A Guide to Eating and Drinking in Beijing

  A Food Stall in Beijing

There’s a Chinese expression that says that ‘anything which walks, swims, crawls or flies with its back to heaven is edible’! Daunting as it may be, the variety of food on offer in Beijing means that even the pickiest of eaters will generally find plenty to enjoy.

‘Beijing huguo’ (a delicious hotpot of lamb and vegetables) is a great introduction to dining out in the city, while ‘Beijing kaoya’ (Beijing duck) is another local dish that’s at its best served in one of the city's restaurants.

The strong ‘baijiu’, or rice wine, is not to everyone's liking and many travelers will probably be on firmer ground with the local beer, Yanjing Pijiu, or a pot of Chrysanthemum tea.

The best way of eating cheaply is to make for any of the street food vendors, food courts and night markets that line the streets. The central Dong’anmen Night Market (to the east of Tian’anmen Square) is arguably the place for travelers on a budget to head.

But in addition to Dong’anmen, a little to the south, the old train station at Qianmen has a food court with an amazing selection of affordable dishes. Nearby, the bustling alleyway of Xiagongfu Jie has some weird and wonderful offerings like snake and grasshopper.

For something a little less intimidating, though, ‘iiaozi’ (pork dumplings) and ‘miantiao’ – a delicious noodle soup – come highly recommended. It may not be quite the best in fine dining, but for next to nothing you can get a few very tasty noodle or rice dishes.

But street food in Beijing is about far more than just price. With the crowds of people, the noise and the incredible smells, it all adds up to one of the most atmospheric dining experiences on offer anywhere in the world.

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