Retracing Coffee Hangzhou Review | A Cozy Neighborhood Café with Warm Winter Vibes

 It’s been quite a while since I last wandered around Chengbei. I’ve always felt that this area was something of a coffee desert. But as the city continues to grow and more people live and work here, it’s clear that Chengbei, too, needs the kind of human warmth and care that only neighborhood cafés can offer. I’ve always believed that every community café is like a tiny star in the night sky—its light may be subtle, but it’s enough to illuminate your inner world. That feeling when a cup of coffee goes down and everything instantly feels brighter… who really understands that better than us?

The café I want to talk about today is Retracing Coffee, located at No. 120 Huayuangang Street, Gongshu District, Hangzhou. It had been sitting in my saved list for quite some time, and I finally found a moment to come here just for a proper cup of coffee. As soon as I drove onto Huayuangang Street, I spotted it. The quiet, understated storefront immediately draws your eye—exactly the kind of presence a neighborhood café should have. For me, the most comforting part of a winter café visit begins the moment you push open the door. The warm air from the heater creates an instant sense of belonging. Yes, this is the stop. This is the place.

I genuinely love the interior layout of Retracing Coffee. The space is actually quite large, and its split-level design creates a strong sense of depth while giving different seating areas a feeling of privacy. The seating density is low, with generous spacing that gives everyone a sense of ease and security—no matter where you sit, you’ll feel comfortable. At the front, there’s a small living-room-style sofa area; perfect for two or three friends to gather and chat. The central area features a square bar that acts as both a visual transition and a breathing space between seating zones. Walk up a few steps and you’ll reach the back area, where there’s plenty of open, uncluttered space that feels wonderfully refreshing. This also happens to be what I discovered as the “best seat in the house,” since you can take in almost the entire café from here. Highly recommended—seriously.

By default, the café offers three espresso beans to choose from. Alongside a classic house blend with traditional flavor profiles, there are two single-origin espresso options. I’d say this is a solid, well-considered setup for a café that aims to satisfy different taste preferences. I started with their No. 1 house bean, the “Dark Roast Candy Blend,” in a flat white. This blend combines Ethiopian, Brazilian, and Ugandan beans. The flavor leans heavily toward dark chocolate, with a subtle hint of spice. The integration is well done, giving the drink a round, smooth mouthfeel right from the first sip. With its solid body and clean sweetness, it’s a very traditional, no-surprises kind of base blend—but honestly, it feels perfect for winter. Exactly what a winter cup of coffee should taste like.

I also ordered a hot Americano made with a medium-light roast Ethiopian Huakui single origin. I’ve been drinking quite a lot of Huakui this year, and I’ve noticed that many roasters tend to prioritize compatibility and stability when roasting SOE for cafés. If the roast is too light, milk-based drinks can end up tasting thin and lacking in character. And from a market perspective, bright, high-acidity African coffees still aren’t universally embraced. So I’ve come to a pretty clear conclusion: most Huakui SOEs on the market today are developed a bit longer to achieve a more balanced flavor profile that works well across different brew methods.

This hot Americano was served slightly hotter than what I’d consider immediately drinkable—and that actually made sense. In winter, coffee loses heat quickly, so a slightly higher serving temperature works well. While many people now prefer Americanos with filtered-out oils for a cleaner, supposedly healthier cup, I still love an Americano with crema. It’s just more aromatic—no shame in that. At higher temperatures, the flavors are relatively subdued, almost like drinking a hot tea. You can take your time and enjoy how the flavors evolve as the cup cools. When it reaches a medium temperature, the signature Ethiopian citrus notes and gentle acidity start to emerge. Overall, the cup is well-balanced and restrained in its expression, with very soft acidity and a finish reminiscent of white tea.

