How Twin Windmills Became a Beloved Specialty Coffee Spot in Beijing

When you walk into a new coffee shop, you’re not just looking for a caffeine fix—you want to know if it’s a place that gets coffee right, treats people well, and maybe even has great pastries. For many customers of Twin Windmills in Beijing, that’s exactly what they found: a café born from a good deed, run by someone who knows her way around both a espresso machine and a kitchen.

Twin Windmills started when its owner, Nana, helped a foreign student resolve a landlord dispute during her café’s renovation. Inspired by the movie Amélie—and the café where the kind-hearted heroine worked—Nana and her customers landed on the name “Twin Windmills.” It wasn’t just catchy; it marked the start of a business built on community and quality.

The Backstory: From Bread to Better Coffee

This isn’t Nana’s first entrepreneurial venture. After earning her MBA from Renmin University, she opened a bakery—but it didn’t meet her standards for high-quality baking. Just ten months later, she shut it down and poured her energy into launching Twin Windmills. This time, she focused on doing coffee and desserts the right way.

Desserts Made with Imported Ingredients

Every dessert at Twin Windmills is made from Nana’s own recipes, using imported ingredients. She doesn’t cut corners: even the chocolate in her chocolate truffle cake is 72% Belgian dark chocolate, mixed with a bit of coffee powder for a bitter, aromatic depth. There’s no sugar in the cake’s formula—just pure chocolate flavor. Other crowd-pleasers include the carrot cupcake (25 RMB), red velvet cupcake (19 RMB), and the more niche but beloved durian cheesecake (28 RMB) and chocolate truffle cake (25 RMB).

The Coffee That Won Over Expats

The coffee program is just as thoughtfully crafted. The beans are supplied by Bryan, a Chinese-American MBA student at Tsinghua University whom Nana met on the café’s opening night. Impressed by his deep coffee knowledge, she partnered with him, and two months later he launched his own coffee company. Nana now regularly trains Bryan’s Beijing clients, and their businesses have grown alongside each other.

Nana takes her espresso seriously. While most cafés pull a double shot with 7 grams of coffee, she uses 15 grams—resulting in a bolder, more intense cup that’s earned praise from expat regulars. That bold approach extends to her overall coffee offering, which has become a draw for the area’s international residents.

A Hub for Foreign Students

The café’s neighborhood is home to many international students who struggle with daily life in China. To support them, Nana started free “Chinese conversation” sessions, teaching practical Mandarin and creating a welcoming space. It’s part of what makes Twin Windmills more than just a coffee shop—it’s a community hub.

What to Order at Twin Windmills

For those on a budget or new to the café, popular picks include the standard coffee (25 RMB), red velvet cupcake (19 RMB), and carrot cupcake (25 RMB). Coffee enthusiasts and dessert lovers often go for the durian cheesecake (28 RMB) and the rich, bitter chocolate truffle cake (25 RMB). But be warned: the opera cake, with its seven intricate layers, is rarely made due to the five-hour preparation time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the café called Twin Windmills?

The name comes from the French film Amélie, where the main character works at a café called Les Deux Moulins (The Two Windmills). A group of foreign students who knew the movie thought Nana resembled the kind-hearted Amélie after she helped one of them with a housing issue, so they suggested the name, which Nana adopted.

How is Twin Windmills’ espresso different?

Most cafés use 7 grams of coffee for a double espresso, but Nana uses 15 grams. This results in a stronger, more concentrated shot that has become a favorite among the café’s expatriate customers.

What kinds of desserts does Twin Windmills offer?

All desserts are made with imported ingredients and Nana’s original recipes. Popular items include the chocolate truffle cake (made with 72% Belgian chocolate and coffee powder), durian cheesecake, carrot cupcake, and red velvet cupcake. The opera cake is rarely available due to its complex, five-hour preparation process.

Does the café offer any community activities?

Yes, Twin Windmills hosts free Chinese conversation sessions to help international students with their everyday Mandarin. This initiative started to support non-Chinese-speaking residents in the neighborhood and has become a regular community activity.

Who supplies the coffee beans for Twin Windmills?

The coffee beans are supplied by Bryan, a Chinese-American MBA student at Tsinghua University. Nana met him on her café’s opening night, and he later started his own coffee company. Nana also provides coffee training for Bryan’s Beijing clients.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Bold Espresso

For coffee lovers inspired by Twin Windmills’ bold 15g espresso style, try FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Humbera – a juicy Ethiopian single origin with vibrant citrus and floral notes, or the Classic Blend, a balanced mix with chocolate and caramel undertones perfect for milk drinks. Both highlight the kind of quality and clarity that shines through when you use more coffee in the basket. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.