One of the more rewarding hutongs in the Gulou area, Fangjia Hutong has filled its converted courtyards with small bars, coffee roasters, design studios, a microbrewery or two, and a courtyard live-music venue, without yet tipping into the full commercial circus of Nanluoguxiang. A former factory compound midway along holds galleries and performance spaces, and the whole lane has an unforced creative feel.
It is best in the early evening, when the courtyard bars open and the daytime traffic of cyclists and delivery scooters dies down. Wander in without a plan — the appeal is in the doorways and the half-hidden venues rather than any single address.