How ‘Café Cuisine’ Is Reshaping Beijing’s Coffee Shops

In spring 2014, Beijing’s cafés weren’t just serving espresso and cappuccino—they were offering steak, pizza, and even Peking duck-infused lunches. As traditional restaurants and standalone coffee shops struggled to adapt, a new hybrid emerged: café cuisine, or ‘,’ where coffee meets full meals under one roof. For customers tired of hopping between coffee shops and restaurants, this fusion answered a practical need. But how did it start, what challenges does it face, and why are consumers responding?

Quick answer: By 2014, Beijing cafés had begun serving a near 50/50 mix of drinks and meals—including options like steak, pizza, and localized rice dishes—driving up in-store dwell time and overall sales. Some venues, like the former coffee chain , even launched standalone steakhouse brands like , blending premium coffee with high-end Western fare.

What Exactly Is ‘Café Cuisine’?

‘Café cuisine,’ or , refers to coffee shops that go beyond beverages to serve full meals. These cafés offer an extensive menu alongside coffee, including pizza, steak, pasta, Chinese dishes, and more. The result? A casual dining spot where customers can sip espresso and then tuck into a full meal—all without leaving the same venue.

At , for example, coffee and alcoholic drinks shared menu space equally with diverse meal options: pizza, burgers, chicken wings, fried rice, and noodle dishes. Likewise, not only served classic café fare but also rolled out multi-course meal sets like pork-based rice combos with soup and greens. Some locations expanded further, launching dedicated Western-dining brands such as , which married quality coffee service with premium steak offerings using imported ingredients.

The Reverse Trend: Restaurants Serving Coffee

But the fusion wasn’t one-sided. Traditional Chinese restaurants also began incorporating coffee service. Take , known for Peking duck—it launched a sub-brand called near Beijing’s Xidan area. Despite its roots in Sichuan, Cantonese, and Hunan cuisines, the venue offered a thoroughly Westernized interior, serving everything from authentic regional dishes to coffee, tea, and Western fare.

This reverse integration meant consumers could enjoy a business lunch, afternoon coffee, evening cocktails, or dinner—all in one place. “You used to go to a teahouse for tea, a restaurant for food,” said the operator of . “Here, you get all of the above.”

Why Now? The Consumer Demand Behind the Trend

According to an representative, early observations showed customers often left after finishing their drinks because there were no food options. By introducing meal sets, especially during peak hours, the café retained guests longer. Customer noted how having meals available meant no extra stops—saving her time and simplifying her day.

Data from coffee revealed drinks and meal sets each made up nearly half of total sales, with integrated café-cum-dining concepts boosting overall revenue. Experts, including the president of the Beijing Western Food Association , agreed: “Café cuisine satisfies multiple demands in one space. It’s a natural evolution for modern leisure dining.”

Challenges Café Cuisine Must Overcome

Yet, this trend isn’t without hurdles. The 2014 China Catering Industry Development Report highlighted huge potential in the casual and quick-service dining sectors—but also flagged issues café cuisine must address.

1. Slow Table Turnover: Unlike single-purpose coffee shops or eateries, café cuisine venues encourage long stays. Customers lingering over meals reduce turnover rates—a critical metric for profitability.

2. Environment Clashes: Menus mixing steak, spicy Sichuan dishes, and delicate pastries create sensory dissonance. Patrons seeking a quiet coffee moment might find the ambiance disrupted by louder, messier meals.

3. Higher Pricing: Diners reported meal set prices were steep compared to regular cafés. A basic vegetarian set often exceeded ¥30, with premium options nearing ¥100–¥300. Industry voices cautioned against inflating prices simply due to the “Western” label—pricing should reflect actual ingredients, not just the concept.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ‘café cuisine’ or ?

‘Café cuisine’ refers to coffee shops in Beijing that serve both drinks and full meals, such as steak, pizza, and Chinese dishes. It combines traditional café offerings with casual dining under one roof, creating a space where customers can enjoy coffee and a meal without leaving.

When did this trend start in Beijing?

This trend began emerging in spring 2014, as part of a broader shift among Beijing restaurants and cafés to adapt to changing consumer habits and improve business resilience through hybrid models.

Which cafés pioneered this café-meets-restaurant model?

Cafés like and chains like introduced meal sets alongside drinks. even launched a standalone steakhouse brand, , combining high-end coffee with premium Western food. Meanwhile, restaurants like created sub-brands such as that fused Chinese cuisines with café service and coffee.

What types of food are typically found in café cuisine?

Café cuisine menus often include pizza, steak, pasta, burgers, Chinese dishes (like fried rice and noodles), and various snacks. Some locations also offer multi-course meal sets, including meat and vegetable rice dishes with soup.

What challenges do café cuisine venues face?

Key challenges include slower table turnover due to longer customer stays, mismatched dining environments when mixing spicy and delicate foods, and higher pricing that may deter budget-conscious customers if not aligned with ingredient quality.

Did café cuisine boost sales for these businesses?

Yes, according to operators, integrating meal options increased in-store dwell time and contributed significantly to higher overall sales, with drinks and meals each contributing roughly 50% of revenue in some cases.

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