Brewers blending culture into coffee in Chongqing

CHONGQING — While coffee has made its way into many young Chinese people's daily lives, a growing number of independent coffee shops in Chongqing are not only serving quality coffee from all over the world, but are also trying to infuse their coffee with local culture.

Rather than offering the usual combination of coffee and sandwiches, Chongqing's coffee shops have made the drink a companion to the popular local dish of Chongqing spicy noodles, or xiao mian.

In the Yuzhong district, there is a coffee shop called Miankaka which exemplifies this cultural fusion. Located in a pedestrian zone centered around the Luohan Temple, it blends a buzzing lifestyle and tranquil Buddhism.