Beijing Dining, China, What to Eat, Local Res...

Cuisines from many different cultures permeate the Beijing dining scene. With literally thousands of restaurants available, dining choices are practically unlimited. And the best part is that you can splurge at a fancy restaurant or dine supremely well (any much more cheaply) at any of the smaller family-run operations located all over the city.

Beijing Roast Duck

It is said that there are two things that you must do when visiting Beijing: One is to enjoy the roast duck and the other is to take a stroll on the Great Wall. There is simply quite nothing like a perfectly roasted duck with bronzed crispy skin and tender, succulent meat. There are literally dozens of restaurants that serve this famous dish, but perhaps the best known are Quanjude and Bianyifang.

Beijing Imperial Court Food

Imperial Cuisine has evolved over time to be enjoyed by all of the country's people, characterized by complex preparation techniques, the freshest ingredients and elaborate presentation including colorful vegetable carvings. It is the foundation of Beijing cuisine. Probably the finest expression of classic imperial cooking is the Tan Jia cuisine served at the Beijing Hotel.

Beijing Snack

Fancy Beijing snack is a must in tasting the authentic Beijing flavor. These dishes emanate from many different cuisines, but the Chinese Muslim influenceis the most apparent. There are probably 200 varieties of snacks in Beijing. Most of the snacks can be found throughout the city. Here, let us begin a snack tourto seek most delicious snacks of Beijing.

Chinese Cuisines

Besides of the eight cuisines, most of regions and minorities in China also have their own particular cuisines that supply customers with more choices. For example, the delicate Shanghai, Huaiyang and Chaozhou cuisines, the unconstrained Shaanxi, Shanxi and Dongbei cuisines as well as the exotic Moslem and Uygur cuisines. In Beijing, it is easily to find such a kind of restaurant for dinner. Here is a bilingual menu which can help ordering dishes in restaurants.

Western Restaurants

In addition to the thousands of Chinese restaurants, there are also lots of places serving foods from all over the world. You can basically get any type of food you want here, if you know where to find it.

American Brazilian French Germen

Italian Russian Scandinavian Swiss

Asian Restaurants

Are you still looking for the special food which could suprise you by totally different flavors? Why not try an Asian restaurant in Beijing?

Japanese Korean Indian

Indonesian Thai Vietnamese

  Sea Food

Seafood  is a special dish in east and south part of China. It is well liked around the country with its fresh and special flavor.

  Hot Pot

You will never be disappointed to look for various kinds of food. For the cold weather, Hot Pot is a good choice to try. It is no wonder that some love to have in summer too. Hot pot is so popular nationwide.

Fastfood

Apart from KFC, McDonald's and other well-known western fastfood shops, there is no lack of Chinese, Japanese and special flavor (such as curry) fastfood restaurants in Beijing, some of which are chain shops.

  Muslim Restaurants

Feature food from Chinese ethnic minorities contributes a lot to Beijing's colorful dining culture. Characterized by its fresh yet dense flavor, Muslim Cuisine is also known as Islamic cai and Hui cai, the best dish of which is Whole Sheep Banquet which has won wide praise. 

Vegetarian Restaurants

Like fastfood is for people in a hurry, the increasingly fashionable vegetarian dishes are for vegetarians or persons who love this healthy dining style, but not only for those vegetarians for the religion's sake. Merits and Virtues Vegetarian House is a time honored brand in Beijing that was first founded in Shanghai. Absolutely, there are more vegetarian restaurants listed on page for references.

Cafeterias

Helping oneself in Cafeterias is a popular and free dining style favored by multitudes of people. Many BBQ restaurants and cafes are of this kind. Here are many excellent cafeterias getting well spoken. For specialty cafeterias, Golden Jafuar, Amazon and Max's Cafeteria are all sound ones.

Buffets

If tired of big dishes all the time, buffets offering desserts, milk tea, ice cream and takeaway coffee are comfortable choice. One can sit and enjoy in the small but delicately decorated shops or buy some drinks and candies by the way while roaming about. If interested in old Beijing culture, tea house is a perfect choice where listening Beijing Opera and other folk art performances is enjoyable as tasting the tea aroma.

  Special Flavor

Some Special Flavor restaurants are enveloped in romantic atmosphere and they are ideal places for appointment between lovers. There are also other restaurants listed here in terms of food style to provide another way for customer to choose where and what to eat.

