Beijing Restaurants

There are literally thousands of worthy eateries all over Beijing and most tourists from the West will find prices quite acceptable when compared to other capital cities. Chinese restaurants offer the cheapest fare, with noodles and rice dishes being the cheapest option, while specialities such as Beijing roast duck and abalone/shark fin can be very expensive in the best restaurants.

Local cuisine

The big speciality of Beijing is Beijing roast duck. This delicious dish is one of the main attractions of the city, along with the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, and is a must-eat, although many will not agree with the concept behind the breeding of the ducks.

Numerous cheap restaurants serve Beijing roast duck near the Hepingmen subway stop and at higher prices in the city centre, where you will also find the other main speciality; hotpot. Customers cook the hotpot meat themselves. Every other type of Chinese dish is also available in the city, although dishes may differ greatly from what you would expect at home.

Abalone/shark fin is a delicacy and usually a very expensive dish. Grill-it-yourself barbeque Korean restaurants are also common in Beijing, as are Japanese, American, French, Indian and Italian restaurants. Fast food is represented at the ubiquitous KFC, McDonald's and Pizza Hut.

Where to eat

For the best Beijing roast duck, Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant and Bianyifang Roast Duck Restaurant are the undisputed best for enjoying this dish and serve it in two very different ways. Most luxury hotels will also have a good restaurant, while Sanlitun Pub Street and Chaoyang district offer both Chinese and foreign-style restaurants. Homesick English visitors should try the John Bull Pub near the Jianguomen subway station, while lovers of kebabs can find Lamb kababs (yangrouchuan) all over the city.