When Beijing Design Week wrapped up a few years ago, Soloist Coffee Co. was one of five pop-up shops that stayed open permanently. Located on a slowly gentrifying stretch of the Dashilar hutong, the bi-level cafe celebrates the finer points of pour-over without getting too precious. Even when the place is packed, friendly baristas present guests with tasting notes (written in Mandarin, alas) and ask you to smell your freshly ground beans. The WiFi is slow, but this place is better suited to conversation anyway—long wood tables, student desks, vintage globes, and an assortment of old clocks and salvaged church seating invite guests to settle in for hours.

39 Yangmeizhu Byway, Xicheng Qu, Beijing, China; +86-10-5711-1717.