I don’t often order desserts at cafés, but the menu noted that their banana pancake is made to order, freshly baked—and that instantly caught my attention. Pancakes really are one of those old-school café pairings, and it had been years since I last had one. So I enjoyed my coffee on its own first, and by the time I finished, the pancake arrived at the table. Even while drinking my coffee, I could smell the incredibly inviting, milky aroma of the pancake baking. That moment was pure comfort. The owner had clearly tested the recipe many times, and you can tell she puts real care into her work. That sense of love is something you can taste in every bite. The pancake here is truly a signature item: the exterior is wonderfully bouncy, while the inside is rich with eggy aroma and an excellent texture.

The pancake is brushed with a thin layer of maple syrup and topped with fresh banana slices. The sweetness is well-balanced, since the bananas themselves already provide plenty of natural sugar. The finishing touch is a light sprinkle of dark chocolate on top of the bananas. That subtle bitterness within the sweetness adds depth, balances the overall flavor, and allows each ingredient to shine. It’s incredibly satisfying—freshly baked, fragrant, and genuinely delicious.

Retracing Coffee closes at 7 p.m. every evening. Chatting with the café owner was so enjoyable that I completely lost track of time—once again, a café visit that lasted right up until closing. It was such a beautiful experience. Under the night sky, Retracing Coffee becomes like a small lighthouse standing quietly on the corner, guiding your way forward. Cafés are magical like that. Simply by existing, they make the world a little more beautiful.

How Latte Art Became Popular: The History of Espresso, Microfoam, and Coffee Aesthetics

 When people order espresso-based drinks at cafés—especially milk drinks topped with beautiful latte art—it almost always brings a small moment of joy. The unspoken rule of “let the phone take the first sip” naturally kicks in, and a photo is taken before anything else. Sometimes, the visual impact of latte art even outweighs the actual flavor experience of the coffee. And although I personally care more about taste, I have to admit that when a cup comes with an intricate, well-balanced, and beautifully integrated design, it still makes me genuinely excited and pleasantly surprised.

So this raises an interesting question: how did latte art, built on espresso, start becoming popular in the first place? Today, let’s take some time to talk about that.

I did quite a bit of research online, and to be honest, there doesn’t seem to be a single, definitive historical account. However, its development can generally be traced back to the second half of the 20th century. Espresso machines were invented in Italy in the early 1900s, but early machines suffered from unstable pressure, making milk foam difficult to control. It wasn’t until the 1960s, when FAEMA introduced new machines like the E61, that things began to change. These machines used electric pumps to deliver stable pressure, laying the technical foundation for producing fine, consistent milk foam.

By the 1980s, further improvements in steam wand technology—such as more precise temperature control and stronger, more consistent steam—allowed baristas to more easily create dense, glossy microfoam. This, essentially, is the physical prerequisite for latte art.

Once these core technical conditions were in place, latte art gradually began to appear in coffee shops. Based on various sources, the exact place of origin is still debated, but Italy and Seattle in the United States are generally regarded as two key birthplaces. One popular story suggests that in the 1980s, Italian baristas accidentally discovered that milk and coffee could form patterns while pouring, though early designs were usually simple—hearts or just a single white dot.

What is more widely accepted is that modern latte art truly took shape in Seattle during the 1980s and 1990s. Seeing this timeline also helps us realize that it coincided with the rise of the third wave coffee movement, when baristas began to place greater emphasis on visual aesthetics.

This is where one person inevitably comes into the conversation: David Schomer, the founder of Espresso Vivace in Seattle. He opened Espresso Vivace in 1987 and played a crucial role in systematizing latte art. By refining milk-texturing techniques and pouring methods, he deliberately developed classic patterns such as hearts and rosettas. He also produced two training DVDs for baristas, Latte Art and Barista Techniques, which helped spread these skills more widely.

In the 1990s, latte art began appearing in U.S. barista competitions, and coffee magazines and media outlets started referring to it as “latte art,” further accelerating the spread of the concept.

With the momentum of the third wave coffee movement—emphasizing origin, roasting, and craftsmanship—latte art gradually became a visual symbol of both barista skill and coffee quality. International competitions like the World Barista Championship incorporated latte art into their scoring systems, pushing competitors to innovate and develop increasingly complex designs. There’s no denying that “coffee aesthetics” became part of global urban culture, and latte art evolved from a technical skill into a lifestyle expression.

