Beijing's six best bar streets

China's vibrant metropolitan capital Beijing offers a wide range of entertainment, including bar streets which are popular among locals, expats and tourists.

Here, I have listed for you the six best bar streets in the capital city:

Sanlitun Bar Street 三里屯酒吧街
The famous Sanlitun Bar Street, 260 meters in length, lies in Sanlitun Village, a fashion and leisure center in Beijing's Chaoyang District. The bar street, which came into being in 1995, is known as the origin of Beijing's bar culture. It's especially popular among expats and young people for its trendy bars with global flavors. It's usually considered the symbol of the capital city's glamorous and vibrant nightlife.

Shichahai Bar Street 什刹海酒吧街

Shichahai Bar Street, formed in 2004, is an elegant retreat from the day located in Beijing's Xicheng District. In contrast to Sanlitun, it offers a sense of tranquility amidst its picturesque environment. Fashion blends with tradition in this historical scenic area, famous for its water landscape and exquisite courtyards. Plenty of bars and restaurants line the shores of the lake.

Super Bar Street 星吧路酒吧街

Also shaped in 2004, the Super Bar Street is located in the Lufthansa Business Area of Bejing's Chaoyang District. It's known as a bar street where visitors can frequently spot super stars. Some of its more than 40 bars are actually owned by Chinese celebrities. Guests can enjoy live performances from underground bands here, while admiring the tranquil scenery of Jinghu Lake outside the window. The bar street, situated in the vicinity of the Third Diplomatic Area, is very popular among embassy staff as well as office employees and those in show business.

Nanluoguxiang Bar Street 南锣鼓巷酒吧街

Formed in 2003, Nanluoguxiang Bar Street is an amazingly attractive bar alley situated in Beijing's Dongcheng District. The bar street is well-known for its intact and well-preserved courtyard houses with brick walls and traditional decorations. It's probably the quietest one in the capital city -- compared to the other five, that is. Generally speaking, prices are doable and various snacks are offered. It's quite the experience to get this close to traditional Beijing life here. Visitors can also tour the numerous boutique shops lining both sides of the alley.

Dashanzi Bar Street 大山子酒吧街

One after another, bars have sprouted across Chaoyang's Dasanzi Art Zone, or the 798 Art Zone, eventually forming a bar street. It's a must-go for tourists who love art, gourmet and, of course, bar culture.



Solana Bar Street 蓝色港湾酒吧街

Located in the SOLANA Lifestyle Shopping Park of Beijing's Chaoyang District, Solana Bar Street is known for its European-style buildings along the street, as well as its spectacular outlook.

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What to eat in Beijing ?

With the exception of Beijing’s best-known culinary export, Peking Duck, most of the city’s most famous dishes have been adopted from surrounding areas; Hebei, Shandong, Inner Mongolia, and Xinjiang. Regardless of their origin, all of the following dishes are now fully ingrained in Beijing life and can be sampled at restaurants throughout the city.

Beijing Roast Duck
Beijing roast duck or Peking Duck (北京烤鸭 běijīng kǎoyā /bay-jing kaow-yaa/) is the epitome of Beijing cuisine and if you had to choose just one dish to try whilst in the capital, this would be it. The dish is mostly esteemed for the thin, crispy skin, with authentic versions of the dish serving mostly skin and little meat. Whilst sauces and accompaniments will vary between restaurants (the most common being scallion and cucumber) it is difficult to go wrong with roast duck in Beijing.
A lot of restaurants offering this dish will carve the duck beside your table. If you eat at one of Beijing’s more famous duck restaurants it will also be accompanied by a short demonstration on the correct way to assemble a Peking Duck wrap using chopsticks. Whilst this may take some time to master, rest assured that the wraps don't need to be well constructed to be delicious.
A local trick, that comes highly recommended, is to dip the crispiest pieces of skin in sugar before eating.
Recommendation: Da Dong Duck Restaurant (大董烤鸭)
Address: F1-F2, Nanxincang Business Building, 22 Dongsitiao Jia, Dongcheng District 东城区东四十条甲22号南新仓商务大厦1-2楼
Price: CNY198 for a whole duck (will feed three/four)

