*Cafe Yogur Berry

Looking like it sprung straight from the dot-com boom of the '90s, Yogur Berry is a brightly lit cafe offering Internet access and ice-cold treats: heaped servings of frozen yogurt topped with anything from strawberries and tapioca balls to cherry tomatoes. Chocolate lovers beware: you'll find no trace of the sweet stuff here, as the mantra is "No sugar, low fat," but the sweet and sour yogurt is a refreshing stand-in. Prices range from RMB 6-75.

Cafe Yogur Berry
Location: 2/F, Bldg 8, Wudaokou Xi Jiao Hotel, Haidian District
Opening time: Daily 11am-2am. 
Tel: 010-82388478

*New Zealand Natural

Fresh from the cow and straight into Zhonguancun is New Zealand Natural, the franchised scoop shop from Oceania. The brand's founder, allergic to artificial food colors and flavors, has developed hypoallergenic ice cream with flavors such as chocolate ecstasy, walnut butterscotch, and boysenberry dream (RMB 18-30). For the health-conscious, there are displays of the nutritional information of each product. We almost want to believe the smiling salespeople when they assure us we won't get fat from eating a double dip here.

New Zealand Natural
Location: Store 3, B1/F, Zhonguancun Carrefour Shopping Center, Haidian District
Opening time: Daily 8.30am-10pm. 
Tel: 010-51721522

*Space

Although foreigners used to dense ice cream may not take so easily to the less-heavy, local-style ice cream served here, this quaint soda shop still offers a perfectly peaceful setting for good conversation over chilled confections. A rainbow of fruit flavors are available, including taro, melon, pineapple and peach. Sundaes served with fresh cherries and peaches are impressive. Prices range RMB 6 to RMB 25.

Space
Location: 160 Chengfu Lu, southwest of Tsinghua University, Haidian District
Opening time: Daily 9am-midnight. 
Tel: 13501026645