Hello, friends and curious creatures. Welcome to the first log of my life in China. Honestly, I’m just as surprised as you are that this newsletter isn’t about fashion (don’t worry, it’s coming).
I’ve been living like a nomad for the past month—crashing at my sister’s place and hopping between hotels. But today, I’m finally settled into my newly found apartment. As I sit here scrolling through my camera roll, I realize I was quietly added to my brother-in-law’s secret “good list”—an exclusive tour of the city where he, my sister, and I were all born.
Let’s just say… I was very well-fed during those two weeks in Beijing.
A little background story before we begin. This opinion definitely doesn’t represent everyone, but for the longest time, Beijing was known as a bit of a food desert. Each province offers its own distinct flavors and eating habits—it’s wildly competitive. Compared to other famous cuisines like Sichuan or Cantonese, Beijing definitely doesn’t stand out in the culinary spotlight. Of course, this perspective is coming from a fashion girl who can barely cook a proper meal herself. But anyway, let’s dive into my recommendations.
Lady Chai (柴式风味斋）
Address: East Side, 1st Floor, Building 21, Ganjia Kou Community, Haidian District, Beijing, China (near Sanlihe Road)
“It is a restaurant that pays tribute to the timeless flavors and traditions of old Beijing. Inspired by the firewood-style cooking (“Chai Shi”) that was once a part of everyday life in the city’s historic hutongs, the restaurant recreates the warm, nostalgic atmosphere of Beijing’s courtyard homes.”
I fell in love with the noodles and stewed beef on my last trip, which was at a modern restaurant tucked inside a mall. But this time, they took me to the original traditional spot—a place that looks more like a cafeteria. If you want the beef, you have to get in line and tell them how much you want by weight. Then, the rest of your order is done through a QR code on your phone—the new, modern way.
I definitely recommend trying it because of how simple yet flavorful the food is—local, authentic, and refreshingly non-snobby. Plus, the meat is halal, so if you want a truly Beijing experience without any weird flavors or ingredients, this is the place to go.
304 Cake Factory (三0四蛋糕坊）
Address: Aerospace Changlong Shopping Mall, No. 22 Fucheng Road, Haidian District, Beijing, China
This cake shop is in the same district of the last restaurant. It is a beloved Beijing bakery that originally started inside the 304 Military Hospital. It became famous for its handmade chocolate pies—crispy outside, creamy inside—and other nostalgic treats like the Magnum Roll and Napoleon pastry. Known for affordable prices and long queues, Again, what I love about it is it following for its simple, honest flavors and old-school baking style after many years.
Fu Man Yuan (福满园)
Address: No. 10 Xinyuan South Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China
This is a well‑known Beijing restaurant serving authentic, traditional home‑style Beijing cuisine since 1994. A regular in the MICHELIN Guide, it’s praised for its honest flavors, fresh ingredients, and reasonable prices.
Also, this location is right next to the famous Liangma River, where you can enjoy a lovely after-dinner walk. If you follow the path, it leads to the open-air mall Solana, which opened in 2008. It accompanied my childhood and continues to be a go-to spot, its serene lakeside setting—perfect for killing some time and unwinding.
Slow Boat (悠航麦子店）
Address: 1st Floor, Huakang Business Building, No. 78 Maizidian Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China
It’s in the same neighborhood as the last restaurant. If you’re not in the mood for Chinese food that night, this is a cool burger spot to check out. I love it for its wide range of interesting burger flavors—like one with pineapple, for example. Maybe that sounds just as terrifying as pineapple on pizza… but trust me, it works.
This is a popular craft brewery and pub brand from Beijing known for its relaxed, friendly atmosphere and high-quality, flavorful beers. Founded with the idea of bringing authentic craft beer culture to China, Slow Boat offers a variety of well-crafted brews—from hoppy IPAs to smooth stouts—that appeal to both beer enthusiasts and casual drinkers.
Pangmei Noodle(胖妹面庄)
Address: No. 22, Ground Floor, Aranya Phase 6, Wenchuang Creative Block, Changli County, Qinhuangdao, Hebei Province, China
It is a popular restaurant chain specializing in authentic traditional Beijing home-style cuisine. Known for its genuine flavors and affordable prices, Pangmei has quickly built a loyal customer base across Beijing and nearby areas.
