The snacks under the imperial city are all authentically local, each brimming with "Beijing flavor."

By MOOK Travel Life Network, Chen Guanxin, compiled and reported

Beijing’s street snacks consist of three major categories: Han Chinese flavors, Hui Muslim flavors, and imperial court flavors, resulting in an extremely diverse range of types and tastes. Especially due to their unique location right under the imperial city, Beijing snacks are more or less infused with an element of refinement.

Visiting imperial Beijing, you absolutely must try the local snacks. (Image provided by Moleskine Editorial Department)

Jiumen Snacks

Jiumen Snacks is both new and old; it only appeared in Houhai in 2006, but it houses over ten time-honored brands with histories of more than a hundred years. Originally, the Beijing Traditional Snacks Association invited renowned old shops such as Tea Soup Li, Rice Cake Qian, Lamb Head Ma, Tofu Pudding Bai, Cheese Wei, Tripe Feng, Deshunzhai, Fried Pastry Xin, Yueshengzhai, Tonghexuan, Jiumen Stewed Meat, Door Stud Meat Pie, Sandwich Pancake, Candied Hawthorn Guo, Intestine Chen, and Pie Zhou to gather here, allowing diners to sample all the classic Beijing old brands on a single plate—an extraordinary sight.

[Info]

Address: No. 1 Xiaoyou Hutong, Houhai, Xicheng District

Phone: +8610-6402-6868

Jiumen Snacks is a gathering place for century-old time-honored brands. (Image provided by Moleskine Editorial Department)

Huguo Temple Snack Shop

Operated by the state-owned Huatian Jude Group, Huguo Temple Snack Shop is a place where ordinary Beijingers go for breakfast or a light bite, so the environment is quite crowded, the decor very plain, and the service rather casual. But that’s exactly what gives it the vibe of eating snacks with locals. Since its main customers are everyday residents, many Beijingers believe that compared to tourist-only "authentic" snack spots, the unpretentious atmosphere here might even be a plus.

[Info]

Address: No. 68 Huguo Temple Street, Xicheng District

Phone: +8610-6618-1705

Huguo Temple Snack Shop is a place to enjoy authentic Beijing flavors. (Image provided by Moleskine Editorial Department)

Longfusi Snack Shop

Longfusi Snack Shop and Bai Kui Lao Hao are the same establishment, also a time-honored brand. It could be said that many Beijing grandparents grew up drinking its fermented mung bean drink. Like Huguo Temple Snack Shop, most Beijing-style snacks can be found here, at reasonable prices and generous portions, though the service still leaves something to be desired.

[Info]

Address: No. 1 Longfusi Qianjie, Dongcheng District

Phone: +8610-6406-0668

The time-honored Longfusi Snack Shop is a childhood favorite for many Beijing elders. (Image provided by Moleskine Editorial Department)

Siheyuan Restaurant

If you’re really not into the environment of traditional snack shops or aren’t used to eating alongside strangers, then come to Siheyuan Restaurant. Located in the upscale Jinglun Hotel, it’s the only hotel restaurant in Beijing that specializes in snacks, offering a more comfortable dining experience compared to regular snack spots. The variety of snacks here is quite comprehensive, and the food is made more delicately than at street-side shops—especially the seasonal dishes that not only offer a taste of freshness but also deliver the benefits of seasonal cuisine and food therapy. Of course, the price is also on par with a star-rated hotel.

[Info]

Address: 4th Floor, Jinglun Hotel, No. 3 Jianguomenwai Street, Chaoyang District

Phone: +8610-6500-2266 ext. 8116

Siheyuan Restaurant is the only hotel restaurant in Beijing that specializes in snacks. (Image provided by Moleskine Editorial Department)

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