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China
An Asian restaurant that serves great food at a reasonable 'Western' price.
Situated on the top floor of a shopping complex in the embassy district of Beijing this was a real find. The aubergine curry was sublime, the chicken in the balti was tasty if not immediately recognisable. Friendly service and a welcome change from the local cuisine.
This is a chain which has a range of restaurants across the far East. In a city where you can get cheap and plentiful food this is a restaurant that produces quality food in smaller quantities. More pricey but worth it. An eight-course sampler of signature dishes is 228 yuan.
Wangfujing shopping mall
If you want to see a quiet and impressive part of the Great Wall, take a taxi to Simuatai (about two hours). Once you entered the Wall area, just before you about to climb on to the wall, walk through the wall and carry on the track for about 300 metres - you will come to the Dongpo Restaurant. It looks from the outside more like a shed but the owner is lovely and the Chinese food fantastic. An English menu is available, the owner will try her best to improve her English while talking to you.
Room 101 is a bar and restaurant in Dong Cheng district. It is one of the only foreign-managed places in Beijing which is open 24/7. They also have 24-hour delivery which is a godsend - their paninis are delicious! They also have lots of live music events, free wi-fi and a terrace with BBQ.
www.room101.cn
+86 (10) 6402 7532
Located 3 mins walk south of Andingmen subway station at 199 Andingmen Nei Dajie.
An American-style pizza restaurant with beer on tap.
They serve the best pizza in Beijing and it's perfect for when you get tired of gloopy soup and fatty Chinese pork. If you're only in town for a short stay you should, of course, try local dishes (especially duck) but after a few days you'll probably want to try Kro's Nest.
It's not easy to find though. Apparently there are a couple of branches but I've only been to the one at Workers' Stadium.
I read about it in Beijing for Beginners: An Irishman in the People's Republic and it has been a life-saver since.
Take the subway to Dongsishitao and walk east. When you get to Workers Stadium, walk inside the gates to the car park. The restaurant is on the left but the entrance is around the corner down a gravelly walkway. Not a very attractive entrance but inside makes up for it.
www.thekrosnest.com/
At the Nanxincang branch of Da Dong Roast Duck they have 22 private rooms, making it a great restaurant to do business – it is also the best Peking duck in Beijing. You have to reserve, though, because it is a popular place and the queues can be horrendous.
Yunnan food that people from Yunnan actually eat. Serving the Yunnan Provincial Government Office, Yunteng Shifu offers authentic Yunnan cuisine made with ingredients which are flown in direct from the southern province. The restaurant is open all day and the somewhat kitsch, jungle interior can feel like a breath of fresh air after dusty Beijing.
Yunnan specialities include goat's cheese (rubing), pineapple rice (bolo fan), 'crossing the bridge' noodles (guo qiao mixian), proscuitto-like cuts of ham and the hot, fresh wonderfulness which is Dai mint salad.
There's no English menu but everything is illustrated with photos. Yunnan food is very trendy in Beijing and can be hugely overpriced, but a meal here for two with Yunnan beer or tea shouldn't cost more than £10. Highly, highly recommended.
Set back from the road, Yunteng Shifu looks to be part of a posh housing estate. Look for the building with large gold characters down the side of it and stone steps leading up to the entrance.
Yunteng Hotel, 7 Donghuashi Beili Dongqu (bet. Chongwenmen Dongdajie & Donghuashi Dajie) Beijing, China 100019
Tel: 010-6713-6439
Nearest metro stations: Chongwenmen (line 5) or Beijing Train Station (line 2).
A website in which local restaurants, bars, clubs, activities, tours and anything else people care to comment on are reviewed by ordinary people living in the city.
Fish Nation serves the best fish and chips, pizzas and salads in Beijing. They also have English beers and ciders. What's more - it's on one of Beijing's oldest hutongs and their cute little roof terrace is perfect for eating good grub while viewing the old hutongs and soaking up the sun.
