China is famed world wide for its cuisine and there must be few countries where it has not become part of the established catering scene. However, not all of the many varieties of Chinese food are available overseas. As the capital of China, Beijing has become the focus for all manner of gourmet foods that you would expect to find in the Chinese provinces. Traditional Beijing cuisine such as roast duck, imperial cuisine and hotpot are still the main items on the menu for most locals. However, as more and more people arrived from the provinces to settle in the capital, other genres of cuisine such as Canton, Sichuan have become a part of what is on offer from Beijing's many caterers. So, now it is possible to find the widest possible range of excellent food ranging from simple dishes to quite exotic ones. In addition, there are many excellent restaurants that serve foreign cuisine. All in all, Beijing is a gourmet's paradise and there are establishments to suit all tastes and all pockets.

Hotpot and imperial cuisine are also typical flavors of Beijing, Other specialist restaurants offer a choice of the eight famous cuisines of China, as well as American, French, Italian, Indian, Korean, Vegetarian restaurants are all easily found. Most restaurants in Beijing generally do not charge service fee. But some high-standard restaurants will charge ten or fifteen percent extra fees for service in the bill.

Beijing Roast Duck

Beijing Duck has the reputation of being the most delicious food Beijing has to offer. Some find it a bit too greasy, but others get hooked after one taste. In any case, a Beijing Duck dinner is usually a fixed item on any Beijing tour itinerary. Eating Beijing Duck is also one of the two things you are absolutely supposed to do while in Beijing. The other one is climbing the Great Wall.

The place that offers the best Beijing Duck is the Quan Ju De Restaurant, which has outlets at Qianmen, Hepingmen and Wangfujing. It was established 130 years ago and, if you count from the time when founder Yang Renquan began his duck business, it is 160 years old.

At Quan Ju De, ducks are immersed in condiments unique to the restaurant and are roasted directly over flames stoked by fruit-tree wood. The best roasted duck is date-red, shining with oil, but with a crisp skin and tender meat.

The chef then cuts the meat into thin slices, each having a piece of skin. Then the meat is served with very thin pancakes, Chinese onions and special sauce. The way to eat it is to coat the thin pancake with sauce, slap on a few pieces of meat and roll up the pancake. Chopsticks are optional: it is much easier just to grab the thing with your bare hands.

Another famous restaurant offering Beijing duck is the Bian Yi Fang (Cheap Restaurant), which opened in 1855, nine years earlier than Quan Ju De. At Bian Yi Fang, roasting is done in an enclosed container fueled with crop stalks.

There are now hundreds of restaurants serving Beijing Duck all over the city. Most of these restaurants offer ducks for 38 Yuan a piece, cheaper than that at the larger places.

Restaurants of Beijing Roast Duck

Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant (Asian Games Village Branch)
Average cost per person: 100 Yuan - 200 Yuan
Location: 1/F to 3/F, Unit A, Tianchuang Shiyuan Dasha, 309, Huizhong Bei Li, Chaoyang District
Hours: 11:00-13:30 16:30-20:00

Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant (Wangfujing Branch)
Average cost per person: 50 Yuan - 150 Yuan
Location: 9, Shuaifuyuan Hutong, Wangfujing Da Jie, Dongcheng District
Hours: 11:00-13:30 16:30-20:00

Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant (Hepingmen Branch)
Average cost per person: 100 Yuan - 150 Yuan
Location: 14, Xi Da Jie, Qianmen, Xuanwu District
Hours: 11:00 - 14:00 17:00 - 21:00

Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant (Qianmen Branch)
Average cost per person: 100 Yuan - 150 Yuan
Location: 32, Qianmen Da Jie
Hours: 11:00 - 14:00 17:00 - 21:00

Da Dong Roast Duck Restaurant
Average cost per person: about 100 Yuan
Location: Bldg. 3, Tuanjie Lake, Chaoyang District
Hours: 11:00 - 22:00

Bianyifang Roast Duck Restaurant (Anhua Branch)
Average cost per person: 50 Yuan - 80 Yuan
Location: 6, Bei Sanhuan Zhong Lu, Chaoyang District
Hours: 11:00-14:00 15:00-21:00

Xiangmanlou Restaurant
Average cost per person: about 50 Yuan
Location: 18, Xinyuan Xi Li Zhong Jie, Chaoyang District
Hours: 11:00 - 16:00 17:00 - 22:30

Duck King Roast Duck Restaurant (Xindadu Hotel Branch)
Average cost per person: 50 Yuan - 100 Yuan
Location: 21, Chegongzhuang Jie, Xicheng District
Hours: 10:00 - 22:00

Imperial Court Food

Imperial Court Food is a style of Chinese food that has its origins in the Imperial Palace. It is based on the foods that were served to the Emperor and his court. Now, it has become a major school of Chinese cooking and there are several places where you can sample this unique flavor. Fang Shan in Beihai Park and Ting Li Guan in the Summer Palace are the best ones. 150 years ago you would never have been able to eat this stuff, so give it a shot. It is a little expensive, however.

Imperial Official Food and Medicinal Food

This first type of food is particular to Beijing. In the past, Beijing officials were all very picky about what type of food they ate. The most famous type of Official food is Tan Family Food, which can be had in the Beijing Hotel. This is the preferred food of the Qing Dynasty (1644 -1911) official Tan Zongling, and was later introduced into restaurants. Another type of food is that which is described in the classic novel Dream of Red Mansions. The author, Cao Xueqin, described a number of dishes in the book and now there are several restaurants which serve this style of dish. The most famous place is the Beijing Grand View Garden Hotel. This hotel is right next to the Beijing's Grand View Garden which is modeled after the garden described in the Dream of Red Mansions. Other restaurants featuring this novel type of food are the Jinglun Hotel and Laijinyuxuan Restaurant in Zhongshan Park.

