Must-see restaurants in Beijing

  • Roasted sliced goose with mint on dish in restaurant

    Dadong

    Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central

    Dadong could be the best meal of your trip or an occasion to forget, and it all comes down to expectation. Less Peking duck restaurant and more temple to…

  • Eating roast duck at a Beijing roast duck restaurant

    Jingzun Peking Duck

    Beijing

    An unsung purveyor of Peking duck, Jingzun's bargain birds (¥138/79 for a whole/half) are every bite the equal of Beijing's more elite brands, unruly…

  • Zhang Mama

    Beijing

    An absurdly affordable spice-fest, humble Zhang Mama is run by a multi-generational family of Sichuan exiles (including mama), all with mad wok skills…

  • Yúfúnán

    Beijing

    One of the best modern Chinese dining experiences in the capital, Yúfúnán is an insanely stylish spice fest, serving the sweat-inducing fare of Hunan…

  • Taco Bar

    Beijing

    The king, nay the emperor of Chinese taquerias, Taco Bar packs out with punters feasting on fiendishly tasty Mexican street-style tacos including al…

  • Jīn Dǐng Xuān

    Beijing

    Dripping in red neon and lanterns, this raucous Chinese restaurant by the south gate of Ditan Park is a magnificent monstrosity that never closes – even…

  • Taste of Dadong

    Beijing

    This casual concept eatery from Beijing's duck maestro Dong Zhenxiang – of famed sister restaurant, Dadong – lets you enjoy a portion of his famous roast…

  • Crescent Moon Muslim Restaurant

    Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central

    Mount your culinary camel and traverse the Silk Road sands to this singular Central Asian food fest. Grilled lamb doused in cumin and chilli, baked…

  • Najia Xiaoguan

    Beijing

    With modern Chinese interiors fit for an emperor, this Manchu-inspired restaurant is a regal delight, serving imperial fare such as Peking duck, braised…

  • Duck de Chine

    Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central

    Beijing's most refined destination for duck, where perfectly bronzed birds are announced to the dining room by the chiming of a gong. Maybe it's the 30…

  • In & Out

    Beijing

    Take your taste buds on a dreamy sojourn southwest at Beijing's most stylish Yunnan restaurant. A sophisticated, industrial-chic space is the setting for…

  • TRB Forbidden City

    Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central

    Occupying a Qing dynasty building beside the Forbidden City's moat, this is the sister restaurant to upscale TRB Hutong, with the same flawless service…

  • Lost Heaven

    Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central

    Set back in the corner of the parade ground on the old US Legation, Lost Heaven presents the dreamy flavours of exotic Yunnan province. Sour-spicy dishes …

  • Din Tai Fung

    Beijing

    Pleated with precision, the xiǎolóngbāo (Shanghai-style soup dumplings) at this acclaimed Taiwan chain taste as good as they look. Delicate pork, rich…

  • Wang Pangzi Donkey Burger

    Beijing

    Opened by the titular 'Fatty Wang' in 2004, Wang Pangzi is lauded by many as Beijing's best purveyor of donkey-meat snacks. The lip-smacking speciality…

  • TRB Hutong

    Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central

    Beijing's most famous international fine-dining experience, TRB (Temple Restaurant Beijing) serves modern European dishes with a French twist – house…

  • Lei Garden

    Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central

    Divine dim sum draws the crowds to this clubby outpost of the multi-Michelin-starred Hong Kong chain. Order from a check-box menu of classic Canto treats …

  • Xiàn Lǎo Mǎn

    Beijing

    No wonder this locals' favourite is always packed – for boiled or fried jiǎozi (dumplings) that are as delicious as they are light on the wallet, you can…

  • Home Plate BBQ

    Beijing

    Flying the flag for southern American barbecue in a decidedly duck-centric city, this Texan-owned restaurant-bar is all about slow-cooked meats, burgers…

  • Furongji

    Beijing

    Feast on modern dim sum at this stylish hutong joint run by the Orchid boutique hotel next door. Everything on the tick-box menu is deliciously creative;…

