18 Best Restaurants in Beijing, China

You won't go wrong with the namesake dish at this world-famous eatery. Dadong's version features crisp, caramel-hued skin (over meat that's less oily than tradition dictates) and is served with crisp sesame pockets in addition to the usual steamed pancakes.

Inside the glassed-in kitchen of this Grand Hyatt restaurant, white-robed chefs artfully twirl floury noodles and efficiently hook beautifully bronzed Peking ducks on poles outside tall brick ovens. Although pricey, it's Chinese dining at its finest.

This tiny, unassuming restaurant serves arguably the best sushi in the city. The seafood is flown in from Tokyo's Tsukiji fish market; the daily chef's selection (about Y280) is a wooden board of sushi made from the best catches of the day.

Straightforward American grub is served at this restaurant in a cozy, family-friendly cottage near Chaoyang Park. During the day, diner-style breakfasts, huge burgers, and bottomless cups of coffee bring simple and satisfying comfort to homesick Americans. At night, the ambience is slightly more refined, with imported Australian steaks the main draw, and a wine list focused on America's West Coast. Save room for a scoop (or two) of the homemade ice cream.

At Beijing's only outlet of a successful Singaporean restaurant brand, you'll find some of the city's most reliable Cantonese, a cooking style not particularly well represented this far north. Weekdays see wheeler-dealers closing deals over abalone and sea cucumber, while the weekends bustle with families from Hong Kong and Singapore lingering over dim sum and endless pots of tea. Plenty of pricey seafood dishes are on the menu, but you can opt for the less expensive stir-fry dishes and dim sum.

Fusion-style California rolls are the name of the game at this hip and trendy Japanese eatery in the heart of Sanlitun. At this Beijing institution, the long list of unconventional rolls are made with everything from crab and avocado to imported foie gras. Fresh sashimi, crisp tempura, and tender grilled fish go well with the extensive sake menu; ask the manager for pairing recommendations. A cocktail list and range of imported beers makes this recently renovated spot popular with a well-heeled, pre-party crowd. The original location is on Guanghua Lu in the CBD.

Beijing's traditional courtyard houses provide an exquisite setting at this elegant hotel restaurant. The walls are constructed from gray hutong bricks reclaimed from centuries-old siheyuan that have gone the way of the wrecking ball. Pricey seafood items like abalone and lobster are balanced by affordable and delicious dim sum (especially the dim sum prix-fixe lunch with tea, for RMB 88). The menu is mostly Cantonese, but you can also get a traditional Peking duck. If only the place had a little more atmosphere (and customers), it could be up there with the city's best.

In the belly of the Opposite House hotel, this high-end Peking duck restaurant gently guides laowai (foreigners) through the crowd-pleasing hits of Chinese cuisine. A glassed-in kitchen, raised above the main dining room like a stage, reveals chefs slinging bronzed birds out of a blazing brick oven. The molasses-skinned duck is some of the best in town, and the accompaniments, like molecule-thin pancakes and a rich sauce infused with dates, completes a classy package. Accompanying dishes read like a roll call of Chinese family favorites, from mildly spiced kung pao chicken to Cantonese clay-pot fish, though the Taiwanese-style “three-cup” cod with basil ought to wow even the more seasoned palates. Save room for the delectable dan ta—Macau-style mini custard tarts.

Juicy, whole ducks roasting over fragrant pear wood greet you upon entering this simple courtyard restaurant in a ramshackle hutong neighborhood. This family-run affair, far from the crowds and commercialism of Quanjude, offers a more austere setting for Beijing's signature dish, though the place might be a little too rustic for some. It's also a little tricky to find: it's about a five-minute walk east from Qianmen Donglu, and you may have to stop to ask for directions until you start seeing duck graffiti and arrows pointing the way.

The city’s finest Yunnan restaurant is in an elegant compound just east of Tiananmen Square that was once used by the former U.S. legation. With impeccable service and a serious wine list, this Shanghai export, named after the vast and little-known "Mountain Mekong" region that straddles Yunnan, Burma, and Laos, is out to impress. Recommended dishes include crisp Dali-style chicken tumbled with green onions and chilis, “Miao” hot-and-sour shrimp, and steamed cod with Yunnan black truffle. Fun fact: the walls on the first and second floor are made of bricks of pu-ehr tea, a kind of fermented tea from Yunnan.

Bologna-based chef Omar Maseroli and his Chinese partner are the proprietors of Mercante, a slow-food-inspired slice of Italy in a tumble-down hutong alleyway. This miniscule eatery keeps it simple, with rustic dishes like homemade pasta with an earthy ragù of duck or rabbit, plump ravioli, platters of imported cold cuts, and cheese served with fresh-baked focaccia. Rich, boozy tiramisu and a well-priced list of Italian wines makes this a fine place to linger, or you could pop around the corner for a craft-beer nightcap at Great Leap Brewing. Brunch is served on weekends.

A hit with the cosmopolitan crowd, this casual fine-dining restaurant rarely fails to impress. The open kitchen turns out innovative, good-value international fare with a Latino twist, such as a braised oxtail and black bean napoleon, grilled tuna steak with mojo (a spicy sauce), and a famous chocolate soufflé with Sichuan-pepper ice cream. A solid wine list (there's also wine-paired set menu) and well-mixed cocktails keep the upwardly mobile diners here in high spirits. In warm weather, try to reserve one of the few balcony tables.

After a year or so in the restaurant wilderness, this much-heralded contemporary Asian eatery is now in Parkview Green, one of the city's most original and appealing shopping malls. From the decor to the dinnerware, there's nothing really humble here. Designed by a Japanese architect, the skylit dining room is laid out around a pool and flanked with live bamboo. Delicately prepared Southeast Asian dishes, such as Malaysian laksa are joined by Chinese fare, including crisp-skinned Peking duck.

Hearty German food like pork knuckle and various wurst is dished up in heaping portions at this bright and spacious hotel restaurant. Wash it all down with delicious Bavarian-style beer made right in the restaurant; try the Maibock, served in genuine German steins. In summer, you can enjoy your meal outdoors in the beer garden beside the Liangma River. Every October, the restaurant puts on a decent rendition of Munich's famous Oktoberfest.

Occupying a restored courtyard home, and hiding a Cold War–era bomb shelter down below, the Red Capital Club oozes nostalgia for the early days of revolutionary China. Kitschy Cultural Revolution memorabilia and books dating from the Great Leap Forward era adorn every nook of the small bar. It's worth visiting just to browse the artifacts, having a drink in one of the old leather armchairs (supposedly lifted from the Great Hall of the People), and peek into the bomb shelter. The fancifully written menu still serves old favorites of Communist leaders, though this place fell off the restaurant radar some years ago.

Refined Mediterranean dishes are a marked contrast to the industrial-chic interior of this former factory. The young, well-heeled crowd fuels up on tasty tapas and wine before heading out into the nightclubs of Sanlitun. Perch yourself on the luxe leather seats against exposed brick walls and sip on a selection from the modern wine list. Or dig in for a heftier meal of authentic paella (served in wide cast-iron pans), roast suckling pig, baby-back ribs, and generous salads.

This is one of Beijing's hottest contemporary Chinese restaurants, and we're not just talking about the chilies. Located in the upscale Sanlitun Village North, this glam Sichuan establishment marries the region's famous spicy dishes with slick service and a designer interior entirely at home amid the surrounding luxury boutiques.