Coffee streams into streets of China's 'mountain city'

In Chongqing, a mountainous metropolis in Southwest China renowned for simmering, spicy hotpot often served with beers or strong tea, the exotic flavor of coffee is gaining popularity, spawning new consumption patterns and local businesses.

In Daijiaxiang, an old community in the city's Yuzhong district, a newly-opened coffee street has turned everyone's heads for its unique design style.

By utilizing the existing first floors of several old residential buildings as shopfronts, the street has injected modern vibes into the aged block and transformed the former shantytown on the cliff into a popular destination among coffee lovers and social media enthusiasts seeking photo ops and scenic views.

Wu Longquan, a 30-year-old barista, was the first one to set up a coffee shop here. "Although the community was quite old and shabby, its location on the cliff, magnificent river view and retro architectural style all added to its distinctive charm," Wu said.

Wu said this is his dream coffee shop location, as the place not only serves high-quality coffee but can also convey an expression of his personality.

Talking about running a coffee outlet, Wu said he believes that each generation has its own perspective on coffee. For the previous generation, coffee was only a promising business but for his generation, coffee is part of lifestyle first, and a business second.

Since 2019, Wu has opened five coffee shops and one bakery business that manufactures pastries to complement his coffee.