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October 20, 2011

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Home » City specials » Hangzhou

Hip hangouts for uni students

By Shi Xiaohan | October 20, 2011, Thursday | Print Edition

ZHEJIANG University's Yuquan campus was one of the earliest places for expatriates to gather in Hangzhou. International students are always coming and going, but they have created a stable dining business catering to all tastes near the campus.

There is no shortage of great places to enjoy a quality dinner at fair prices, or simply to reminisce about the good old college days over a cup of coffee on a quiet afternoon sitting near a bunch of hardworking students doing homework. Shanghai Daily picks four of the most popular hangouts.

Ellen's Cafe

If you are in the market for Western-style comfort food then this is the place to come. Like many places for students, it's cheap and cheerful, with quality food that never disappoints.

Rustic wooden benches and graffiti on the wall tell you all you need to know about how simple this place is and the relaxing dining experience one can expect.

Opening at 9am, the cafe serves huge American breakfasts. It closes at 2am, so at night it converts into a bar.

The menu covers everything from Italian favorites to Indian curries.

It gets crowded after 8pm. After 10pm, the background music changes from pop and jazz to dance.



Address: Opposite Waidongshan Alley on Zheda Road (inside Qiushi Residential Area)Tel: (0571) 8694-8093Business hours: 9am-2am

Lotus Cafe

Lotus Cafe is about 100 meters from the university's front door and is owned by two Hangzhou housewives who used to live in Japan. The cafe offers Japanese-style Western food and is also decorated like a small and homely Japanese street coffee shop.

Opened earlier this year, the cafe is considered expensive in the campus area with lunch sets sold at 38 yuan (US$5.95) to 58 yuan, desserts at 28 yuan to 48 yuan and dinner sets at 45 yuan to 58 yuan.

But it also boasts high-quality food thanks to the organic ingredients and healthy cooking methods. All the breads and desserts are made on site.

Lotus Cafe features simple but thoughtful decor with a concrete floor and mixed furnishings. Quiet but tasteful background music includes Lisa Ono, Nora Jones, the Beatles and some mild Japanese pop songs. It is also a gathering place for Japanese learners on campus as various cultural exchange activities among Chinese and Japanese expats are held at the cafe every week. The latest Japanese magazines on fashion and current affairs are also available in the cafe.



Address: 41 Zheda Road

Tel: (0571) 8643-3365

Business hours: 10:30am-11pm

IFE Cafe

IFE Cafe is located on the south side of Xixi Road, near the overseas students' dormitory of Zhejiang University. The prime location gives the cafe great exposure to the sun. It is exactly what you would want from a cafe in this kind of weather. The front is all glass, letting lots of natural light in, making the cafe a perfect study retreat for international students.

Lined with benches and plush chairs at dark wood tables, the walls are a dark grey with some chalk paint sections covered in Chinese, Korean, Spanish, French and English graffiti.

IFE serves various coffees at fair prices and it is even cheaper if you order takeaway. Pastries are also available. Though it takes a little while to get the drinks, they are worth the wait.

Address: 418 Xixi Road

Tel: (0571) 8512-2676Business hours: 9am-10pm

Panini

Right next to IFE, Panini poses a whole other style. If IFE is a study-time shot of espresso, then Panini is an indulgent milkshake.

Panini also has a floor-to-ceiling glass storefront to illuminate its cheery and spacious interior. Also a very international place, the cafe's walls are decorated with ticket stubs and pictures from all over the world.

Though mostly serving Italian food, Panini also offers a variety of grill-pressed sandwiches, including a vegetarian and dessert option, none of which will disappoint a sandwich-deprived foreigner. To wash down your sandwich you could order a coffee, but Panini offers great milkshakes and special fresh juices if you order it with a sandwich. The waxberry juice is highly recommended.



Address: 416 Xixi Road Tel: (0571) 8515-8353 Business hours: 8am-midnight

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