This café visit was another full-on journey—seriously, I had to go the distance for this one. It’s actually my first time coming to the area around the Expo Center, and I’ve got a nickname for places like this. I call them the “edge of the universe.” If you’ve been following my Hangzhou café posts, you probably already know what I mean. Any café that can convince me to spend 8 RMB one way on the metro is definitely not ordinary. It has to come with curiosity, with anticipation, and with my own confidence—built from visiting countless cafés—that I can spot something truly special. Haha.
And today’s spot absolutely delivered. The café is called BEIN, located at No. 18 Juxiu Lane, Guanpin Mingyu, Xiaoshan District, Hangzhou. It’s just a short walk from Exit B1 of Expo Center Station on Metro Line 6, super easy to find. The space itself is also impressively large. The moment you see it, there’s this immediate sense of understated elegance—clean, refined, and effortlessly relaxing.
This area is surrounded by high-rise buildings, but unlike the cold, steel-forest vibe of the Yuhang area where I’m usually based, this place feels different. It has this grounded, “old money” kind of charm—if you know, you know. I even joked with the barista that everything around here, whether it’s office buildings or residential complexes, just looks expensive. Haha.
What really stood out to me was how quiet the neighborhood is—but not in a lifeless way. It’s a kind of calm that feels balanced, lived-in, and self-aware. There’s a rhythm to it, a sense of maturity in how everything coexists. Honestly, it felt so unique that it didn’t even seem like Hangzhou anymore.
BEIN, both in its exterior and interior design, hits all my aesthetic preferences perfectly. The generous use of warm wood tones and soft yellow lighting creates this instant sense of comfort—as if you’ve just come home, no matter when you visit. That kind of immediate warmth and approachability might just be what defines a café’s “soul.” It also makes perfect sense that BEIN is extremely pet-friendly. They even place food bowls outside for cats, and apparently there’s a whole little family of stray cats that regularly comes by for meals.
The café itself is a large, open, high-ceilinged space. The vertical height gives it a sense of openness and freedom, while the spacious floor plan lets you choose any seating area you like. The massive coffee bar also acts as a subtle “social barrier,” naturally separating different seating zones while still keeping everything connected.
The menu is pretty interesting too—it’s very much a “food and drinks” kind of place. Since I had traveled all this way on an empty stomach, I had to grab something to eat before diving into my “serious coffee mode.”
BEIN mainly focuses on ultra-extraction brews, and they offer four different beans for that. You can tell the owner really loves the Sidama Bensa region—great taste, honestly. I love it too. I always say: Bensa is the kind of coffee you can order with your eyes closed. You just can’t go wrong.
So I went straight for Bean No.1 without hesitation. I’ve lost count of how many Bensa coffees I’ve had, and I can practically recognize the profiles of 74158 and 74112 without even thinking—but somehow, they never get boring. They just hit that perfect sweet spot on your palate every single time.
This ultra-extraction was outstanding. The biggest advantage of this method is that it preserves the clarity and layering of flavors while adding this irresistible smoothness and roundness—that’s what makes it so addictive. You get this soft citrus, almost like fresh orange juice, combined with delicate white floral notes and a clean, honey-like sweetness. How could you not love that?
Of course, I also had to try their only house espresso blend. It’s a mix of Colombian and Costa Rican beans, and I ordered a flat white. As expected, it leans into classic dark chocolate and nutty notes. The washed Colombian component really contributes to the clarity, and the chocolate profile is quite solid and pronounced. No matter the milk ratio, the flavors come through strongly. The finish is a long, lingering caramel sweetness. It’s not surprising or unconventional, but its richness and fullness definitely leave an impression.
Besides the coffees I had already planned to order, I was also convinced by one of the staff to try Bean No.3—a washed Geisha from Huila, Colombia, processed with a “dark room drying” method. This method is interesting because it maintains the cleanliness of washed processing while allowing sugars to develop slowly during drying, giving you a sweetness somewhat similar to natural processing.
I decided to try it as an iced ultra-extraction—which is actually something new for me. They do a double filtration process here: first through the espresso machine portafilter, which still retains some oils, and then a second filtration using a V60 paper filter. For the iced version, the bypass is essentially done with ice, and once everything melts and integrates, it reaches the intended balance.
That said, the ice dilution made the flavor cleaner and more refreshing, but it also reduced some of the body and complexity. It felt like the flavors disappeared just as I was starting to enjoy them. I could pick up some citrus acidity and a strong sweetness, but beyond that, the distinct flavor notes were quite muted. I have a feeling the hot version would really unlock this bean’s full potential.
So honestly, I’d strongly recommend going for hot black coffee if you want to fully experience the depth and layering of flavors.
Now, let’s talk about the food. I went for the basil sausage and mushroom sandwich. Everything is made fresh to order. It comes on sourdough, loaded with sausage slices and mushrooms, topped with a bit of arugula and a perfectly runny egg.
One bite instantly took me back to Australia. It was seriously good. The portion is generous and satisfying. As the juices soak into the sourdough, the texture becomes this perfect balance of chewy and slightly soft—something I personally love. The flavors are gentle and well-balanced, and even if you pair it directly with coffee, it doesn’t overpower the drink at all. It’s the kind of combo that makes for a truly comforting, healing afternoon.
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