Table Space (Laomendong)

Table Space is a craft beer bar at 16-2 Laomendong in Qinhuai District, Nanjing, in the restored old-town blocks of Jiangsu province, China. Laomendong is a pedestrian-friendly neighbourhood of Ming and Qing style buildings near the Confucius Temple area, and the bar occupies a renovated old-town house that suits an afternoon or early-evening drink after sightseeing. The atmosphere is calm and social rather than rowdy. The crowd is mostly young Nanjing locals, domestic tourists walking the historic streets and a smaller number of foreign residents, with an age range from early twenties to forties. There is no formal dress code, and daytime sightseeing clothes are entirely acceptable. Music is incidental and kept at a level that allows conversation. The drinks programme is built around craft beer, with local and imported bottles and taps, and prices of about CNY 35-80 per drink (roughly USD 5-12) place it in the affordable-to-mid range for a tourist neighbourhood. Opening hours run from the afternoon to late evening, and exact times change, so checking the Meituan listing before making the trip is advisable. The venue is busiest on weekend evenings and during public holidays, when Laomendong fills with visitors, while weekday afternoons are typically quiet. There is no cover charge, reservations are generally unnecessary outside larger groups, and bottle service is not a feature of this kind of bar. Payment is usually by WeChat Pay or Alipay. Because the surrounding streets contain many restaurants, snack stalls and craft shops, the bar works well as a rest stop between meals or as the last stop of a day exploring the old town. Visitors can reach Laomendong by metro to the Zhonghua Gate area followed by a short walk, or by taxi to the historic block entrance, since vehicles are restricted on some streets.