BJ-NT02: Beijing Night Tour for Foodies

Beijing abounds in delicious food, either originated locally or from all over the county. However, as a newcomer, you may have no idea where to taste them and what exactly to try. Join us to have a food tour in Beijing. Because the food streets are more prosperous at night, we will make the tour at night.

 These are guided tours by eco-friendly public transport. If you need a private car, feel free to contact our travel consultants to arrange it for you.

Belowwe recommend some most popular food streets in Beijing. You may choose one accordingto your preference. On the day of travel, our guide will come to pick you up atthe agreed time and address and then escort you there by public transport. Ifyou prefer another food street in Beijing, please inform our travel consultantsin advance. Upon arrival, he or she will introduce the food to you in detailand recommend some per your preference.

1. Qianmen Food Street

This ancient street is right to the south of the Tian’anmen Square on the axis of Beijing City. Many time-honored stores and restaurants gather here, include Quanjude Roast Duck, Duyichu Shaomai, Liubiju Pickles, and Daoxiangcun Dessert. Buildings there are in traditional Chinese style. Taking a walk along the street, you will feel like walking back to ancient times. 

How to Get There: Take subway line 7 or line 8 to Zhushikou, get out from Exit A and the street will be to your north; if by subway line 8, the guide may also lead you to get off at Qianmen Station and the street will be to your south; subway line 2 can also send you to Qianmen Station. 

2. Wangfujing Snack Street

Located to the south of Haoyou Emporium on Wangfujing Street, it gathers over 100 restaurants and booths, providing not only local snacks, but also those from all over China. The buildings here are in traditional Chinese style, which are worth your attention, too. 

How to Get There: Take subway line 1 or line 8 to Wangfujing, get out from Exit E3 and the entrance to the snack street will be to your west. 

3. Nanluoguxiang Food Street

Nanluoguxiang (South Gong and Drum Lane) is a 787-meter (861-yard) long Hutong between East Gulou Avenue and East Di’anmen Avenue. With a history of about 740 years, it is one of the oldest blocks in the city. In addition to folk residences, many cafes, bars, and restaurants are lined up on the two sides, making it a famous food street. The most recommended food there include cheese cake, mustard roasted chicken wing, herbal jelly, braised pork with rice, etc. 

How to Get There: Take subway line 6 or line 8 to Nanluo Guxiang, take the Exit E and the main entrance to the street will be to your north.

4. Huguosi Hutong Snack Street

The snack street originated from the temple fair held around the Huguosi Temple, so it is famous for some traditional Beijing snacks, like yellow pea cake, fermented mung bean juice, and traditional Beijing yoghurt. Among the many restaurants there, Huguosi Xiaochi Restaurant at No.93, Huguosi Street is very welcomed, for it gathers almost all the snacks one can find along the street. 

How to Get There: Take subway line 4 or line 6 to Ping’anli, use the Exit B and you will find the street once getting out. 

5. Guijie Street

Among the 150 or so stores on the 1-km-long street inside Dongzhimen, about 90% of them are restaurants. The specialties there include spicy lobster, roasted fish, and sautéed bullfrog in chili sauce. Generally, the restaurants at the two ends of the street are more popular than those in the middle.  

How to Get There: Take subway line 4 to Beixinqiao and find the street to the east; or take subway line 2，line 13 or Airport Express Line to Dongzhimen, then locate the street to the west. 

6. Niujie Muslim Snack Street

Niujie is a settlement of Muslim in Beijing, so the street features Muslim food, like those made with beef and mutton, glutinous rice and date cake, and cream fried cake. The buildings there have obvious Muslim style, with green as the main color. Among them, the Niujie Mosque is the representative, which is the largest and oldest mosque in Beijing. 

How to Get There: Take subway line 19 to Niujie and find the region to your south. 

1. Beijing Roast Duck 

As a world-famous Beijing cuisine, the roast duck used to be the imperial food. The duck is roasted by the charcoal fire so the meat is fat but not greasy, and crisp outside and soft inside. The most famous Peking duck restaurants should be Quanjude and Bianyifang.

2. Mutton Hot Pot 

Beijing Mutton Hot Pot is also a representative local food which can date back to the Yuan Dynasty (1271 - 1368). The copper pot is set over the coal. Foodies can boil whatever they like inside on their own. The most common and delicious is the thin sliced mutton. After being instant-boiled in the light soup for a while, eat the mutton with the special dipping sauce. 

3. Fermented Mung Bean Juice

This is actually the fermented juice left from making green bean starch. Although very ordinary looking, it can nourish the stomach, clear heat and detoxify your body, thus it plays an important role in Beijingers' daily life. They usually have it with another crispy snack called Fried Ring. The juice is light celadon in color and tastes a little bit sour, which is not very appealing to first-time diners, but you will get addicted to it after getting used to the taste. Fermented Mung Bean Juice has more than 300 years of history. In the Qing Dynasty (1636 - 1912), it was a popular drink for the imperial court. 

4. Cream Fried Cake

The Cream Fried Cakes are small dumpling balls made of flour, egg, vanilla powder, cream and sugar. They are golden brown and crispy outside and meltingly tender inside, with rich flavors, nutritious and easy to digest, thus making them very popular among Beijing folks.

5. Yellow Pea Cake

Yellow Pea Cake is a kind of seasonal snack in spring-time. It is famous because Empress Dowager Cixi (1835 - 1908) was very fond of it. Made of fine peas, it is light yellow in color with an exquisite and sweet taste. Melting in the mouth, it is really cool and refreshing.

6. Beef Wrapped in Sesame Seed Bun

This is an open bun stuffed with hearty braised beef. The sesame seed bun is usually freshly baked and very crispy, full of sesame flavor, while the beef is simmered for hours with secret sauce, soft and juicy. 

Other Beijing Specialties to Try: Fried Liver, Glutinous Rice Roll with Sweet Bean Flour, Cooked Beef or Sheep Tripe, Wheaten Cake Boiled in Meat Broth, Fried Ring, Steamed Rice Cakes, Fried Sugar Cake, Seasoned Millet Porridge, Fried Chop Rice Cake, Baked Wheaten Cake, Beijing Traditional Yogurt, Spring Roll…

 See more: 15 Must-eat Beijing Foods – Local Beginners’ Picks