At its core, the popularity of latte art is the result of multiple forces working together: technological progress (stable, high-quality microfoam), cultural demand (the aestheticization of coffee), and powerful channels of dissemination (competitions and, later, social media). This trend reflects a broader pursuit within modern coffee culture—a desire for a fully sensory experience, where coffee is not only good to drink, but also beautiful to look at.

Coffee Brewing Methods Explained: From Turkish Coffee to Espresso and Beyond

 

When it comes to making coffee, every corner of the world has its own unique rituals and techniques. From elegant pour-overs to rugged cowboy coffee, the methods are endless — but most of them can be traced back to three main brewing traditions:

1. Boiled Coffee

2. Brewed (Filter) Coffee

3. Espresso Coffee

   

1. Boiled Coffee

Let’s start with one of the oldest and most fascinating ways to make coffee — boiling it.

The best-known example is Turkish coffee, where extra-fine grounds are simmered directly in water until it just begins to boil. The extraction happens at around 212°F (100°C), which literally makes it “boiled coffee.”

Turkish-style coffee has a strong flavor, rich cultural history, and even a bit of ceremony — it’s often served unfiltered in small cups, allowing the grounds to settle at the bottom. But Turkey isn’t the only place that makes coffee this way. Similar methods are still used in Ethiopia, Greece, and Arab countries.

Even early American cowboys used a version of this brewing style — tossing coffee grounds straight into a pot over a campfire, letting it boil, and then pouring it out when it looked dark enough. It wasn’t fancy, but it sure got the job done.

2. Brewed (Filter) Coffee

Next comes filter-brewed coffee, a favorite of modern specialty coffee lovers.

This method covers any brewing process where coffee grounds are either steeped in water or filtered through gravity — all under normal pressure. Think of the pour-over, French press, AeroPress, siphon, Clever Dripper, or Chemex — these are all part of the same family.

Compared to boiled coffee, filter brews are usually lighter, clearer, and more tea-like, with a concentration below 2%. The flavor experience focuses on clarity, balance, and aroma rather than intensity. It’s no wonder this style has become so popular among Asian coffee drinkers — it feels both refined and meditative, like brewing a fine cup of tea.

3. Espresso Coffee

And then we have the espresso, the undisputed heavyweight of coffee brewing.

Espresso is all about pressure — forcing hot water through tightly packed coffee grounds at high speed. It’s the foundation of most café menus and the essential skill every barista must master.

In Italy, espresso isn’t just a drink; it’s a daily ritual. Whether it’s a straight Espresso, a slightly longer Lungo, or a concentrated Ristretto, Italians knock back their tiny cups in two or three sips — often with sugar — before heading off to work. Skipping your morning espresso could practically be considered a valid excuse for a strike!

Outside Italy, though, many people prefer a milder version. Add some hot water and you get an Americano, Long Black, or Caffè Crema. Add milk or foam, and you’ve got classics like the Latte, Cappuccino, or Flat White.

Today, espresso-based drinks dominate coffee shop menus worldwide. They’re not just beverages — they’re a platform for creativity, from recipe innovation to the beautiful art of latte art.

Bonus: The Moka Pot

Let’s not forget the Moka pot, a beloved fixture in European kitchens.

Its clever design builds up just enough pressure — slightly above one atmosphere — to create a coffee that’s rich, dark, and full-bodied. Many people use it as a convenient espresso alternative for making milk coffees at breakfast.

Technically, it’s somewhere between espresso and filter brewing, but I personally like to think of it as part of the filter coffee family, since it relies more on heat and steam than full machine pressure.

Whether you prefer the bold tradition of Turkish coffee, the calm precision of pour-over, or the creamy kick of a latte, each brewing method tells its own story — a story about culture, craft, and how people around the world find their perfect cup.