Coffee Lab 咖啡蓝本

Article By Kyle Wing

1F, Block A, Jin Qiao International, Keji Road. 科技路金桥国际A座一层(星巴克斜对面)
139 9288 4571 155 0291 8518
8:30am – 10:30pm

Average Price per Person/人均消费:40RMB

PROS:
Exceptional quality at reasonable prices
CONS:
A little bit hidden

Before my arrival to Xi’an, I thought it would be a difficult feat to get a proper cup of freshly brewed coffee. I was wrong; upon my arrival I noticed that cafés were ubiquitous; you notice a very interesting café and plan for a visit only to notice the day after that it is closing down and a noodle shop is opening. Of course, you notice on the next street over three more cafés are opening next week. Such seems to be the nature of business in Xi’an and perhaps China. Here lies the problem: there are many cafés that serve watery and overpriced coffee that may give you a bit of a stomach ache and maybe worse. As an avid drinker of coffee and a person whose blood is infused with it, I definitely need a place where I can buy affordable, delicious, and fresh coffee. For anyone who may have this in common with me, I have a solution: Coffee Lab.3-1

Hidden away in a corner of JinQiaoGuo Ji (Golden Bridge International Center) on Keji Road in the Gaoxin District is a café called “Coffee Lab”. It took me a few days to even see it as it is quite hidden from the street but, embarrassingly, right beside my place of work. My first time entering this café I was surprised to see two employees meticulously going through trays of unroasted coffee beans selecting only those of top quality, which are roasted on the premises. I was again shocked to see an industrial grade coffee roaster in the adjacent room; they must be one of the few cafés in all of Xi’an to roast their coffee beans on site. The first cup of coffee I had was amazing, I could really tell the difference between their coffee and others and their prices are comparable. 24RMB can get you a fresh cup of Americano coffee.

3-2Coffee Lab isn’t only a place to drink coffee, as you can also enjoy some of the best pizza I have ever had in Xi’an and some very delicious breakfast and lunch dishes for those of us who miss a little bit of western food. The pizza comes in small and large, both of which one person can easily eat. The small pizza seems to be more of a snack. They have three pizzas available; spicy chicken and vegetable, pepperoni, and bacon/mushroom. They have a great breakfast/lunch dish called the “Sausage Set” that includes a sausage, two pieces of bread with egg and cheese, mashed potatoes, and salad. It’s my go-to dish on my days off when I feel like a western-style breakfast. On top of the quality coffee and food, the spacious atmosphere is very comfortable with many large tables that guarantee each customer a place to sit and enjoy themselves. They have a Chinese menu and an English menu for foreigners still struggling with their Chinese. The staff is friendly and warm and the manager speaks perfect English and is always glad to help if you need.

I highly recommend that if you are in the Gaoxin area to pay this establishment a visit and to try the coffee yourself. You will not be disappointed.

Kyle Wing is a coffee enthusiast who bleeds espresso. He can be reached at reviews@xianease.com