QiQiaoWu Fashion Hotel - Beijing Xinfadi Subway Station

This small, obscure shop in an alley features an understated grey-brick façade and pared-down décor. The calligraphic menu is short but sweet, heavy on river fish and home-style cooking. Try their braised tofu with fish roe, or hot and sour young lotus root with chicken gizzards. Round it out with grass jelly in Osmanthus honey, or the piping-hot egg-drop glutinous rice wine (in winter). Seats are limited, so come early or expect to wait in line.

As the name suggests, the kitchen is helmed by chefs hailing from the Sichuanese city of Yibin, from whence most of the ingredients are shipped, before they are cooked in authentic Yibin style. The menu is extensive and the portions generous. Try Lizhuang boiled pork, and Yibin noodles with bean sprouts dressed in a nutty, spicy sauce. Reservations are not accepted, so expect to queue at mealtimes, often for over an hour.

From its decor to its dishes, this restaurant is a celebration of Fujian culture. Diners can book one of the 13 private rooms, where tea sommelier service is provided, and pre-order a set menu. For authenticity, the all-Fujianese kitchen team insists on most ingredients being flown in daily from their home province. Signatures include braised eel with red mushrooms, pork cheek braised with dried squid, and sliced clam blanched in chicken stock.

This place stands out from the crowd of typical Dongbei restaurants with its modern decor done out in red and white, and servers in tailored suits. That said, the food is unmistakably Dongbei, covering recipes from Heilongjiang, Liaoning and Jilin, albeit in smaller portions and finer presentations. In addition to classics such as fried pork loin in sweet and sour sauce, and pork stew with pickled cabbage, try rare culinary gems such as crayfish "tofu".

Fast food

Italian

Fast food