A Culinary Journey Through Beijing
Welcome to Beijing! This is not just an itinerary, but an invitation to a culinary adventure. Prepare your taste buds as we journey through this city's history and flavors, from imperial feasts to hutong street food, embarking on a unique exploration.
International Visitor's "Chinese Food Starter Guide"
These globally renowned "food ambassadors" are excellent starting points for your taste adventure. Experiencing their most authentic versions in Beijing will be an entirely new experience.
Kung Pao Chicken
A brilliant combination of chicken, peanuts, and chili. The authentic "fiery-sweet lychee flavor" has more depth than the sweet and sour versions commonly found overseas—spicy yet mellow with a lingering aftertaste.
Sweet & Sour Pork
A globally famous Chinese dish. Beijing's version emphasizes thin, crispy batter and balanced sweet and sour flavors. The texture is crispy outside and tender inside, appetizing and satisfying—far from simply being overly sweet.
Dumplings
The most important staple and festive food in northern China. From pork and cabbage to three-delicacy fillings, freshly made dumplings dipped in vinegar and garlic paste are the quintessential northern comfort food.
Spring Rolls
As a banquet appetizer or snack, thin crispy wrappers filled with delicious fillings, fried to golden crispness, are a widely popular safe choice.
Mapo Tofu
The soul of Sichuan cuisine. The "numbing" of Sichuan peppercorns and "spicy" of chili peppers intertwine on silky tofu, creating rich layers of flavor and a perfect rice companion.
Peking Duck
The ultimate calling card of Beijing cuisine. Date-red crispy duck skin, tender juicy duck meat, served with thin pancakes, sweet sauce, and spring onions—every bite is a feast for the senses.
Day One: Beijing's Best — Classic and Unforgettable
Experience Beijing's culinary icons with both visual and taste sensations.
Morning: Imperial Grandeur
Walk from Tiananmen Square into the Forbidden City, following the central axis to experience the magnificence of the imperial capital, setting a cultural foundation for the upcoming "imperial-level" lunch.
Lunch: The Peking Duck Ceremony
This is not just a meal, but a performance. Savor the crispiness of duck skin, the richness of the pancake rolls, and experience the complete "ritual" of Peking duck.
Beijing's duck restaurants each have their unique charm. This chart compares three top restaurants on "tradition" versus "innovation" dimensions to help you make your choice.
Siji Minfu (Forbidden City Branch): A value-for-money choice beloved by locals, with an excellent location and consistent quality.
Quanjude (Hepingmen Branch): A century-old brand synonymous with roast duck, offering the most traditional "hung oven" fruit wood aroma.
Da Dong (Jinbaohui Branch): A Michelin-starred restaurant, known for its "crispy not greasy" healthy concept and artistic creative dishes.
Afternoon: Royal Garden Respite
Stroll through Beihai Park, enjoying moments of tranquility amid the White Pagoda and scenic lakes and mountains, digesting the sumptuous lunch.
Dinner: The Comforting Embrace of Dumplings
Enjoy freshly made steaming hot dumplings, paired with aged vinegar and garlic, experiencing the most authentic and comforting northern homestyle flavors.
Day Two: Heartbeat of the Hutongs — Authentic Snacks and Local Life
Dive into Beijing's capillaries, explore generations-old street food, and resonate with the rhythms of old Beijing life.
Morning: Begin with a Jianbing Guozi
Start your day like a local with a hot, fresh jianbing (savory crepe) at the entrance of a Shichahai hutong, experiencing that street food atmosphere.
Lunch: A Soul-Stirring Bowl of Zhajiangmian
Sample Beijing's most representative noodle dish. Rich bean sauce, chewy noodles, paired with seven or eight refreshing vegetable toppings—a feast for the senses.
Afternoon: Explore a Champions' Cradle
Visit the Shichahai Sports School to observe the daily training of future stars in martial arts, table tennis, and more. This is a unique cultural experience that requires advance planning and respect for school regulations.
Evening: Nanluoguxiang Snack Crawl
Embark on a "street food sweep": tangy candied haws, creamy imperial yogurt, soft glutinous rice "Donkey Roll," and the palate-challenging douzhir (fermented mung bean milk) await your taste test.
Dinner: Gather Around for Copper Pot Hot Pot
Swish a tender slice of lamb through the clear broth, dip it in rich sesame sauce, and experience old Beijing's most comforting winter warmth.
Day Three: Imperial Style — Court Cuisine and Refined Culture
Follow in the footsteps of emperors, taste the lingering flavors of imperial court cuisine, and experience the elegance and sophistication of traditional Chinese culture.
Morning: Temple of Heaven's Sanctity and Serenity
Tour the site where emperors worshipped heaven, admire the unparalleled architectural beauty of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, and don't miss trying the ice cream modeled after it.
Lunch: Imperial Feast at the Summer Palace
Dine at "Tingli Guan" inside the Summer Palace, savoring "Fangshan" cuisine recreated from Qing Dynasty imperial archives—experience a royal feast that transcends time.
Afternoon to Evening: Beijing Flavor at Lao She Teahouse
Sip a cup of jasmine tea, taste imperial pastries, then enjoy a spectacular performance combining Beijing opera, acrobatics, and cross-talk comedy for an immersive experience of old Beijing folk culture. Advance booking is essential.
Your Practical Guide to Beijing
Some practical information to ensure your journey goes smoothly.
DiDi: China's Uber equivalent, can be linked to international credit cards.
Alipay/WeChat Pay: Convenient for QR code payments at small shops.
Translation App: Google Translate recommended, download the offline Chinese package in advance.
VPN: Prepare in advance if you need to use Google, Instagram, and similar services.
Beijing Subway: The most efficient and economical way to travel. Now fully supports direct entry/exit with international bank cards (Visa/Mastercard with PayWave/PayPass functionality), extremely convenient!
DiDi: The best choice when the subway doesn't go directly to your destination. It's advisable to screenshot the Chinese name of your destination to show the driver.
Airports: Both Capital Airport (PEK) and the newly built Daxing Airport (PKX) have convenient rail connections to the city center.
Recommended areas: Wangfujing (modern commercial center) or Qianmen (historical feel, near hutongs).
- Luxury: The Peninsula Beijing, Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing Beijing
- Historical Feel: Beijing Hotel NUO
- Value for Money: Holiday Inn Express Beijing Qianmen
- Unique Experience: Cours et Pavillons (Qianmen), Beijing Courtyard Hotel Houhai
| English | Pinyin | Chinese |
|---|---|---|
| Hello, I called a DiDi. | Nǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào le Dīdi. | 你好，我叫了滴滴。 |
| Please go to this address. | Qǐng qù zhège dìzhǐ. | 请去这个地址。 |
| Please stop here. | Qǐng zài zhèlǐ tíngchē. | 请在这里停车。 |
| Thank you, driver. | Xièxie, shīfu. | 谢谢，师傅。 |