Jiaozi — Chinese Dumplings
There is a lot of myth and mystery surrounding the history of Jiaozi (饺子 jiǎozi /jyaow-dzuh/) and the dish has long been a part of Chinese folk tradition. Whilst they are popular throughout Asia, a plate of Jiaozi with a soy sauce, vinegar and chilli dip is synonymous with Northern Chinese cuisine.
Traditional recipes contain minced pork, ginger and leek, however you can find restaurants that offer all types of different meat and vegetable fillings.
Jiaozi is another dish that can be found anywhere across Beijing and whilst there are a number of better-known dumpling restaurants and chains, some of the tastiest dumplings (and most interesting experiences) can be found in smaller, less conspicuous family eateries where dumplings are the only thing on the menu. At these restaurants you can often sit and watch the next batch of dumplings being rolled and filled as you eat.
Recommendation: Mr Shi's Dumplings (老石饺子)
Address: 74 Baochao Hutong, Gulou Dong Dajie 东城区鼓楼东大街, 宝钞胡同74号
Price: CNY20–30/plate (15 jiaozi)

Jing Jiang Rou Si — Shredded Pork in Beijing Sauce
Jingjiang rousi (京酱肉丝 jīng jiàng ròu sī /jing-jyang roh-srr/) is another dish incredibly popular with local 'Beijingers' and and unlike many of the cities other popular dishes, it originated in the capital. It's popularity may stem from its simplicity; sliced pork cooked in a sweet bean sauce served with soya bean wraps.
Although it doesn't look like the most appealing meal, once you have tried the first wrap you will understand why it is so widely enjoyed. Jingjiang rousi is a necessary component of any authentic Beijing dining experience.
Recommendation: Jin Ding Xuan Restaurant (金鼎轩)
Address: 77 Hepingli Street, Dongcheng District 北京市东城区和平里西街77号
Price: CNY60/person (for an entire meal)

Gangou Potatoes
The literal translation of this dish ‘dry pot potato slices’ (干沟土豆片 gàn gōu tǔdòu piàn /gan goh too-doh pyen/) offers diners a fairly accurate idea of what to expect. Slices of potato, crispy pork and chillies simmer in an iron pot sat atop an open flame. As you are working your way through the meat and potatoes, the bed of sliced onions that is hidden underneath slowly caramelizes in oil, leaving you with a delicious snack to finish your meal on.
It is a dish best enjoyed during the colder months but is popular with locals all year round.
Recommendation: Any of the rows of restaurants along Ghost Street will serve this dish. It is best enjoyed as part of a larger meal so it is recommended that you choose a restaurant along this street that serves other dishes you are interested in.
Address: Ghost Street (Dongzhimen Nei Dajie, Chaoyang District) 簋街 （东直门内大街）

Tudou Si — Shredded Potato
This dish (土豆丝 tǔdòu sī /too-doh srr/) is another for potato lovers. Thinly shredded potatoes are stir-fried with green peppers and seasoning, and can be served hot or cold. Don't be fooled by the plain look of the potatoes as they are coated in a sweet gloss which give the dish its flavor. Walk down a Beijing street at lunch time you will likely see more than one local adding tudou si to their lunch time bowl of meat and rice. It is a great accompaniment to most meat dishes but equally nice alone as a lunch time snack.
Recommendation: Shijin Yuan (十锦园）
Address: Dongsanli Tunzhong 13, Sanlitun, Chaoyang District 三里屯东二街东三里社区13
Price: CNY15  

Noodles with Soybean Paste — Zhajiang mian
Zhajiang mian (炸酱面 zhá jiàng miàn /jaa-jyang myen/)is very popular when it comes to traditional Beijing cuisine. It has three main ingredients: wide hand-pulled noodles, vegetable pieces, and pork. Vegetables vary seasonally, but there are never less than seven kinds. It is an ideal lunch time snack for visitors short on time as it is usually ready seconds after you order. As an added bonus it is very inexpensive.
Recommendation: Old Beijing Zhajiang Noodle King (老北京炸酱面大王)
Address: 56 Dong Xinglongjie, Dongcheng District 东城区东兴隆街56号
Price: CNY15

