NX Cafe is a two in one store  – half bookstore, half cafe. It is located in Topwin Center, Sanlitun. It is across the street from Tai Koo Li, the main shopping area in the district.

As you cross the street and approach the building, walk straight into the Mercedes Store and you will end up bypassing into the mall. Then, walk to the other end of the mall and you can will find the cafe.

There’s a counter on the first floor where you can make your order.

The cashier person will then hand you a figurine as your table token. A pretty challenging system for the waiter since he has to search for the matching figurines in two different floors. I frequently see him walking around looking for figurines.

There are two floors. On the first, racks of books dominate the space with a small area for people to sit.

On the second floor, it’s the other way around. There are more tables but no where near enough!

The place was fully occupied and I continuously see people walking in to look for a seat. I can see how people are very attracted to this place. It would be a place for regulars to come and chillax during the weekend.

The ambience is very calming. Mainly because of the Muji-like design. It also sounds like they’re using Muji’s background music. It feels as if you’re in a wooden cottage in a serene grassland.

There are no loud conversations in the cafe. Noise is kept to a minimal. Most of the people here are either reading or working away on their laptop.

Guests can pick up any books from the shelf and read while enjoying their cup of joe. You can also buy the books of course 🙂

As for the coffee, I ordered their large cappuccino and it was by far the largest cup of coffee I ever had. It tasted like a latte though. Too much milk.

Overall, the calming ambience provides a great atmosphere for you to be laser focused on your reading or your work. If they had an entire building dedicated to this concept, I’m sure that it will be fully occupied. Love it!