Good things come in small packages, and that is something definitely true of Dream & Drink. Unless you visit after dark (when the shop signage is illuminated by an ingenious display of paper cups), you’re likely to overlook this place at first glance, but you’d definitely be missing a trick. This milk tea locale has been open for just over a year, and it’s the little things that make the place special.
To begin, this place really excels at milk tea (奶茶), and there are more than 20 interesting varieties, including Oreo, as well as the more classic flavours. Not cheap, at around ¥20 a cup, but the quality and taste are better than a number of popular chain store alternatives.
Whilst milk tea shops are hardly unique in Nanjing, the interior of this café alone is worth a visit. Small tables line the walls downstairs, and at the back there’s a yellow and white booth surrounded by a colourful explosion of post-it notes.
The best seating area, however, is to be found on the mezzanine. The little movable tables and adjustable lighting upstairs (not to mention the abundance of messages on the walls) give this place a very personal feel.
Go upstairs and you’ll find rugs, beanbags, and even a picture of The Beatles’ iconic Abbey Road album. Among cat paintings and postcards are desks and matching lamps, which makes this place appear like a strange cross between IKEA and a classroom, complete with chalk and a book of tear-out notelets which can be used to add messages to the walls.
Sitting at either desk or on the carpeted area gives you the chance to overlook the front of the shop or the street beyond, perfect for people-watching.
The café’s late opening hours (until 10pm) are another advantage, and its location near Xinjiekou makes it perfect for those who still want to go out but aren’t looking for bars, clubs, or shopping centres. There’s definitely a studenty vibe, but also the feeling that this space was designed to be a kind of cozy home away from home, with little nooks and plenty of cushions.
During one visit, an origami house took pride of place on a desk; upon The Nanjinger’s return, more miniature pot-plants had appeared.
Arguably one of the biggest downsides to modern takeaway (外卖) culture is the increasing lack of quirky cafés with comfortable seating areas in which customers are genuinely made to feel at home. On a related note, with the pace of city life being so intense, it’s certainly nice to have a hideaway where it feels like time slows down for a bit.
Dream & Drink is quiet, but charming, a place where you can easily spend an afternoon or evening, with the upstairs area as a private living room/study, and the roadside view in place of a television.
Dream & Drink 白日梦奶茶 is located at 119 Fengfu Lu 丰富路119号. Tel 17366389906.
