Beijing Chengying Hotel - Sanlitun Taikoo Li

The cosy, understated space is done out in neutral greys with pops of teal green. The Shanghainese head chef and predominantly Shanghainese kitchen team reinterpret the classics, adding modern twists. Check out the seasonal offerings made with Jiangzhe ingredients that are hard to come by in Beijing. Another highlight is their Shanghainese dim sum, such as xiao long bao and qingtuan (sweet sticky rice dumplings with Chinese mugwort).

This Hong Kong brand, famous for both gourmet and home-style fare, reopened its Beijing outpost in 2024. The pale wood and apple green details of the interior echo the lush greenery. The head chef has worked for the brand for years and his skills are unquestionable. His must-try ge zha is a savoury egg custard, floured and deep-fried until crispy. The osmanthus scrambled egg with crabmeat and shredded shrimp bursts with umami.

Inspired by Dream of the Red Chamber, an 18C Chinese novel, the decor embodies that era's charm. With well-honed skills, the Cantonese chef from Zhanjiang reinvents his hometown favourites, presenting specialities such as double-boiled duck and fish maw soup, jackfruit wood roast pork, and jackfruit puff pastry. Zhanjiang-style sautéed lobster is jazzed up by sand ginger and black beans for a deep caramelised flavour and a mild kick.

Upon arrival at this upmarket restaurant, diners step into a hallway lined with steeply priced dried fish maws. With years of experience in Hong Kong and Shanghai, Chef Cheung reimagines Chaozhou classics with sophistication and finesse. Braised fish maw with 30-year-aged dried radish is one of his proud creations – the lingering aromas of the radish lend the dish extra depth of flavour. Both the wine list and tea menu are packed with excellent choices.

The speciality here is Shandong cooking, especially Confucius cuisine, sea cucumber and live seafood shipped daily from Jiaodong peninsula. The chef is from Yantai and knows the food from his home province inside out. Try his roast 45-day-old duck served with caviar, prawn crackers and Shandong pancakes, which embodies features of both Beijing and Shandong cuisine. The lengthy tea menu and bespoke tea service make for a very special experience.

The owner and chefs who hail from Xiamen insist on using produce and seafood from their home province to create authentic Fujian dishes, especially country recipes that were the staple diet of the commoners in olden days. Steamed red crab on sticky rice seduces with seafood umami and briny-sweet roe, while the ginger duck is an heirloom recipe passed down for generations, made with Muscovy duck for exceptional depth. Also try the creamy mashed taro dessert.

The Milanese fashion brand runs this elegant restaurant that exudes feminine sensibility. On the menu, Northern Italian classics are the main draw: think veal Milanese and Piedmontese beef brasato, as well as hand-made agnolotti and linguine. The array of freshly baked Italian bread on offer is also fantastic. For the full experience, order the set menu. Oenophiles should check out the wine list, which features labels from every region of Italy.