Travelers' Voices on Beijing Dining

1.

Aug. 30,2009 10:23 Reply

Mr.johny(Indonesia) said:

I stay at Novotel xin Qiao.
where to have delicious and cheap local food for breakfast, lunch and dinner?

Sep. 1,2009 20:23
Ms.Emma replied:

Go to Wangfujing, it is a famous snack street. Or you can get to Qianmen (one stop by subway) and Da Zha Lan near Qianmen,which are all good place to eat.

2.

Aug. 27,2009 22:41 Reply

Ms.Daisy(Vietnam) said:

Dear,
I have been asked about this and i also got reply from Mr.Qi but i couldn't see the answer by the link.
Maybe there is system problem.

Anyway, i would like to ask again about eating Beijing roast duck, i would like to know where they have good taste and good prices.I also look for some nice local places for chinese food, i meant really local as we r not expecting to enjoy 5stars or expensive restaurants in beijing. We would like to try something different, something really China.

Any recommendations for the restaurants and the places, please tell me.

Aug. 27,2009 23:14
Mr.Shan replied:

Mr. Qi is right that you should go to Bianyifang, which enjoys high fame in Beijing. I have had dinner with friends at the Chongwenmen Branch of Bianyifang last week. The duck was very good and much cheaper than Quanjude which is said to be the top one and requires extra service charge. We have 5 people together and booked two suites of ducks, including two ducks, four baskets of thin pine-cake with four seasonings for each. The total fare is 280RMB. If you just have one or two people, you could book a half of duck which just sold 59RMB.

You could take the subway Line 5 and get off at Chongwenmen station. Go out from the Exit C, you will see a red brand of China Merchants Bank, which is located on 1F of the New World Department Store. Please enter into the store and take the elevator upstairs to 3F where the restaurant is located. The restaurant is opened from every 11:00.

For another Chinese food, there are lots of snack restaurants distributed in Beijing. I have found some not far from the north gate of the Beihai Park. Starting from the norht gate, please walk westwards to the first crossroads, where you could find several good restaurants. And, some time-honord Beijing restaurants have set their braches along the Qianmen Street, such as Daoxiangcun with good dim sum.

3.

Aug. 25,2009 23:57 Reply

Ms.Daisy(Vietnam) said:

dear all,
Im about coming to Beijing and i would like to know where to eat Peking Duck which is good n cheap prices.(how much does it cost? )

I also heard about there is Peking duck street in beijing.( many peking duck restaurants among the street) Tell me if anyone knows.

Thanks

Aug. 27,2009 01:44
Mr.Qi replied:

This is the most famous peking duck restaurants:
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/beijing/dinning/roastduck/
To look for cheaper ones, you can see:
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/beijing/dinning/roastduck/bianyifang.htm
I ate in Bianyifang,, 140RMB offering sauce and pancakes. Quanjude also charge service fee. Recommend you go to Bianyifang, Liqun. Made in China is also good, a bit more expensive than the other two.
Enjoy~

4.

Mar. 21,2009 22:07 Reply

Mrs.Miza(Indonesia) said:

Is there aby halal food / restaurant in beijing, especiallya near the renaissance hotel at 61 Dongsanhuan Middle Road, Chaoyang District
Beijing, Beijing 100022 China ?

Apr. 28,2009 22:51
Ms.Anna replied:

There are lots of Halal restaurants in Beijing that you could find then anywhere. Here is a brief list:
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/beijing/dinning/muslim.htm

May. 11,2009 16:37
Mr.rasheed(america) replied:

how much was the food

May. 11,2009 21:41
Ms.Harion replied:

Well, I think the website has listed out the average cost under very restaurant. Actually, the cost varies greatly from each other.

5.

Feb. 28,2009 05:16 Reply

Ms.nue(Malaysia) said:

know any halal/muslim restaurant??

Mar. 6,2009 03:26
Mr.Dobby replied:

find what your need here:
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/beijing/dinning/muslim.htm

6.

Mar. 4,2009 10:22 Reply

Mr.pakwan(Philippines) said:

anybody knows where a filipino resturant is located

Mar. 6,2009 03:18
Mr.Steven replied:

Have no idea about a Filipino restaurant, but would like to try some Southeast Asia restaurants, which may have philippine dishes, see here:
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/beijing/dinning/japanese.htm

7.