Hua Yao Hai Fu Business Hotel - Beijing

Instead of typical Shandong classics, the chef, who hails from the province, champions a menu starring seafood that is shipped from Weihai port daily. The crisp and tangy Laizhou Bay "penis fish" salad on a bed of ice plant tantalises the taste buds. The donkey soup with Solomon's seal and black garlic, slow cooked for over 10 hours, delivers meaty sweetness and a gelatinous texture from the donkey hide, in a space that exudes traditional elegance.

Vegetarian

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.

Tucked inside a converted courtyard house, this tiny gem with seven tables has just a small sign on its door. Chef Zhong from Yangzhou is also your waiter and host. He opened this restaurant in 2020 to showcase his hometown’s delicacies. Try the wine lees-marinated cold appetiser platter with green soybeans, shrimps, duck tongues and abalone – addictively aromatic and refreshing. Sautéed shredded swamp eel boasts a bouncy, velvety texture.

With signage inscribed by the younger brother of Puyi, the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty, circa 1921, this state-owned restaurant is a real treasure. Dark wood is a prominent decorative feature, while red tablecloths lend it a rustic, classic vibe. Since 1997, diners have been coming to the current location to enjoy its authentic, no-frills Huaiyang cooking, with dishes like scorched eel with garlic and soy. Only private rooms can be booked ahead.

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.

Chinese