Must-see nightlife in Beijing

Run by two affable, aproned Chinese bears (who speak excellent English), this gay-friendly hutong hangout pours a host of house creations such as a 24…

Move aside, Merlot, it's mǐjiǔ time! Try something new at this rustic tavern specialising in Chinese wine made from glutinous rice (米酒; mǐjiǔ), a…

Lost in a maze of alleys east of Houhai, this tumbledown courtyard is where Beijing's craft-beer scene first burped into life back in the heady, pre-Xi…

Partway down a gentrifying hutong is this exquisite coffee roaster and cafe, born here as a pop-up during Beijing's annual Design Week, and now a small…

Ever since this Shanghai export touched down in 2012, Dada has become Beijing's premier venue for esoteric, bass-heavy beats, while remaining…

First-rate cocktails come with a first-class price tag at this exquisite cocktail bar hidden inside the Duan Qirui Former Government Building compound…

Legendary bar Hope and Sesame from Guangzhou, voted one of Asia's best bars in 2019, crafted the molecular-style cocktail list at MO Bar, an uber-glam…

Raise a flagon of Beijing's original and best craft beer at this industrial-chic outpost of Great Leap, a couple of clicks north of the Sanlitun action. A…

Drop anchor at Slow Boat, one of Beijing's original American-run craft brewers, for three floors of busy, beery fun. At least a dozen beers are on tap at…

Day of the Dead meets Chairman Mao at this carnivalesque hotspot where revellers dance to Latin beats. Cocktails (from ¥60) are heavy-handed with the…

The flagship bar of an all-Chinese craft brewer, NBeer is a Beijing original pouring sours, stouts and every style in between. If you only try one (good…

Any author of note passing through Beijing will give a talk at the Bookworm, a beacon in the city's international literary scene since 2005. You can thumb…

A stylish setting for a raucous night out, the flagship of Beijing-born craft-beer brand Jing-A is meticulously on-trend and unashamedly American – but…

At this sophisticated nightlife concept, bartenders mix cocktails inspired by classic films (the ‘Dude’s’ White Russian is sexed-up with mole bitters and…

Run by veteran British expat Will, Arrow Factory combines inventive craft ales with impeccable pub grub, served in a two-tiered building with a roof…

This baroque-style, three-storey townhouse is a late-Qing gem that's barely changed inside or out since it was built in 1901, hence the name. It was…

You can almost feel the warm ocean breeze at this quintessential Tiki bar – or that could just be the heat from its flaming rum cocktails, served,…

Meticulously fussy coffee is the draw at this little hutong gem, part of a building that once offered more sybaritic pleasures (it was a Republic-era…

Set up for aperitivo with a bar list that boasts spritz, snacks and multiple variations on the Negroni cocktail, this charmingly simple hutong bar pulls…

At this popular rooftop cafe with seating indoors and out, your coffee, cake or sandwich is served with a side order of eye candy: the White Dagoba Temple…