31, Nanluoguxiang
Near "Gulou"
Phone 6401-3249
Vineyard Cafe is a courtyard restaurant and bar located near Yong He Gong (The Lama Temple). They offer a delicious selection of home-style European cooking including pizzas, salads, sandwiches, quiche, baked potatoes, moussaka and seafood. They also have an extensive beer, wine and cocktail selection, fresh coffee and a well stocked bar. Home delivery and takeaway available. Check out their blog here: www.vineyardcafe.cn
31 wu dao ying hutong, dong cheng district
+86 10 6402 7961
www.vineyardcafe.cn/map
Nanluoguxiang is a great mix of west meets east, you can walk to Hoi Hai lake from here, ten mins from the subway line. 10 mins in a taxi from Sanlitun bar street, in good traffic (not from 5-6pm) and ghost street on your door step for the late night hot pots.
Also on Nanluoguxiang you will find the best fish and chips in the city as well as a great curry house and the pass by bar and a good hostel. Best bet when coming to Beijing is to check out 'That's beijing' which will offer a good inside guide to the city.
Consider going to a restaurant where the locals dine for your Peking Duck. Ok, you may not get the fancy furniture and uniforms that you will get in the touristy restaurants, but what you will get is a restaurant full of character and, of course, local people.
Think about it, if you have been to any of the advertised Peking Duck restaurants for tourists, have you seen many locals ? Of course the answer is probably no. The reason is probably due to the costs involved.
Myself and a few friends went to a restaurant close to a Hutong and had Peking Duck for three people. It cost less than £7.50 for the whole meal including beer and cola, not bad for three people. The portions were very large and we couldn't finish what was served.
Do consider trying a local restaurant, you will be amazed at the reception you will get and the locals will enjoy you as much as you will enjoy the experience of dining with them.
This website for people living in Beijing is a treasure chest of useful and up-to-date information. It has the expat magazine "That's Beijing" online, classifieds, directories, a talk forum and tonnes of other stuff. Newcomers to Beijing should check it out at the first available opportunity.
Almost all of my expat friends say that the tree will be the first choice if they want to have some tasty pizza. Also they have a impressive collection of Belgian beers.
43 Bei Sanlitun Nan,Chaoyang district (100 metres West of Sanlitun North Bar street, Yo Yi Youth Hostel, behind Poachers Inn)
Tel: 010 6415 1954
www.treebeijing.com
This is a modern hotel with excellent facilities and tasteful décor. It represents fantastic value for money if booked online (double rooms can be had for as little as £35 per room including breakfast). It is situated in a southern suburb of the city that has interesting bars, restaurants, market stalls and shops frequented by the locals. Some real bargains can be found here. The only drawback is the distance from the centre of Beijing and the fact that taxi drivers don’t know where it is – be sure to pick up the hotel’s card at reception with detailed directions. It is, however, ideal for visiting the nearby Temple of Heaven Park.
Address: TEMPLE OF HEAVEN BEIJING 1 DING AN DONG LI FENGTAI BEIJING, 100075 Tel: +86-10-67626688 Email: rsvn.hithbj@ichotelsgroup.com www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/6c/1/en/hd/pegth
Remarkable modern decor, imaginatively presented dishes and very fine tea.
54, Tayuancun, near East gate of the Workers’ Stadium; Tel; 6468 5903
Offers authentic North Korean food and entertainment. It should. All the staff are state employees and wear the mandatory Kim Il Sung lapel badges.
Near the west gate of Chaoyang Park
Located in Beihai Park, once an imperial garden, the restaurant offers exquisite imperial food of former Qing Dynasty. Waitresses in period garb lead you to the dining room, which is splendid, with high painted ceilings and traditional Chinese art. 200-300 rmb per person.
Beihai Park, near the east gate; Tel: 010 6401 1879
This is the place for mutton hot pot, a traditional northern dish. Expect to pay about 40rmb per head.
No 130 Wangfujing Dajie Street, Dongcheng District; Tel: 86 10 6528 0932; www.donglaishun.com/
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