There are hundreds of dishes that are medicated with such choice tonic materials as ginseng, deer musk, bear's paw, Chinese wolf berry and soft-shelled turtle, the cream of the chop of Chinese medicine. The 'Yang Sheng Zhai' Restaurant of Xiyuan Hotel has the best reputation among such food. Although it has been changed to Sichuan Restaurant, it still offers medicinal foods.

Restaurants of Imperial Court Food

Li Jia Cai Restaurant
Located in a courtyard of Yangfang hutong in Beijing, there is a special restaurant named Li Jia Cai Restaurant (Li Family Restaurant) which is devoted into Imperial Court Food. The initiator of Li Jia Cai is Li Shanlin, a retired professor on mathematics, who also has great interest in cooking genuine Beijing Imperial Court Food. The particular aspects of the restaurant lies on: firstly there is no employee in the restaurant, they whole Li family is both the owner and employee of the restaurant; secondly, the dinner is set-menu by the Li family, that's to say, guest can not order the dishes but only to wait for whatever they serve; thirdly, one banquet daily, if you want to have a dinner here, you should make a reservation; lastly there is no chemic material in dishes, even the flavorings are all natural.This restaurant welcomed many celebrities including the former president of America - Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, the former premier of Britain - John Major and also Chinese superstar - Jacky Chan, etc. Professor Li can talk in English with you on Chinese culture during your enjoying the dainties. Good wine needs no bush. If you are a real gourmand, try to find the restaurant hidden in Beijing hutong.
Address: 11, Yangfang hutong, Denei Dajie

Fangshan Restaurant
Average cost per person: 200 Yuan - 300 Yuan
Location: 1, Wenjin Jie, inside Beihai Park
Hours: 11:00-13:30 17:00-19:30

Tan Family Restaurant Beijing Hotel (Tan Jia Cai)
Average cost per person: 200 Yuan - 800 Yuan
Location: 7/F, Unit C, Beijing Hotel, 33, Dong Changan Jie, Dongcheng District
Hours: 11:30 - 14:00 17:30 - 21:30

Guoyao Xiaoju
Average cost per person: 50 Yuan - 200 Yuan
Location: 58, Jiaodaokou Bei Santiao, Dongcheng District
Hours: 09:00 - 22:00

Haitang Ju
Average cost per person: 100 Yuan - 300 Yuan
Location: 32, Xi Houheyan Jie, Xuanwumen, Xuanwu District
Hours: 10:00 - 22:00

Other Restaurants

Snack Streets
Local snack is a special feature of Beijing. Tourists can taste not only the local Beijing flavors, but also the snacks from other regions as well. Snack-stalls in the night markets are always popular and busy destinations.

Donghuamen Snack Night Market
By following the wafting aroma of cooking, tourists can find the most natural and simple flavors of Old Beijing in the street. Located at the northern entrance of Wangfujing Street, Donghuamen Night Market is the most famous snack streets in Beijing, popular with both locals, and tourists as well. After its pedestrianization, Donghuamen Snack Night Market became the No. 1 snack street in Beijing. When the night falls, the assortment of tasty snacks from both northern and southern China, plus the bustling crowds and rhythmical huckstering is another worthy attraction in Beijing.

Gui Street
Most restaurants in the street are open twenty-four seven. If you are a night owl, Gui Street in Dongzhi Gate, is a good place to spend the boundless night. From 2 am is usually the busiest time on this street, with the specialty being Spicy Lobster. Inside the ancient courtyard houses, under the grapevines, sitting in the old chairs and appreciating the early photos are all agreeable, but most important are the succulent dishes.

Wangfujing Snack Street
A dazzling array of snacks from all corners of China can be found here. The majority of diners here are foreign, and the cost is not low. However, if you would like to have a comfortable and relaxing meal, Xin Dong An Restaurant comes highly recommended.

Longfusi Snack Street
This street also famed for its Beijing local snacks. Bai Kui Lao Hao, a Muslim restaurant, is recommended for the authentic Beijing snacks.

Following are some featured restaurants we recommend.

Tan Gen Yuan Restaurant (a cultural restaurant)
Location: A1, Dongmenwai, Ditan Park
Hours: 10: 30 - 14:00 17:00 - 22:30

Sha Guo Ju
Average cost per person: 30 Yuan - 60 Yuan
Location: 60 Xisi Nan Da Jie, Xicheng District
Hours: 11:30 - 13:30 17:00 - 20:00

Da Wan Cha Restaurant
Average cost per person: about 50 Yuan
Location: 3F Bldg. 3 Zhengyang Market, Qianmen Xi Jie, Chongwen District
Hours: 9:00 - 22:00

You Yi Shun Restaurant
Average cost per person: about 50 Yuan
Location: 28 Huangsi Jie, Desheng Men, Xicheng District
Hours: 10:30 - 22:00

Tan homely Food
Location: 33, Dong Chang' an Jie (Beijing Fandian)
Hours: 11:30 - 14:00 17:30 - 21:30

Lvrou Houshao Wang (Donkey Meat and Baked Wheaten Cake)
Average cost per person: 10 Yuan - 20 Yuan
Location: 90, Huguosi Jie, Xicheng District

Yi Wan Ju Noodles (noodles with chopped meat in fried bean sauce)
Average cost per person: about 30 Yuan
Location: 22, Pufang Lu, Fangzhuang, Fengtai District
Location: Bldg. 5, 4th Section, Anhui Bei Li, Asian Games Village, Chaoyang District
Hours: 11:00 - 22:00