Beijing’s awesome culinary scene can be attributed to it’s history as the on-again, off-again, capital of China. Eat Imperial meals or explore the cuisines of Beijing’s own little Chinatowns (imported neighborhoods/cuisines, except they’re from different parts of China or of a particular ethnic group.) And it’s all just so good, it seems almost impossible to publish a list of the best Beijing local restaurants.
From Peking duck to the humble dumpling, we have compiled a few of the our favorite local restaurants for visitors in Beijing. Criteria for this list means they have menus with English and/or photos and serve authentic and stupid-delicious fare. This is your meal itinerary if you’re traveling through Beijing. Don’t just pick one, try them all.
Don’t want to visit “foreigner-friendly” spots? Then join one of our Beijing Food Tours and we’ll get you off the beaten path and go to places that only locals know about…unlimited food & beer included. Leave the logistics and ordering to us and eat the best local food in the city!
Spice freaks, here is your path to glory. For those who don’t know Hunan province, located in Southwest China, everything is as spicy as it gets in the Motherland. This contemporary gem is hidden within a residential hutong neighborhood and serves up spicy Hunan dishes. And we mean spicy.
Unlike Sichuan cuisine which it is often compared to, Hunan food is gan la, or pure spicy, as opposed to Sichuan’s more complex ma la, or numbing spicy flavor. While Sichuan food uses milder dried chilis with the numbing Sichuan peppercorns, Hunan cuisine is known for its generous use of fresh chilis paired with fresh ingredients, beating Sichuan food for the coveted #1 spot in terms of raw chili content per bite.
Hunan cuisine’s boldness is not limited to the sweat it will force from your body- it is also known for it’s bright and colorful ingredients and presentation. In a place like Beijing where spicy food isn’t traditionally part of local cuisine, this beautiful restaurant makes a worthwhile visit for the foodie in all of us. Average price per person is 145 RMB.
Opening Hours: 11AM-2PM; 5PM-9PM
What To Order:
Spicy Frog (口味石蛙)
Secret Sauce Beef (秘制风秘牛肉)
Five Spice Noodles with Pork (卤粉)
Century Egg with Pepper (辣椒皮蛋）
Where it’s located: 49 Gongmenkou Toutiao, near Lu Xun Museum. Accessible by Fuchengmen Subway Station on line 2, exit B.
Show Your Taxi Driver: 宫门口头条49号，鲁迅博物馆附近，谢谢。
Maps: Google Map (requires VPN in China) or Chinese Map
Where it’s located: 3rd Floor Sanlitun South Section, 19 Sanlitun Road.
Show Your Taxi Driver: 三里屯路19号院太古里南区，谢谢。
Maps: Google Map (requires VPN in China) or Chinese Map
Yunnan province borders Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam and is not only known for its breathtaking scenery, but also its fresh food. That international border where northeast Asia meets southeast Asia is an excellent representation of what this cuisine tastes like. Beijing’s cuisine is defined by its landscape- wheat, winters, hardy livestock and a pantry-based ingredients list. In contrast, with Yunnan cuisine you’ll see more rice, an abundant variety of fresh vegetables, bright colors, and a huge range of textures.
While the fresh ingredients and unique flavors of Yunnan cuisine are becoming increasingly popular, and therefore increasingly bastardized, in Beijing, this spot is as authentic as it gets. From the minute you enter, local Yunnan goods can be seen displayed throughout the restaurant and the entire staff speaks with a local Yunnan dialect. You’ll also find an open courtyard decorated with Yunnan art and photography. Average price here is 85 RMB per person.
Opening Hours: Open daily from 10:30 AM to 10:30 PM
What to order:
Rice Noodles with shredded Chicken (大理鸡丝凉拌米线)
Vanilla Wrapped Seared Tofu (香草铁板烤屏豆腐)
Stewed Green Pumpkin (生焖姜柄瓜)
Rice Noodles with Mixed Vegetables (小锅米线)
Where it’s located: 25 Baofang Hutong, Dongcheng. Accessible by the Dongsi subway station on Line 5 or Line 6.
What to show your taxi driver: 师傅请带我去, 报房胡同25号，谢谢。
Maps: Google Map (requires VPN in China) or Chinese Map
You can’t come to Beijing without trying Peking Duck- here’s our recommendation for where to try this delectable dish. Famous not only for its roasted Peking ducks, Siji Minfu is also a common place to catch celebrities, movie stars, and a great view of the Forbidden City.
