SSAW Garden Hotel Beijing

The Peking duck chain’s flagship in town got a makeover in 2021 and was re-branded as the chain’s most exclusive branch. The signature roast duck only uses 22-day-old birds, and is served with condiments like pancake, cucumber, scallion, minced garlic and bean sauce. Braised sea cucumber is a sensational tour de force – spiny sea cucumber from Kanto, Japan is prepared tableside à la minute. Seasonal seafood and mushroom dishes are also the highlights.

A remodelled, high-ceilinged courtyard mansion houses this stunning restaurant whose splendid view changes with the seasons. In a similar vein, traditional Beijing dishes have been treated to a modern makeover. Besides being carved traditionally, jujube wood-fired Peking duck can be served three ways, boasting crispy skin and juicy flesh. Seared sea cucumber with Zhangqiu scallion is another original dish that will blow your mind. Also check out their Beijing-themed cocktails.

This flagship of the chain has an elegant but relaxed dining space done out in modern Chinese style. The menu is essentially the same as at other branches, focusing on Taizhou cooking and fish from the East China Sea. But the 28-day-old baby Peking duck, which you have to pre-order, is available exclusively at this location. Try also the duck stew with fish maw and taro – the taro is so starchy and tender that it melts in your mouth.

It’s all about the signature roast duck here; yours will even come with a ‘birth certificate’ proving it is 45 days old. Grilled in a stone oven over jujube wood, it boasts crispy skin and delicious, juicy meat; order caviar to go with it if you fancy a splurge. Other dishes include sautéed springy prawns from Bohai Sea with shrimp roe, which are packed in serious umami. Also check out the very reasonably priced wine list. The restaurant boasts a bright, open feel.

Tripe is enjoyed the world over, but not everyone would go so far as to patent a recipe, as the owner of this century-old hotpot joint has done. Four types of beef tripe and nine of lamb tripe (including the most prized: lamb's rumen core) are used in his signature "tripe 13 ways" served with secret-recipe dips. Try the "half cloud" cut of lamb for its half-fatty meat and milky finish. The restaurant moved to this space spanning two floors in 2025.

This period mansion, complete with a stone garden and carved wooden windows, provides the perfect foil to the restaurant’s polished cuisine. The menu celebrates the all-time favourites of Huaiyang cooking, such as braised pork belly in brown sauce with arrowroot, and sautéed swamp eel in pepper sauce. Hand-peeled lake shrimps with fox nuts boast velvety texture and are best enjoyed with aged vinegar. The seasonal menu is also worth checking out.

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