Beijing is a magnificent place for all sorts of adventures - including culinary ones. With upwards of 60,000 restaurants here, you can try the finest local dishes, as well as eating your way through every region of China.
A street vendor specialising in pork tripe
PHOTOGRAPH: APHOTOSTORY/SHUTTERSTOCK. WITH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM: DAVID EIMER, TRENT HOLDEN
CRESCENT MOON MUSLIM RESTAURANT
16 Dongsi Liutiao Hutong
Mount your culinary camel and traverse the Silk Road sands to this singular Central Asian food fest. Grilled lamb with cumin and chilli, baked flatbreads, hearty stews and noodles are dished up by ethnic-minority Uyghurs from Xinjiang in the far west of China. To drink: Xinjiang tea, dark beer, wine or home-made yoghurt.
DADONG ROAST DUCK
5th ft Jinbao Place, 88 Jinbao Jie
Ultramodern Dadong sells itself on serving Peking duck with all the flavour of the classic imperial dish, but less fat - the leanest roast duck in the capital. For some, it’s overpriced and far from authentic. For others, it’s the best roast duck restaurant in China. There are nine branches in Beijing; this is one of the most memorable, with its swish decor.
WALK THROUGH HISTORY
The capital’s top purveyor of history tours in English, Beijing Postcards hosts walks and talks led by Danish co-founder Lars. ‘Beginner’s Guide to the Forbidden City’ walks start at their gallery on a hutong (old-style lane) in Dashilar (
bjpostcards.com).