Forget about the big chain Peking duck brands you might research like Dadong or Quanjude. Siji Minfu offers a personal touch and sense of place- which is saying a lot in a city as busy and boisterous as Beijing. The decor is gorgeous, without being pretentious or uninviting of the casual attire most of its patrons don. With its peaceful setting right on the corner over looking the Forbidden City and its tasteful design, Siji Minfu has an exquisite vibe – without the huge price tag you’d expect from a place like this. On top of that, there are two massive wood-fire ovens on display in the dining room, where you can watch ducks get roasted and carved in an Imperial fashion. We highly recommend to visit during off peak times (late lunch or early dinner) to avoid wait times. Average price here is 170 RMB per person.
Opening Hours: Open daily between 10:30 AM and 10:30 PM. Avoid peak times because the waiting times can get up to 3 hours.
What To Order:
Deluxe Fresh Roasted Duck (特选香嫩烤鸭) – 108 RMB for half, 198 RMB for whole, plus 6 RMB for pancakes and 5 RMB/pax for condiments.
White Duck Bone Soup – 20 RMB
Kung Pao Shelled Shrimp – 138 RMB
Beijing soybean paste noodles (老北京炸酱面)
Imperial dessert platter (宫廷小吃拼盘)
Location 1: (The Imperial Palace Branch)
Where it’s located: 11 Nanchizi Street, near the east gate of the Forbidden City. Accessible by the Dengshikou subway station on Line 5.
What to show your taxi driver: 师傅请带我去, 南池子大街11号故宫东门旁，谢谢。
Map: Google Map (requires VPN in China) or Chinese Map
Location 2: Worker’s Stadium Branch
Where it’s located: 58 Worker’s Stadium East Rd. Accessible by Tuanjiehu subway station on Line 10, exit A.
What to show your taxi driver: 师傅请带我去, 工体东路58号，谢谢。
Map: Google Map (requires VPN in China) or Chinese Map
Location 3: Da Zha Lan Branch
Where it’s located: 2nd Floor, 18 Qianmen Dazhalan Commercial Str. Accessible by Qianmen subway station on Line 2, exit C.
What to show your taxi driver: 师傅请带我去, 前门大栅栏商业街18号，谢谢。
Map: Google Map (requires VPN in China) or Chinese Map
This 24/7 dim sum instituion is heaven on earth for foodies. It’s perfect if you want to try a little bit of everything, their menu covers every craving and comfort dim sum you have: kung pao, sweet and sour, spare ribs, noodle dishes, pastries, and dumplings galore. The temple-like building accommodates 4 floors of hungry locals and shells out solid dim sum favorites plus a variety of other local dishes. As one of the few Beijing eateries that never closes, it always has a bustling atmosphere. And also we love it, that’s all that needs to be said really. Go. Perfect for breakfast or a late night snack/meal, or if you’re feeling peckish after our craft beer tour. Average price here is 95 RMB per person.
What To Order:
Signature shrimp dumplings (招牌虾皇饺)
Barbeque Pork Pastries (羊城叉烧酥)
Sweet and Salty Egg Buns (咸蛋黄流沙包)
Dandan Spicy Noodles (担担面)
Sticky Rice with Chicken (糯米鸡)
Location 1: Ditan Park Branch
Where it’s located: 79 Hepingli West Street. Accessible by Andingmen Subway Station on line 2, exit A.
Show Your Taxi Driver: 师傅请带我去, 和平里西街77号, 近地坛，谢谢。
Map: Google Map (requires VPN in China) or Chinese Map
Location 2: Tuanjiehu Branch
Where it’s located: 15 Tuanjiehu Nanli. Accessible by Hujialou Subway Station on line 6 or line 10, exit F.
Show Your Taxi Driver: 师傅请带我去, 团结湖南里15号金鼎轩，谢谢。
Map: Google Map (requires VPN in China) or Chinese Map
The largest selection of dumplings in Beijing (maybe even the world?) including fantastic vegetarian options. Ready your chopsticks, their kitchen is the starting point a literal dumpling parade and you need to be a part of it. Man Jie Dumpling is a clean and modern restaurant on the main thoroughfare near Dongsishitiao station, and although the staff doesn’t speak English the menu has good English translations. FYI – each type of dumpling has a minimum order of 10, so come hungry and preferably with a small army so you can sample a few different items on Beijing’s largest menu. Average price here is 68 RMB per person.
Opening Hours: 11:00AM-9:30PM
What To Order:
Specialty Dumpling (pork, leek, shrimp, egg, mushroom) (满姐招牌饺子)
Sour and Spicy Shredded Potato Dumpling (酸辣土豆丝)
Pork and Scallion Dumpling (猪肉大葱)
Pork and Lotus Root Dumpling (猪肉鲜藕)
Location 1: Dongsishitiao Branch
Where it’s located: 32 Dongsi 10th Street
Show Your Taxi Driver: 师傅请带我去, 东城区东四十条乙34号,谢谢。
Map: Google Map (requires VPN in China) or Chinese Map
Location 2: Deshengmen Branch- close to Shichahai park
Where it’s located: 148 Deshengmen Inner Str. Accessible by Jishuitan Subway Station on line 2, exit C.
