"In Search of Old Beijing," a 1930s guidebook, describes the scene: "During summer months this "Sea" is a favorite resort of the lower classes who come here in the thousands to take the air and to spend the day in the numerous tea-houses along its banks listening to the story-tellers, ballad singers or other musical entertainment."

China's last emperor, Puyi, was born in a mansion nearby. Another siheyuan (courtyard house) was the longtime residence of Song Qingling, wife of Sun Yat-sen. Both are now museums, popular stops on neighborhood rickshaw tours. Expansive gardens and ponds provide a taste of what life was like in the old China.

Decades on, Hou Hai claims some of the best bites and cappuccinos in the capital.

Bar No Name has no address either, although it's easy to find Houhai's original Cathedral of Cool: just look for the vine-covered wooden hut south of the charmingly arched Yinding Bridge. Its wicker chairs, funky decor, and a wide range of teas and drinks, from juices to margaritas, still draw in Beijing's A-list.

Lotus Not to be confused with Lotus Lane, this bar with separate restaurant in the winding alley leading to the Drum Tower (Gu Lou) remains one of the area's original zen centers. The two-story tower bar has a good collection of crafts on display downstairs, pillow and couch seating upstairs with a nice atrium. Smells of incense and one of the best drinks menus on the lake.

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