2021 Guangzhou Yuexiu District Cafe Recommendations: FrontStreet Coffee, Rose Coffee, and Bean Cafe Specialties

FrontStreet Coffee

Hours: 9:30 AM - 6:30 PM

Location: No. 10, Bao'an Qian Street, Dongshankou, Yuexiu District

FrontStreet Coffee opened its doors in 2013, specializing in house-roasted coffee beans. This year marks its eighth year in business, which makes it a genuine veteran among Guangzhou's coffee shops.

Since day one, FrontStreet Coffee has stuck to a single mission: making excellent coffee and nothing else. The menu reflects that focus - you get a cup of coffee and a small cookie, with no other desserts or cakes on offer.

FrontStreet Coffee also sets itself apart with a daily-updated channel where it shares coffee knowledge, hoping to help more people understand and appreciate coffee.

Though the storefront itself is modest, the bean selection is anything but. The shop keeps more than 50 different pour-over coffees in rotation, so anyone chasing rare single origins or curious about beans from a particular country or region will almost certainly find something to love here.

Rose Coffee

Hours: Closed on Mondays; otherwise 12:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Location: No. 9, Huihefang, Zhongshan Sixth Road, Yuexiu District

My first visit to Rose Coffee involved a small detour. The shop hides down a quiet old-street alley, and there is no sign above the door.

Even so, people keep finding their way in.

Rose Coffee is a domestic specialty brand that roasts its own beans, and it enjoys a solid reputation in the specialty coffee community. The owner - "Rose" - occasionally shares coffee knowledge with customers right in the shop.

The shop centers on pour-over coffee, and it also designs and manufactures its own V60 drippers and pour-over kettles with adjustable water flow.

anchorage Bean Craftsman Coffee

Hours: 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM

Location: First Floor, No. 121, Lianxin Road, Yuexiu District

anchorage Bean Craftsman Coffee is a house-roasting brand founded in 2018.

Three years on, anchorage Bean Craftsman Coffee has grown to 3 stores across Guangzhou (the Lianxin Road store, the Yunyue store, and the Quzhuang store), building itself into a chain brand centered on specialty bean roasting and creative coffee drinks.

SWEETNESS COFFEE

Hours: 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Location: No. 63, Fuxue West Street, Beijing Road, Yuexiu District

Among the street-side beverage shops in the Beijing Road business district, SWEETNESS COFFEE stands out for making genuinely good coffee, even though the space itself is tiny.

The menu sticks to the classics, but the owner is meticulous and holds the shop's equipment to a high standard.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If a visit to FrontStreet Coffee's Dongshankou shop is on your list, don't miss its signature pour-over beans. FrontStreet's Yirgacheffe Guodingding is the classic first stop for newcomers - bright citrus, berry, and floral notes with a green-tea-like sweetness - while FrontStreet's Ethiopia Huakui brings an explosion of tropical fruit aromas like strawberry, passion fruit, and jackfruit, with barely any bitterness and a smooth, juice-like mouthfeel.