Located off the coast of Fujian Province in the Taiwan Straits, Pingtan is known for its windswept fishing villages, granite stone houses and growing creative tourism scene. In Dong'ao Village, one entrepreneur is giving new life to a century-old building by turning it into a café where visitors can sip coffee, explore local history and experience the slower rhythm of island life.

Exterior of Huanxi Café 

Huanxi Café occupies a restored stone house that once formed part of Weigao Academy, a historic site near Pingtan's popular 68-Nautical-Mile Scenic Area. The café is the latest venture of Zheng Lingyi, a Fuzhou native born in the 1980s, who has spent years combining drinks, cultural storytelling and heritage spaces.

Guests relax inside the café 

The moment visitors step through the café's wooden front door, they enter a space shaped by time. Thick granite walls, weathered stone surfaces and traces of sea air remain intact. Zheng deliberately resisted suggestions to modernize the building with glass doors and newly painted walls.

"The blue paint on the inside of the door reminds me of the sea," she said. "It carries the spirit of the island."

Interior of the café 

Preserving the building's original character was central to her vision. Rather than creating another social-media hotspot, she wanted the café to feel like a lived-in home that reflects the history of the village.

Before becoming an entrepreneur, Zheng worked as a guide in Fuzhou's historic Three Lanes and Seven Alleys district, where she learned how to make local history accessible to visitors. After a period in the banking sector, she decided to pursue her long-held dream of running her own business. She opened the first Huanxi beverage shop in Fuzhou in 2018, building a brand around the idea of connecting people through drinks and meaningful spaces.

When searching for a new location outside Fuzhou, Zheng found herself drawn not to Pingtan's famous beaches but to the everyday life of Dong'ao Village. The morning markets, fishermen mending nets and temple bells echoing from nearby hills gave the area a sense of authenticity she wanted to preserve. She selected the site in late 2025 and completed the renovation in just one month before opening ahead of the National Day holiday.

Inside, the café functions as something of a miniature museum of island life. Fishing baskets, floats, bamboo hats and other traditional household items have been collected from around Pingtan and incorporated into the interior design. Old fishing nets hang as wall decorations, while stone slabs salvaged from local buildings form part of the counter.

"Every piece has a story," Zheng said.

Traditional handcrafted lanterns 

One of the most eye-catching features is a pair of hand-painted lanterns crafted by traditional artisans in Fuzhou. Nearby, a small market area showcases locally inspired handicrafts, including candles made from oyster shells and scented ornaments designed to resemble sea-smoothed stones.

For Zheng, these details help visitors connect more deeply with the island.

"When people sit here and look around, they're seeing objects that were once part of daily life for local families," she said. "It brings them closer to the sea and the community."

Signature beverages 

The café's menu also reflects connections across the Taiwan Straits. One signature offering is a traditional-style black tea whose nostalgic flavor is familiar to many families on both sides of the Taiwan Straits.

"It has a caramel-like sweetness and reminds people of tea their grandparents used to make," Zheng said. "It's a shared memory for many."

Other drinks incorporate local ingredients and island-inspired flavors, including sea salt lattes and seasonal iced desserts designed for Pingtan's warm coastal summers.

Looking ahead, Zheng hopes to host outdoor film nights, artisan markets and cultural events that encourage visitors and residents to spend more time in the village after sunset.