Top 10 Beijing Street Food

Various Snacks in Beijing
Various Snacks in Beijing

Having a long history, Beijing street food win universal praise for their wide varieties, superior materials and careful preparation. They combine the snacks of many ethnic groups such as Han, Hui, Mongol and Manchu, as well as Ming and Qing palace snacks. 

 Tourists can enjoy delicious Beijing snacks while having a taste of the hawking culture along snack streets in this city. The following are the top 10 Beijing steet food guide recommended by TravelChinaGuide:

 

1. Fried-pouch Roll

(dā lián huǒ shāo)
It is a pouch-shaped crispy-skinned roll filled with different fillings, including traditional taste of pork with scallion, pork with leek and pork with fennel, etc. Reasonably priced, it is one of a popular Beijing street food in this city. If you like pan-fried dumplings, you might also love this.
 

2. Cream Fried Cake

(nǎi yóu zhá gāo)
Cream Fried Cakes are made of flour, egg, cream, white sugar and vanilla powder. The dough is made with boiling water, so cakes usually bulge into a ball shape after frying in the oil. They are scooped up when they turn golden in color and finally covered with white sugar. It is a nutritious Beijing snack.
 

3. Glutinous Rice Roll with Sweet Bean Flour

(lǘ dǎ gǔn)
As one of the old special Beijing street food in this city, it is sweet and glutinous with a strong taste of soybean flour. The ingredients include rhubarb rice flour, sweetened bean paste, white sugar, sesame oil, sweet osmanthus and nuts. Literally, the Chinese name means a donkey rolls on the ground, which vividly describes the process of rolling the stuffed rolls in bean flour. 
 

4. Cooked Beef or Sheep Tripe

(bào dǔ)
Cooked Beef or Sheep Tripe is a famous food in Wangfujing Snack Street,  where most of the restaurants offering it are run by Hui people. The preparation of this delicious Beijing traditional street food is very simple: firstly, wash the fresh tripe clean and cut it into strips, then cook them in boiling water. Generally, they are eaten with great relish with an array of dipping sauces including oil, sesame paste, vinegar, capsicol, preserved bean curd soup, caraway and chopped green onion.
 

5. Fried Liver

(chǎo gān)
It has a long history dating back to the Song Dynasty (960 AD - 1279 AD). It is basically made of pork liver and intestines, with a blend of garlic, bamboo shoot, celery, carrot, and potato starch solution. It is called fried liver, but it is really just like a thick soup. This Beijing traditional street food is a good choice to eat for breakfast with the steamed stuffed buns.
 

Popular Street Food
Popular Street Food

6. Yellow Pea Cake

(wān dòu huáng)
As a traditional folk snack, Yellow Pea Cake was introduced to the Qing Court (1644 AD - 1911 AD) and it was famous for being favored by Empress Dowager Cixi. The main ingredient being fine peas, it is a seasonal snack usually offered in spring. The pieces of cake taste very pleasant and smooth, cool and refreshing, and it is so soft that it just melts in the mouth.
 

7. Steamed Pork Dumplings

(shāo mài)
Being different from small steamed buns, the Steamed Pork Dumplings have a unique shape with the top open, like a pomegranate. Traditionally, fillings can be mix of lean meat, radish, Chinese cabbage and fish sauce, but there are also vegetarian ones offered in some restaurants. The steamed dumplings taste delicious especially with vinegar and the minced garlic. 
 

8. Steamed Rice Cakes with Sweet Stuffing

(ài wō wo)
As one of the traditional local snack of Beijing, it is made of sticky rice with fillings of sesame seeds, peach kernels, shelled melon seeds, green plum and sugar. The ball-shaped white cakes taste sticky and soft, and can be found in the city all the year round. 
 

9. Sachima

(shā qí mǎ)
Sachima, also spelled Shaqima, is originated from a kind of Manchu pastry, which is now regarded as one of the most famous local pastries served at all seasons. The making of this snack is simple: add eggs into the flour, roll the pasta into noodles, and then fry them until they turn to a golden color; and finally, mix the cool noodles thoroughly with the syrup of white sugar, honey and cream. It should be solidified before cutting into squares.
 

10. Seasoned Millet Porridge

(miàn chá)
This porridge is usually made of millet or broom corn millet flour, and drizzles with diluted sesame paste and spiced salt. Although the porridge is made with those simple ingredients, it is not easy to cook it well. The cook must be patient and keep stirring the porridge carefully until it thickens. It is a very good breakfast choice in winter.
 
- Last updated on Dec. 28, 2023 by Kate Liu -
Questions & Answers on Top 10 Beijing Street Food
Asked by hkd from PHILIPPINES | Jul. 09, 2019 04:52Reply
Hi I'am staying at Beijing Longzhaoshu Hotel near fenzhongsi subway
what line should i take if i want to experience night market and street food also where is it located?
Answers (1)
Answered by Samuel from USA | Jul. 09, 2019 19:57
00Reply


Maybe you can go to Gui Street where you can enjoy night market and street food. It is located in Dongzhimen area. Take metro Line 10 from Fenzhongsi Station to Songjiazhuang Station, then transfer to metro Line 5 to North Xinqiao Station (Exit B), and walk east of 700m to it. It takes around 40 minutes with CNY5.
Asked by Felicia from PHILIPPINES | Sep. 20, 2015 10:19Reply
Please help with food in Beijing
I don't eat any other meat except for chicken. Please tell me some best chicken or vegeterian dish that I can eat and where can I get those?I dont understand Chinese at all. How will I explain to them? :(
Answers (1)
Answered by Adele from CHINA | Sep. 21, 2015 03:49
21Reply


Stewed Chicken in Pot and Big Plate Chicken in Spicy Sauce are recommended.

There are many great veg. foods worth a try. You can go to the famous veg. resto Godly for a try. It is located at no. 2, East Qianmen, Chongwen District.

Show the Chinese characters to the waiter for chicken food: 请问你们有什么鸡肉特色菜? For veg. food, 我是素食主义者,你们有什么好吃的素菜?
Asked by SAULORTAL | Sep. 28, 2014 13:03Reply
Night food market in Beijing
Hi I will be staying near Dongsi subway station and I would like to go to one of the night food markets and I was wondering if you know anyone close to that area ?
The hotel is near Wangfujing stret
Answers (1)
Answered by Judie from PHILIPPINES | Sep. 28, 2014 22:08
51Reply


Hi, may I know your hotel's detail address?
As I know, there is a night food market named "Donghuamen Delicious Food Market". You can just take a taxi to there.And this place is near to the Wangfujing Street.
Or you can go to Guijie Street near Dongsi subway station. There are lots of delicious food in the market.
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