  • Fodder Factory

    Beijing

    With China's overworked millennials pining for simpler times, it's no wonder nostalgia has become big business. Fodder Factory tugs at the heartstrings…

  • Shèng Yǒng Xīng

    Beijing

    This beautifully styled 2nd-floor dining room serves high-roller Peking duck, roasted over jujube wood at a higher temperature for a less oily bite…

  • Migas Mercado

    Beijing

    A fun-loving, well-heeled CBD hangout, Spanish-run Migas serves sun-drenched fare including grilled octopus and Iberian pork on a fabulous terrace space…

  • Hú Dà

    Beijing

    If you thought Peking duck was the city's favourite chow, think again. That accolade belongs to Hú Dà's Sichuan-style spicy crayfish (麻辣小龙虾; málà…

  • Ghost Street

    Beijing

    Ghost Street's rep as Beijing's most famous restaurant strip tends to flummox overseas visitors when they discover that, instead of Peking duck or other…

  • Chuan Ban

    Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central

    Every Chinese province has its own government office in Beijing, usually furnished with a hotel and restaurant for visiting cadres. With some exceptions,…

  • Bianyifang Roast Duck

    Temple of Heaven Park & Dongcheng South

    The grandaddy of duck roasting, Bianyifang has been dishing up waterfowl since the early Ming dynasty. The restaurant's antique roasting method – using…

  • Jùbǎoyuán

    Beijing

    A culinary mecca for hotpot-obsessed Hui Chinese, this is one of Beijing's most famous shuan yangrou (scalding mutton) eateries. Perennially packed, the…

  • Wǔ Gē Jīchì

    Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central

    The infamously testy boss here is the fifth son (wǔ gē) in his family, hence the name. Jīchì means chicken wings, and they're worth braving his ire for –…

  • Quanjude Roast Duck Hepingmen

    Beijing

    Founded in 1864 by a poultry dealer named Yang Quanren, Quanjude is China's most famous destination for duck. This seven-floor emporium, its 41 dining…

  • Baron Rozi Uyghur Restaurant

    Beijing

    Think faux-rococo, chandeliers and costumed waitstaff – a delightfully naff setting in which to gorge on grilled lamb skewers, Xinjiang dapanji (spicy…

  • Royal Icehouse

    Beijing

    Serving imperial banquet fare such as Peking duck, braised sea cucumber and sweetmeats incuding sugared crabapples, this intriguing restaurant was once a…

  • Yuèbīn Fànguǎn

    Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central

    A marvellous, messy microcosm of Beijing at its most boisterous, this old-school canteen slings giant platters of traditional grub, which tastes more…

  • Sìjì Mínfú

    Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central

    A relative newcomer to the Peking duck scene, this local chain boasts some of the best birds in town, and this branch in particular is a beauty, with a…

  • Ichipangai

    Beijing

    Teleport to Tokyo at this food court of tiny izakaya and counter-top joints frequented by Beijing's community of Japanese salarymen. Suika (醉香, second…

  • Little Yunnan

    Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central

    Perhaps it's due to Yunnan's exotic culinary allusions to Southeast Asia, but this crossover cuisine has long been held dear by foreign foodies in China…

  • Taoyuan Village

    Beijing

    A hip spot for Chinese breakfast any time of day, this canteen chain from Shanghai specialises in the Taiwanese wake-up call of hot soy milk (dòujiāng)…

  • Moka Bros

    Beijing

    A Beijing original, Moka's hipster combo of brunch food, Edison bulb lighting and subway tile walls muralled by Plastered 8 has seen this mini-chain…

  • Toast

    Beijing

    Middle Eastern–inspired sharing plates draw the crowds to this stylish, all-weather rooftop restaurant run by the Orchid boutique hotel. Roasted lamb ribs…

  • Yī Gē Niúròu Miàn

    Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central

    Order the namesake dish (一哥牛肉面; yī gē niúròu miàn; ¥38) at this mom-and-pop eatery and you'll get a whacking great bowl of chewy noodles floating in a…

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