Mongolian Hotpot
Mongolian hotpot (蒙古火锅 Ménggǔ huǒguō /mnng-goo hwor-gwor/), a dish that’s history dates back over 1,000 years, is as much about the enjoyment of the cooking as it is the taste. At traditional hotpot restaurants diners will sit around a large pot of boiling soup, in which they cook their own food. Whilst Mongolian hotpot usually involves a large amount of lamb, any number of meats, vegetables and breads are available. These are sliced thin to ensure they cook quickly and evenly.
This northern-Chinese style of hotpot uses a soup which is less spicy and generally less flavored than its southern counterparts; with more emphasis being placed on the ingredients that are cooked rather than what they are cooked in.
Recommendation: Dong Lai Shun (东来顺)
Address: 12 Xinyuanxili Zhongjie, Chaoyang District 朝阳区新源西里中街12号
Price: CNY 90/person (for an entire meal)

Donkey Burger
Originating in the city of Baoding in northern Hebei province, Beijing has adopted the donkey burger (驴肉火烧 lǘròu huǒshāo /lyoo-roh hwor-shaow/) as its own. Restaurants offering this dish serve a number of different donkey meals, however the one to try is the donkey burger. Shredded donkey meat is served in a piping-hot, crunchy bun with a green pepper relish.
This dish isn’t recommended solely for its novelty value. The contrast between the succulent meat, crunchy bun and sweet relish make it incredibly tasty and you are unlikely to stop at one. Look out for a big 驴肉 (donkey meat) sign clearly visible on the front of all restaurants offering this meat.
Recommendation: Wang Pangzi (王胖子)
Address: 80 Gulou Xidajie, Xicheng District 鼓楼西大街80号
Price: CNY 10–12/burger

Rolling Donkey
Unlike the donkey sandwich, this dish doesn't actually contain meat of any kind, let alone donkey. Rolling Donkey (驴打滚 lǘ dǎgǔn /lyoo daa-gwnn/) refers to a kind of traditional Beijing snack, also known in southern China as Rolling Horse (马打滚 mǎ dǎgǔn), with a soft skin made of glutinous rice flour and a red bean stuffing.
Recommendation: Bai Ji Niangao (白记年糕)
Address: 1/F, Niu Jie Qingzhen Supermarket, 1 Shangye Lou, Niu Jie, Xuanwu District 宣武区牛街(北口西侧)1号商业楼牛街清真超市1楼
Price: CNY 5–20

Tuckahoe Pie
Tuckahoe pie (茯苓夹饼 fúlíng jiābǐng /foo-ling jyaa-bing/) is a traditional paper-thin snack in the shape of a full moon, popular in Beijing. It consists of a basic pancake wrapped in sugar, honey and an assortment of nuts.
According to a legend, tuckahoe pie originated in the South Song Dynasty (1127–1279), and the preparation method and the required equipment are well documented. The herb tuckahoe has many medical effects, and therefore it is popular with Chinese people, especially women and the elderly.

Recommendation: Multiple food stalls and shops can be found along Wangfujing Snack Street (王府井小吃街) selling this snack and many other Beijing snack streets. See Related Reading.

Food journey in Beijing

 

Let's have an overview of the traditional beijing food. Beijing, the capital of China where you can taste the most traditional chinese food I think.
I will introduce the famous restaurants there soon!!!! Tell me your opinion about them, maybe my recommendation will be much more precise and useful for you. :)

Chinese New Year Food:Top Lucky Foods and Symbolism

Certain dishes are eaten during the Chinese New Year for their symbolic meaning. Lucky food is served during the 16-day festival season, especially New Year’s Eve, which is believed to bring good luck for the coming year. The auspicious symbolism of these foods is based on their pronunciations or appearance.

Not only do the dishes themselves matter, but also the preparation, and ways of serving and eating mean a lot.  

