Beijing roast duck, zhajiangmian and sliced-meat hotpot are good starting points for exploring the city’s food. You don’t need to fit them all into one day: choose something that appeals to you and check the portion size before ordering.

Need to explain a food allergy or dietary restriction? Make a Chinese dietary needs card to show restaurant staff.

From living in Beijing

  • My three must-tries: roast duck, sliced-mutton hotpot (涮羊肉) and zhajiangmian. Douzhi and luzhu are more for local tastes.
  • Roast duck: choose a proper roast-duck restaurant with its own ovens, where the duck is carved fresh, rather than a pre-cooked version in a shopping centre. In my experience, expect roughly CNY 80–150 per person for the duck, or CNY 150–250 with side dishes and soup. Prices vary by restaurant.
  • Fine to skip: douzhi (豆汁, sour and strong-smelling), luzhu (卤煮, a stew with a strong offal flavour), stinky tofu and very salty braised meats. Try a mouthful if you’re curious, and don’t force yourself to finish.
  • Breakfast at a street stall is easier than it looks: soy milk and youtiao, jianbing, baozi with congee, or douhua. Point at what you want, or say 一个煎饼 (one jianbing) or 一碗豆腐脑 (a bowl of tofu pudding). A photo or translation app works too.
  • The hardest part for visitors: QR-code ordering that needs WeChat or Alipay, menus only in Chinese, and big portions, especially for hotpot and home-style dishes. Set up a payment app before you go and translate menus with your phone camera. For two people, two or three dishes is usually enough.
  • Where I like to eat: around Huguosi, the hutongs near Nanluoguxiang, and Niujie. Nanluoguxiang is busy with tourists. Huguosi and Niujie have more local diners and more down-to-earth food.

Beijing dishes to try

The city’s official food guides highlight these familiar dishes and snacks:

  • Beijing kaoya (北京烤鸭): Beijing roast duck, often called Peking duck in English. Check how much duck you’re ordering and whether accompaniments cost extra.
  • Zhajiangmian (炸酱面): noodles with a savoury sauce and other ingredients. A bowl can be a straightforward option for a solo meal.
  • Shuanrou (涮肉): thinly sliced meat cooked in hotpot. Ask how the broth, meat, dipping sauces and other ingredients are priced.
  • Tanghulu (糖葫芦): candied fruit, traditionally made with hawthorn. Try it as a snack between meals.

Recipes and ingredients vary, so ask the restaurant about the version it serves.

Roast duck being carved into slices
Roast duck being carved into slices
Sliced roast duck with pancakes and accompaniments
Sliced roast duck with pancakes and accompaniments
A plate of sliced roast duck served at a restaurant
A plate of sliced roast duck served at a restaurant
Noodles with sauce and small bowls of toppings
Noodles with sauce and small bowls of toppings
A copper hotpot surrounded by sliced meat and vegetables
A copper hotpot surrounded by sliced meat and vegetables
Skewers of candied fruit at a street stall
Skewers of candied fruit at a street stall

More snacks to try

  • Jianbing (煎饼): a savoury pancake to consider for breakfast or a quick meal. Fillings vary, so ask what’s included.
  • Roasted chestnuts (糖炒栗子): a snack to look for in cooler weather.
  • Douzhi (豆汁儿): a fermented mung-bean drink listed in Beijing’s food guides. If you’re curious, try a small serving rather than ordering it for the whole table.

Try a few things that appeal to you; there’s no need to order everything in one visit.

A jianbing pancake cooking on a round griddle
A jianbing pancake cooking on a round griddle
Pieces of a filled savoury pancake
Pieces of a filled savoury pancake
A bowl of roasted chestnuts
A bowl of roasted chestnuts
A bowl of douzhi served with fried snacks
A bowl of douzhi served with fried snacks

Ordering for one or two people

Check whether the menu price is for a bowl, a plate, a whole duck or an amount by weight. Ask if smaller portions are available when you’re unsure how much food to order.

Start with a little and add more if you’re still hungry. For shared dishes, ask how many people a set or portion is meant to feed.

Useful phrases at the table

You can show these to staff or use them with the dish name on the menu:

What you want to ask Chinese
Do you have a small portion? 有小份吗？
Can I order half a duck? 可以点半只烤鸭吗？
Is this enough for two people? 这些够两个人吃吗？
One bowl of noodles, please. 请来一碗面。
Are the pancakes and sauce included? 包含饼和酱吗？

On a menu, 碗 means a bowl, 盘 a plate, 份 a portion and 位 per person. For duck, 半只 means half a duck and 一只 a whole duck. These words help you read the unit; they don’t tell you how large the restaurant’s serving will be. Smaller portions and half-duck orders depend on the restaurant, so ask before ordering.

Tables inside a warmly lit restaurant
Tables inside a warmly lit restaurant
Two diners sharing a restaurant meal
Two diners sharing a restaurant meal

Checking the bill

Ask about extras before ordering. Accompaniments for duck, hotpot ingredients, drinks and table items may be priced separately. The current menu is the best guide to what your meal will cost.

Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay before you go out, and bring a backup way to pay.

Dietary needs and ingredients

Save important dietary requirements in clear written Chinese as well as English. A photo or familiar dish name may not tell you what’s in a sauce or broth.

If you have an allergy or another health-related restriction, ask the restaurant directly about ingredients and preparation. Choose somewhere that can answer your questions clearly.

Steamed dumplings arranged in a bamboo basket
Steamed dumplings arranged in a bamboo basket
Dark tofu pieces topped with chopped chillies and herbs
Dark tofu pieces topped with chopped chillies and herbs

Leave room for a meal nearby

Some meals are worth planning around, but you don’t need to cross the city for every lunch. Look for somewhere near your day’s route and give yourself time to enjoy it.

Sources and updates

Sources checked on 29 Oct 2026.

Check the latest official information for your travel date before making a booking.

Spotted a mistake? Let me know.