Show Your Taxi Driver: 师傅请带我去, 德胜门内大街148号满姐饺子,谢谢。
Map: Google Map (requires VPN in China) or Chinese Map
“Hot dry noodles” are one of our favorite noodle dishes in China! Made with fresh hand-pulled wheat noodles and topped with creamy sesame paste and tart pickles, it’s a flavor explosion in your mouth. Between the textures and aromas, there’s just a million things happening with every bite. Every restaurant here is great for there amazing menus, but this place made the list with one item- that’s how good it is. The restaurant is open for lunch from 11 AM – 2:30 PM, and for dinner from 5 PM – 9:30 PM. Average price here is 45 RMB per person.
What To Order:
Traditional Dry Noodles (原味热干面)
Minced Pork Dry Noodle (炸酱热干面)
Minced Pork Rice Noodle (杂酱热干粉)
Where it’s located: 10 Chunxiu Road. Accessible by Dongzhimen Subway Station on line 2, exit C.
Show Your Taxi Driver: 师傅你好，请带我去, 春秀路太平庄10号,谢谢。
Map: Google Map (requires VPN in China) or Chinese Map
Want to try some Beijing or northern flavors? Xian Lao Man has a huge menu with classic northern cold dishes, hot dishes, local Beijing snacks, soups, noodles, dumplings and beyond. Their menu is a veritable encyclopedia on northern cuisine- actually, better in fact, because its an encyclopedia you get to eat through. Even if you are a vegetarian you will be able to find many delicious dishes here. No matter what you order, it won’t disappoint. With restaurants like these, we always recommend coming here early in your trip because as soon as you’re there you will be planning a trip back. It’s an excellent menu to tackle, we wish you hunger. Average price here is 65 RMB per person.
Opening Hour: 11:00AM-9:00PM
What To Order:
Kung Pao Chicken (宫保鸡丁)
Dough Drop and Vegetable Soup (疙瘩汤)
Dry-fried green ground (干煸豆角)
Vegetarian Dumplings (素老满饺子)
Location 1: (Andingmen Branch)
Where it’s located: 252 Andingmen Inner Street
Show Your Taxi Driver: 师傅你好，请带我去, 安定门内大街252号,谢谢。
Map: Google Map (requires VPN in China) or Chinese Map
Location 2: (Drum Tower Branch)
Where it’s located: 51 Old Gulou Str. Accessible by Gulou Dajie Subway Station on line 2 or line 8, exit G.
Show Your Taxi Driver: 师傅你好，请带我去, 旧鼓楼大街51号,谢谢。
Map: Google Map (requires VPN in China) or Chinese Map
Beijing Pie is well known for its meat pancakes. If you are unfamiliar with meat pancakes, we suggest you rectify that immediately. Their beef pancake, especially, is a must-order. Can’t overstate that enough. Bite a mouthful of the uber-tender meat with its peppery fragrance, juicy but not greasy, hearty but not heavy. One big beef pie can be cut into 8 pieces, accompanied by other local Beijing dishes, this is going to be a meal that will leave you belly full, and your heart full too. Average price here is 60 RMB per person.
Opening Hour: 9:30AM-9:00PM
What To Order:
Traditional Crunchy and Juicy Beef Pie (河沿牛肉饼)
Beijing Style Hot & Sour Soup (传统京味酸辣汤)
Sweet & Sour Cucumber Batons (酸辣瓜条)
Where it’s located: 14 Xi La Hutong (101, Building 7, 43 Dong’anmen Street). Accessible by Dengshikou Subway Station on line 5, exit A.
Show Your Taxi Driver: 师傅你好，请带我去, 锡拉胡同14号河沿肉饼,谢谢。
Map: Google Map (requires VPN in China) or Chinese Map
After three years, China is reopening its border to tourists, effective immediately! Based on what we’ve seen in other parts of the world post-pandemic, the best time to visit a reopened country is early – before all of the crowds return. We’ve got all the details you need to start planning your next trip to China…
Looking for a fresh team building or work outing idea? Our “Flavors of China” Restaurant Tour in Beijing is the perfect chance for you to visit 4 restaurants in one night, discover a plethora of new dishes, and have an amazing time together with your group.
From Peking duck to the humble dumpling, we have compiled a few of our favorite foreigner-friendly local restaurants in Beijing. Criteria for this list means they have menus with English and/or photos and serve authentic and stupid-delicious fare. This is your meal itinerary if you’re traveling through Beijing. Don’t just pick one, try them all.
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