Authentic Australian Coffee in China 🇦🇺☕ | A Hidden Café Gem in Old Yuhang

 Living in Cangqian, Yuhang, I’d somehow never really explored the cafés around my neighborhood. I always assumed this area was a bit of a “coffee desert.” That belief was completely overturned recently when a close friend invited me to check out a café in Old Yuhang. One visit in, and—boom—I unlocked a hidden gem that I couldn’t wait to tell people about. Friends in Old Yuhang, you’re in luck. The place is Lanini Café, located at No. 200-21 Fenghuangshan Road, Yuhang District.

The reason I say you can get authentic Australian coffee here is simple: Lanini is a small, community-style café run by a husband-and-wife team, with the owner being Australian. They have three adorable daughters, and the café’s name comes from the girls’ names. Even the logo—three little girls with pigtails—was drawn by their daughters themselves. It’s incredibly heartwarming.

There’s also a sweet dog at the entrance—the café mascot—who’s already 10 years old. He was taken in by the owner, and you’ll even spot his face on the coffee bean bags inside (which always makes me smile). All these little details give the space a strong family vibe, and you can feel that warmth the moment you see the storefront. Lanini has been around in Old Yuhang for years now, and it’s a favorite among nearby residents and foreign teachers who come for Western food and good coffee. While I was there, several groups of regulars dropped by, which instantly made me feel how lovely and tight-knit the local community is.

Don’t be fooled by the fact that Lanini is a couple-run café—both the coffee and the food menu are impressively extensive. The menu behind the bar actually takes up two or three chalkboards. Beyond coffee and meals, they also serve craft beer and wine, making it a perfect “coffee by day, alcohol by night” kind of place. From morning caffeine to evening relaxation, Lanini pretty much takes care of your emotional needs all day long.

From the exterior to the interior, there’s a subtle old-school charm, and the menu itself feels refreshingly different from most cafés in China. It’s much more like a neighborhood café you’d find overseas—food-forward, with coffee as a supporting (but still very important) role.

The café isn’t large, but during this warm winter season, many guests choose to sit outside, soaking up the sun with a panini and a cup of coffee. It’s the kind of simple happiness that’s hard to beat. The atmosphere here instantly breaks the ice and brings people closer together. The owner’s wife is incredibly warm and welcoming, and you really feel that food made with love carries emotion. It’s that irresistible, comforting “home-style” experience.

Coincidentally, I’ll be heading to Australia again in a few days, so consider this a little teaser—there will be café-hopping stories from Australia coming soon. In a way, visiting Lanini felt like the perfect warm-up for my second trip down under.

Naturally, the first thing I ordered was coffee. Their Flat White is the most representative choice here. The house bean is a more traditional profile with nutty and dark chocolate notes, roasted on a custom curve developed together with their roaster. Personally, I find this flat white very Australian in style. The integration is excellent—smooth and rounded from the first sip to the last. That kind of consistency alone is enough to keep you coming back for more.

Flavor-wise, on top of the nut and chocolate base, there’s an impressive sense of balance. That balance includes cleanliness and a solid underlying sweetness, making it extremely easy to drink. Yes, many cafés use nutty, chocolatey blends as their default, and at first glance they may seem similar. But once you slow down and really taste, the differences become clear. Some blends push complexity and even lean into wild, spicy notes. Others—like Lanini’s—focus on balance, cleanliness, and sweetness, delivering a consistent flavor experience in every sip.

We also ordered quite a few dishes, each with its own character. You can even unlock a hidden menu here and enjoy a Lanini-style omakase experience—just for fun. The pumpkin soup is something I highly recommend as a starter. Its thickness and silky texture are spot-on, honestly outperforming many Western restaurants in the city by a long shot. One spoonful in, and it’s full of pleasant surprises. Pair it with an avocado vegetable salad, and you won’t even miss the dressing—it’s satisfying on its own.

Cinnamon is the flavor of winter. I have a very seasonal craving for the aroma of Ceylon cinnamon, and a cinnamon roll in winter is always a win (even better with a cinnamon latte). This is also very Australian in spirit, though the sweetness has clearly been adjusted to suit local tastes—significantly reduced, thankfully. Don’t ask how I know; let’s just say I’ve been traumatized by overly sweet cinnamon rolls in Australia before (laughs).

The freshly baked cinnamon roll has a slight crispness on the outside, while the Ceylon cinnamon is beautifully gentle and approachable. Topped with a bit of cream and a drizzle of maple syrup, plus generous chunks of walnuts inside for texture and surprise, it’s something that works for a wide range of palates. There’s no overpowering spice—trust me, it’s really good.

This visit to Lanini left me with a quiet realization: so many good things are right around us, yet so easy to miss. Maybe there’s no such thing as a “desert” after all. If you’re willing to wander deeper into your local streets and corners, you’ll always find little places quietly shining—sometimes surprising you when you least expect it. ✨

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.