Beijing Food and Dining Tips & FAQs

There in Western countries, you must have some ideas of the sorts of Chinese food, because of the popularity of Chinese restaurants. Certainly, many of you have mastered the use of chopsticks. However, the experience of eating at even the least Americanized Chinese restaurants scarcely resembles the experience of enjoying a dinner in a Beijing local restaurant.

Dining Differences

1. If you are first time to Beijing and China, you should figure out how food works here.

Unlike in western countries, people do not order individually, but you always order for the table and share. The food is placed in the center and you help yourself. The portion given is always very large.

2. Every part of a plant or animal is used when cooking, and this has given rise to a remarkable diversity in the regional cuisine, but to Westerns it can be overwhelming – surprising, fantastic, delicious, horrifying or disgusting but above all, different.

Travelers are often surprised that it is not like the Chinese take-away in their home town.

How is the Peking Roast Duck?

It is said that there are two things that you must do when visiting Beijing: one to enjoy the roast duck; and the other to hike the Great Wall.

Most People who come to Beijing love to sample Peking duck. This duck is traditionally served with steamed pancakes, sliced cucumber, scallions and a special duck sauce. Beijing is teaming with fantastic restaurants that serve many diverse dishes. Yummy!

There are literally dozens of restaurants that serve this famous dish, but perhaps the best known are Quanjude and Dadong. Besides, there are other popular restaurants for Peking Roast Duck.

Is it safe to eat the street food?

Don't be afraid of the street food!

In Beijing, it is amongst the best around the world, and you’d be missing out on a crucial part of the city’s cultural life if you choose to eat exclusively in the top class restaurants only.

There are over 250 types of traditional snack foods, freshly prepared and served fast. Many of them are made of glutinous rice, soy beans and fried materials. Just Yummy! Read to get the famous Beijing snacks and snack streets.