Miss Zhao's Bistro

Miss Zhao’s Bistro is a typical Wudaoying Hutong hangout. Just like all the other bars and cafés in this area, it provides a cozy and quirky setting in which you can enjoy a languorous drink day or night.

Downstairs, comfy leather armchairs sit next to shelves stacked with just enough curious knickknacks to excite the big kid in you: model airplanes, Transformers toys that morph into cassette players, and, nestled incongruously among these retro toys, a stack of Chinese editions of Vogue magazine.

Upstairs, the scene is more reminiscent of Paris’ Rive Gauche; smoke fills the small space and hipsters crowd round cheap tables and chairs. This café distinguishes itself from the rest, however, by offering more than just the usual house red and white. Australian shiraz, French cabernet sauvignon, Argentinean chardonnay, German riesling and Italian prosecco are all available, although, as is the case with many bars in China, there’s an inexplicably huge mark-up on some of the bottles. For example, the 2008 Meritus McLaren Vale Shiraz is an award-winning red, but it’s not worth the menu’s jaw-dropping 1,200 RMB.

Other wines, such as the clean, crisp and fruity Argentinean Fuzion blend of chenin blanc and chardonnay (280 RMB a bottle; 45 RMB a glass), are better value for the money. Aside from the wider wine selection, Miss Zhao’s also sets itself apart with its professional services. Overall, this bistro serves as a charming, though sometimes overpriced, wine bar.