 11, Daguangli

Per capita: 25-168 yuan

WiFi password: qlsj8888

Coffee Yard

An independent café that feels like an old friend

Walking to Maiyuan Road, you can find the private coffee shop Coffee Yard in the corner of a large parking lot. There are overflowing green plants outside the courtyard, and the store is clean and lively. We will certainly not forget the concert of our predecessors held here during the Qingming Festival last year.

For a private coffee shop, the owner is the biggest and most friendly sign. Remember, at the end of the concert, the owner Xiaozhuang generously offered free drinks.

She has a natural affinity and likes to chat with every guest sitting at the bar. While making coffee, she talked about coffee knowledge and the process of purchasing, and we, the regular customers, shared our daily interesting stories. Staying here for a while, you can let go of your usual defenses and enter a very relaxed state.

A sentence can be seen everywhere in the coffee yard: "Here, coffee is as direct as life." The relationship between people seems to become closer through the transmission of coffee. When you immerse yourself in it, I think you will also be moved by the warmth of this store.

Address: No. 52 Maiyuan Road

Per person: 40 yuan

WiFi password: 333666999

Postscript

Running on the city streets, we regroup and move forward with clarity, as if all we need is a cup of good coffee. In the end, we repeatedly arrive at the same coffee shop. Is it just the flavor of the coffee, or the exquisite decoration?

Compared to the stereotyped chain coffee shops, independent coffee shops are like friends with different personalities, scattered in different corners of the city. We are attracted to each other and open a faint network.

People come and go, and time passes in these stores like a cloud wearing pants.

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