KEY2 Pick
Peking Duck • $$$
Da Dong Roast Duck
The restaurant credited with reinventing Peking duck as a lean, crisp-skinned modern classic.
Best for: Special Occasion
Best restaurants in Beijing
Counters, dining rooms and neighbourhood favourites, chosen for the way they actually eat — not for how loudly they market.
KEY2 Pick
Imperial Cuisine • $$$$
Jing Yaa Tang
A Temple Hotel dining room reworking Qing-dynasty court recipes with contemporary technique.
Best for: Date Night
KEY2 Pick
Vegetarian • $$$$
King's Joy
A Michelin-starred vegetarian restaurant near the Lama Temple, drawing on Buddhist cuisine with fine-dining plating.
Best for: Special Occasion
Dumplings • $
Baoyuan Dumpling Restaurant
A no-frills Gulou dumpling house famous for translucent, hand-pleated jiaozi in a dozen fillings.
Best for: Budget Eats
Peking Duck • $$
Bianyifang Roast Duck
A 1416-founded roast duck house using the closed-oven method, older than its rival Quanjude across town.
Best for: Classic
Hot Pot • $$
Ding Ding Xiang
A polished hot pot chain that Beijingers actually rate, known for its sesame-based dipping sauce.
Best for: Group Dinner
Contemporary Chinese • $$$$
Green T. House
A theatrically designed Sanlitun dining room serving artfully plated contemporary Chinese cuisine and tea pairings.
Best for: Special Occasion
Home-Style Chinese • $$
Huajia Yiyuan
A courtyard restaurant near Ditan Park credited with popularizing the now-ubiquitous Beijing home-style tofu dish.
Best for: Casual Dinner
Street Food Court • $
Jiumen Xiaochi
A courtyard food court gathering Beijing's classic street snacks - noodles, offal soup, fried dough - under one roof.
Best for: Budget Eats
Yunnan • $$$
Lost Heaven
A Sanlitun outpost of the Shanghai favourite, serving Yunnan and Southeast Asian-influenced cooking in a moody dining room.
Best for: Date Night
Manchu Cuisine • $$
Najia Xiaoguan
A courtyard restaurant serving Manchu-Qing family recipes handed down through the owner's household.
Best for: Group Dinner
Peking Duck • $$
Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant
The 1864 original that put Peking duck on the map, still carving tableside on Qianmen Street.
Best for: Classic
Peking Duck • $$
Siji Minfu Roast Duck
A locally loved chain serving reliably good duck without the queues or price tag of the big names.
Best for: Casual Dinner
Vegetarian • $$$
Susu Vegetarian
A Gulou-area vegetarian restaurant serving inventive plant-based takes on regional Chinese dishes.
Best for: Casual Dinner
European Fine Dining • $$$$
Temple Restaurant Beijing
A Michelin-starred tasting menu set inside a restored 600-year-old temple courtyard near the Forbidden City.
Best for: Special Occasion
Xian Noodles • $
Xian Lao Man
A casual Xian-style biang biang noodle shop popular for its wide hand-pulled noodles and lamb skewers.
Best for: Budget Eats
Sichuan • $$
Yuxiang Renjia
A reliably fiery Sichuan chain popular with expats and locals alike for its mapo tofu and boiled fish.
Best for: Group Dinner
Questions, answered
What are the best restaurants in Beijing?+
The KEY2 editors' top picks for restaurants in Beijing are Da Dong Roast Duck, Jing Yaa Tang, King's Joy. Every listing in this guide is individually vetted, with hours, prices and booking links.
Where can I find good-value restaurants in Beijing?+
For $$-level restaurants in Beijing, consider Baoyuan Dumpling Restaurant, Bianyifang Roast Duck, Ding Ding Xiang, Han Cang.
What are the best restaurants in Beijing for a special occasion?+
For a splurge, the KEY2 guide recommends Da Dong Roast Duck, Jing Yaa Tang, King's Joy, Capital M. Reserve ahead — the booking link is on each listing.
Do I need to book restaurants in Beijing in advance?+
The most popular restaurants in Beijing fill up days or weeks ahead. Every KEY2 listing includes a direct reservation or booking link where one is available.
More Beijing guides