Remember When Cafes Were Not Yet Aesthetic?

Sometimes I wonder what cafes would look like if Instagram didn’t exist.

No carefully designed corners. No perfect latte art waiting to be photographed. No pressure for every table, wall and coffee cup to look good together.

Just a cafe.

I thought about this after visiting Bao Er Cafe, a little hidden gem that reminded me that cafes don’t always have to be about the atmosphere.

The space isn’t what immediately grabs your attention. Instead, the focus is on the food, the coffee and simply having somewhere to sit and enjoy them.

And honestly, I found that refreshing.

I’ve visited plenty of cafes where I notice the interior before I even look at the menu. But Bao Er Cafe reminded me that sometimes, the best cafe experience comes from sitting down, eating something good and not worrying about whether the space is particularly aesthetic.

Maybe that’s what I miss about older cafes.

They didn’t seem to be trying so hard to be anything other than a place where people could eat, drink and spend some time together.

Bao Er Cafe isn’t the kind of place I’d visit just to take photos. I’d visit because I actually enjoyed being there.

And maybe that’s a better reason to remember a cafe.