The most common Chinese New Year foods includes dumplings, fish, spring rolls, and niangao.

Fish 鱼 Yú /yoo/

In Chinese, "fish" sounds like 'surplus'. Chinese people always like to have a surplus at the end of the year, because they think if they have managed to save something at the end of the year, then they can make more in the next year.

Fish can be cooked in various ways such as boiling, steaming, and braising. The most famous Chinese fish dishes include steamed weever, West Lake fish with pickled cabbage and chili, steamed fish in vinegar sauce, and boiled fish with spicy broth.

The Meaning of Various Fish

What fish should be chosen for the New Year feast is based on auspicious homophonics.

Crucian carp: As the first character of ‘crucian carp' (鲫鱼 jìyú \jee-yoo\) sounds like the Chinese word 吉 (jí /jee/ ‘good luck'), eating crucian carp is considered to bring good luck for the next year.

Chinese mud carp: The first part of the Chinese for “mud carp” (鲤鱼 lǐyú /lee-yoo/) is pronounced like the word for gifts (礼 lǐ /lee/). So Chinese people think eating mud carp during the Chinese New Year symbolizes wishing for good fortune.

Catfish:The Chinese for “catfish” (鲶鱼 niányú /nyen-yoo/) sounds like 年余 (nián yú) meaning ‘year surplus'. So eating catfish is a wish for a surplus in the year.

Eating two fish, one on New Year's Eve and one on New Year's Day, (if written in a certain way) sounds like a wish for a surplus year-after-year.

If only one catfish is eaten, eating the upper part of the fish on New Year's Eve and the remainder on the first day of the new year can be spoken with the same homophonic meaning.

How a Fish Is Eaten Matters a Lot

The fish should be the last dish left with some left over, as this has auspicious homophonics for there being surpluses every year. This is practiced north of the Yangtze River, but in other areas the head and tail of the fish shouldn't be eaten until the beginning of the year, which expresses the hope that the year will start and finish with surplus.

There are some rules related to the position of the fish.

The head should be placed toward distinguished guests or elders, representing respect.

Diners can enjoy the fish only after the one who faces the fish head eats first.

The fish shouldn't be moved. The two people who face the head and tail of fish should drink together, as this is considered to have a lucky meaning.

These customs are observed in a lively and light-hearted spirit, full of laughing and banter.

Chinese Dumplings 饺子 Jiǎozi /jyaoww-dzrr/

With a history of more than 1,800 years, dumplings are a classic Chinese food, and a traditional dish eaten on Chinese New Year's Eve, widely popular in China, especially in North China.

Chinese dumplings can be made to look like Chinese silver ingots (which are not bars, but boat-shaped, oval, and turned up at the two ends). Legend has it that the more dumplings you eat during the New Year celebrations, the more money you can make in the New Year.

Dumplings generally consist ofminced meat and finely-chopped vegetables wrapped in a thin and elastic dough skin. Popular fillings are minced pork, diced shrimp, fish, ground chicken, beef, and vegetables. They can be cooked by boiling, steaming, frying or baking.

How they're made:Almost all Chinese people can make dumplings. First they mix the dough, second make the dough into round "wrappers" with a rolling pin, third fill the wrappers with stuffing, fourth pinch the "wrapper" together into the desired shape, and fifth cook them.

Different Dumpling Fillings Have Different Meanings

Chinese don't eat Chinese sauerkraut (酸菜 suāncài /swann-tseye/) dumplings at Spring Festival, because it implies a poor and difficult future. On New Year's Eve it is a tradition to eat dumplings with cabbage and radish, implying that one's skin will become fair and one's mood will become gentle.

How to Make LUCKY Dumplings

When making dumplings there should be a good number of pleats. If you make the junction too flat, it is thought to purport poverty.

Some Chinese put a white threadinside a dumpling, and the one who eats that dumpling is supposed to possess longevity. Sometimes a copper coin is put in a dumpling, and the one who eats it is supposed to become wealthy.

