Manxin Hotel Beijing Forbidden City

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.

This restaurant, annexed to an art gallery, sports a dining room complete with historical garden views through its floor-to-ceiling windows. Liaoning fisherman’s-style dishes are re-created here, with produce from Changbai Mountains and fish from Bohai Sea and Liao River. Signatures include green willow clams, and stir-fried sea snail with green onion—both flavoursome and full of umami.

What this basement restaurant space lacks in views it more than makes up for with eclectic art and a chic bar. Chef William Mahi, who hails from the Basque Country, puts a new Basque spin on French classics. Novel creations such as 52-degree egg with potato foam and white truffle aside, his light-tasting menu appeals with a vast array of seafood, including langoustine, spider crab and squid. The authentic Basque cheesecake is another highlight.

Lei Garden hails from Hong Kong and specialises in authentic Cantonese fare. This is their first Beijing outpost and it rolls out food of a consistently high standard. Most ingredients are sourced from their own farm to ensure quality and freshness. The signature roasted pork belly boasts alternate layers of fat and meat, with crispy skin and juicy flesh. To avoid disappointment, pre-order slow-cooked soups that take over six hours to make.

Designed by German architect Ole Scheeren, this dining room seamlessly blends pared-down modernism with hutong traditions. Imagine circular booths that create an array of semi-private spaces. The experienced head chef from Hong Kong showcases his solid, savvy skills in signature dishes like roast pigeon. The menu includes many items that are available in individual portion sizes, so diners can sample the variety of his repertory. The delicately-crafted dim sum is recommended at lunchtime.

Though its name means "purple and gold", this cosy restaurant is clad in hand-embroidered orange fabric with a bird theme. The Hakkanese chef reinterprets traditional Cantonese fare with a refined touch and occasional Hakkanese twists. The braised pork belly ribs with preserved mustard greens are made with rose myrtle fruit wine from his home county. The double-boiled chicken and fish maw soup with conch seduces with its rich, deep umami.