I’ve only been to this restaurant twice, and both times at different locations. The one I visited this time is hidden inside a gated spiritual community, decorated with an ocean city theme. If you’re looking for a quick, satisfying lunch, you have to try the noodles here.
Pangmei in Chinese means “chubby girl” in a cute, affectionate way. (Don’t worry—political correctness doesn’t really apply here, and it’s not considered offensive in Mandarin.)
Jiafeng Xiangcai Restaurant (嘉丰湘菜馆)
Address: No. 20‑3, Area 2, Fangqunyuan, Qunxing Road, Fangzhuang, Fengtai District, Beijing
A well-established Hunan cuisine (湘菜) restaurant located in Fengtai District, Beijing. Jiafeng Xiangcai offers hearty, flavor-packed dishes typical of Hunan’s bold culinary tradition, known for its spicy, aromatic sauces.
This was one of the most memorable restaurants from my visit. I loved the handwritten daily specials—it feels casual and welcoming. It’s the kind of place that works perfectly for group dinners, family meals, casual dining, or even late-night orders. You can already tell my style is all about that homie local vibe—no pretty fancy spots or terrible food joints for me!
Snacks: Dehua Original Flavor Yogurt Ice Cream (德华原味酸奶雪糕)
Address of convenient Store: Xiaomi Comprehensive Supermarket
It is a classic frozen dessert produced by Yingkou Dehua Food Co., Ltd. I found this particular ice cream in a random convenience store behind the famous, ever-trendy Sanlitun district.
I LOVE its tangy, sour flavor—so different from the usual creamy styles (you can imagine how many ice cream options there are here). This little convenience store happens to be right next to a buyer shop called Anchoret if you’re as fashion-minded as I am...
“The name “Sanlitun” means “Three Li Village,” referencing its original distance of about three li (roughly 1.5 km) from Beijing’s old city center. Originally a small village, it became Beijing’s diplomatic quarter from the 1950s, hosting many foreign embassies and expatriates. Over time, especially since China’s reform and opening up, Sanlitun evolved into a major fashion, cultural, and entertainment hub.”
I deleted two restaurants from my notes—places where I took nice pictures but felt the food overpriced and underwhelming. They weren’t even worth the energy to even write a “don’t go” about.Pop Land (泡泡玛特城市乐园）
Address: No. 1 Chaoyang Park South Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing
(About 110 meters southwest from Exit D of Zaoying Subway Station)
If you know what Pop Mart is, great. If not, look it up—it’s an intriguing business model. Anyway, I went with friends who have kids, of course… Honestly, there wasn’t much happening except for the characters they created for pictures, all designed to get you to spend more and more money while you’re inside. I was just along for the ride.
While waiting for the kids to have fun, we checked out their restaurant on the third floor of the castle’s main building. I ordered a kids’ meal, which you can see in the picture below. They did a solid job with the spaghetti and fries—definitely recommend if you want a quick bite after realizing you might never want kids yourself.
Burberry Cafe Pop-up
Address: No. 269 Wangfujing Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China
Well, that day it was 37 degrees in Beijing. I was showing my mom around before my sister’s wedding, so I took her to the nearest and luxuriest mall—Wangfujing Central, just steps from the Forbidden City. She wanted to sit down and snap a million pictures at the Burberry café pop-up on the first floor. I felt a bit guilty taking up space without ordering anything, so I got a latte—I was impressed to see the Equestrian Knight logo flawlessly created on top.
I have to admit, the indoor newspaper stand wall didn’t really catch my eye. But who am I to judge? You do you, Daniel Lee. I’m always intrigued to see how luxury brands allocate their budgets—pop-up cafés and café trucks seem to be popular options. Somehow, they still managed to capture my attention and made me curious about how the brand sets itself apart from the rest.
That latte tasted great. At least they had an excellent barista, and most importantly, no one here burns the milk! (You know how much I care)
That’s what I managed to snap pictures of—lots of eating out. Honestly, I’ve started to miss my own crappy cooking! I hope this little guide was helpful. I’m definitely not the most reliable restaurant critic; I’ll just say if something tastes fantastic, that’s all you need to know.
Talk soon!