Dumplings should be arranged in lines instead of circles, because circles of dumplings are supposed to mean one's life will go round in circles, never going anywhere.

Lucky Saying for Eating Dumplings

Zhāo cái jìn bǎo (招财进宝/jaoww tseye jin baoww/): 'Bringing in wealth and treasure' — a felicitous wish for making money and amassing a fortune.

Spring Rolls 春卷 Chūnjuǎn /chwnn- jwen/

Spring rolls get their name because they are traditionally eaten during the Spring Festival. It is a dish especially popular in East China: Jiangxi, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Fujian, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, etc.

Spring rolls are a Cantonese dim sum dish of cylindrical-shaped rolls filled with vegetables, meat, or something sweet. Fillings are wrapped in thin dough wrappers, then fried, when the spring rolls are given their golden-yellow color.

Lucky Saying for Eating Spring Rolls

黄金万两 (hwung-jin wan-lyang/): 'A ton of gold' (because fried spring rolls look like gold bars) — a wish for prosperity.

Niángāo — (Glutinous Rice Cake) 年糕 (/nyen-gaoww/)

In Chinese, niangao sounds like it means "'getting higher year-on- by year"'. In Chinese people's minds, this means e higher you are the more prosperous your business isa general improvement in life. The main ingredients of niangao are sticky rice, sugar, chestnuts, Chinese dates, and lotus leaves.

Lucky Saying for Eating Niangao

年年高 (niánnián gāo /nyen-nyen gaoww/): 'Getting higher year-after-year by year', can imply children's height, rise in business success, better grades in study, promotions at work, etc.

Tāngyuán — Sweet Rice Balls (汤圆 /tung-ywen/)

Tangyuan is the main food for China's Lantern Festival, however, in south China, people eat them throughout the Spring Festival. The pronunciation and round shape of tangyuan are associated with reunion and being together. That’s why they are favored by the Chinese during the New Year celebrations.

Lucky Sayings for Eating Tangyuan

团团圆圆 (Tuántuán yuányuán /twann-twann ywen-ywen/ 'group-group round-round'): Happy (family) reunion!

Longevity Noodles 长寿面 (chángshòu miàn /chung-show myen/)

Longevity noodles unsurprisingly symbolize a wish for longevity.  Their length and unsevered preparation are also symbolic of the eater's life.
They are longer than normal noodles and uncut, either fried and served on a plate, or boiled and served in a bowl with their broth.

Good Fortune Fruit

Certain fruits are eaten during the Chinese New Year period, such as tangerines and oranges, and pomeloes. They are selected as they are particularly round and "golden" in color, symbolizing fullness and wealth, but more obviously for the lucky sound they bring when spoken.

Eating and displaying tangerines and orangesis believed to bring good luck and fortune due to their pronunciation, and even writing. The Chinese for orange (and tangerine) is 橙 (chéng /chnng/), which sounds the same as the Chinese for 'success' (成). One of the ways of writing tangerine (桔 jú /jyoo/) contains the Chinese character for luck (吉 jí /jee/).

Eating pomeloes/shaddocks is thought to bring continuous prosperity. The more you eat, the more wealth it will bring, as the traditional saying goes. The Chinese for pomelo (柚 yòu /yo/) sounds like 'to have' (有 yǒu), except for the tone, and exactly like 'again' (又 yòu). 

Popular New Year Food for 2015

As 2015 is the year of the goat, goat dishes will be very popular. A very auspicious goat dish — San Yang Kai Tai — 'three goats bring wealth' (三羊开泰 sān yáng kāi tài /san yang kigh tigh/), is a very good food for Chinese New Year 2015.

San Yang Kai Tai used to be a New Year saying to wish good luck. The Chinese for "goat" (羊) is in a Chinese character for good luck (祥 xiáng /sshyang/). The character 泰 (tài /tigh/) means 'peace' and 'grand'. San Yang Kai Tai is also a 'National Painting', and would make a good Chinese New Year decoration for 2015.

The dish is a goat and radish stew, whose main ingredients are goat meat, cabbage, radish, green onion, ginger, salt, and water.