Exterior of Come Back to the Village for Coffee

Turning from the island-ringed highway into the village road of Tanjiaodi, Pingtan visitors are greeted by a sturdy granite wall encrusted with layers of bright white salt crystals from years of sun exposure. Before even opening the door, the salty, humid ocean breeze carries the distinct scent of a traditional fishing village. Moments later, the low hum of a coffee grinder begins, and a rich, toasted aroma wafts through the stone crevices. The contrasting elements blend seamlessly. On the storefront sign, the phrase "Come Back to the Village for Coffee" is written in a relaxed, casual script, welcoming passersby like an old friend.

Pingtan is Chinese mainland's closest place to the main island of Taiwan and a burgeoning international tourism destination famed for its pristine beaches, traditional stone architecture, and slow-paced coastal lifestyle.

Exterior of Come Back to the Village for Coffee

The café is run by Yang Xi and her husband, a couple from Zhejiang Province. For them, "returning to the village" was never about a geographical homecoming, but a conscious choice to slow down and settle their minds. An old stone house that had long been abandoned has now regained its lively spark, and the couple, who once merely traveled through Pingtan, have rooted themselves here as permanent members of the community.

Coastal breezes and the sound of waves

At 3:00 p.m., the low hum of the coffee grinder inside the café blends with the distant, intermittent sound of crashing waves. In the lounge area, tourists sit comfortably, chatting over coffee. Behind the counter, barista He Lin concentrates on crafting a beverage.

Barista He Lin prepares coffee drinks.

Behind the counter, He Lin grinds the beans—a young man from Yunnan whom the owner, Yang, had found on a recruitment platform. "His resume was exceptional," Yang said, noting He Lin's years of crafting specialty blends across Yunnan and Xizang. After a brief online conversation, we hit it off, and I invited him to join us."

Lattes of assorted flavors

He Lin has been in Pingtan for over a year and has crafted nearly 30 varieties of coffee. His beverage concepts always stay ahead of the seasons, concocting refreshing summer recipes in the winter and preparing warm winter specials during the height of summer. "Pingtan is an island, and I have always wanted to incorporate the unique flavor of the sea into our coffee," He Lin said, pointing to the menu.

Grinding, tamping, and extracting—the smooth process happens in one continuous motion. A rich espresso shot slowly pours into an iced cup, leaving a delicate layer of crema floating on top. This is He Lin's signature island-flavored summer special, which creatively blends dried seaweed flakes with coffee powder. "I named this coffee 'A Bite of Sea Breeze' because I want tourists who come here in the summer to taste the ocean in a single sip," He Lin said.

"He Lin is incredibly creative and excels at developing specialty drinks by blending seasonal fruits," Yang praised. "The fusion of sweet, fresh fruits like pineapple and bayberry with coffee always unlocks unexpectedly wonderful flavors."

Visitors take photos for social media at Come Back to the Village for Coffee.

The gentle sea breeze and lingering coffee aroma tempt many tourists to spend their entire afternoon in this small coastal shop. Zheng Mo, a tourist from Fuzhou, sat alone at a low table on the terrace, sipping an iced latte. She had visited the café before and enjoyed it so much that she made a special trip back with her friends. "The coffee here is delicious, but the scenery is even better," Zheng said.

Visitors taste coffee.

Nearby, Lin Xiaoting, a student on vacation, held up her smartphone to capture the view outside the window. She discovered this hidden gem through the social media platform Xiaohongshu." This is a hidden treasure café nestled in a village," Lin said. "The coffee is great, there are so many photo spots, and the environment is highly photogenic."

Preserving history while embracing the sea

Sea and sky framed through windows

The café, which frequently goes viral on social media, was a dilapidated ruin three years ago. "When I first pushed open the door of this stone house, a musty, fishy smell hit me, and the corners of the walls were caked in thick dirt," Yang recalled. "At that time, I just felt it was a pity for such an old coastal stone house to go to waste. The traces of time on old buildings should be preserved, but they shouldn't be trapped in the past forever."

Yang and her husband are natives of Lishui, Zhejiang Province, a region surrounded by mountains. Before coming to Pingtan, the couple managed a hotel in Yiwu and never imagined they would move to the coast to open a café. Their connection began in the summer of 2022 during a family vacation to Pingtan. "That day, we stayed by the sea for a long time, watching the sun sink into the horizon," Yang said. "At that moment, a wish suddenly grew in my heart: how wonderful would it be if we could settle down here?"

In 2023, the couple sold their hotel business and officially relocated to Pingtan with their young child.

Without hiring a professional designer, the couple planned the renovation themselves, spending over two months on-site to complete a gentle makeover that preserved the building's historical memory. The entire granite wall was kept intact, and the structural cracks were meticulously repaired. The weathered grey-white stains and salt crystals accumulated over the years were left untouched. These ancient traces of time, paired with brand-new window frames and smooth flooring, created a unique decoration where the old and the new coexist.

The basement of the café, which used to be a cluttered storage room for livestock, was cleaned up and paved with tiles while keeping the rough, original stone beams. The semi-open seating area allows the sea breeze to flow through freely. The window designs were carefully calibrated by Yang's husband to ensure that every single window frames a distinct view of the mountains and the sea. Some walls feature floor-to-ceiling windows offering unobstructed ocean views, while others have small openings that perfectly frame a single branch of bougainvillea or a distant sailboat.

Spacious and cozy indoor lounge

The small courtyard outside the café belongs to several local families, making leasing negotiations highly complex at first. To revitalize the space, the couple spent over two weeks visiting households to communicate and negotiate contracts. Over time, the strangers became close friends. Today, Yang's cat frequently visits the neighbors' houses to play, and local villagers regularly help out. "There is no longer any distinction between outsiders and locals," Yang said. "We have completely integrated and become part of the village."

From visitors to locals

When discussing her original intention, Yang admitted it was simple. The surrounding area is filled with boutique homestays, but there were no beverage shops inside the village, and food delivery services could not reach the area. "We just wanted to create a place where tourists could take a break," Yang said.

Shortly after opening, the café's reputation spread by word of mouth among homestay guests and soon caught fire on Xiaohongshu after tourists shared photos of the stone walls, waves, and latte art. Come Back to the Village for Coffee gradually became a popular, off-the-beaten-path destination on Pingtan Island.

The café has not only brought a steady stream of tourists to the village but has also quietly transformed the local community. The once-reserved villagers now greet the couple warmly, and many voluntarily bring their out-of-town relatives to visit the café, proudly introducing it as a viral sensation right at their doorstep.

As the sun sets, casting a warm golden glow on the storefront sign, the five characters meaning "Come Back to the Village for Coffee" shine softly. Behind the bar, He Lin meticulously organizes the coffee beans for the next day. The familiar hum of the grinder rises once again, blending with the rhythmic sound of the distant waves, drifting gently into the coastal landscape.