Snacks and the City: Food & Drink Gossip in Beijing

Readers of That’s Beijing: I know you’ve been wondering. What side does the Food & Drink editor of your favorite local publication take? 

No, not what side dish does she take with her entrée. (Although she is partial to mashed potatoes and gravy, thanks for asking.) No, what side does your local restaurant critic take in the Taylor Swift vs. Kim Kardashian feud of 2016? 

Because you’ve been wondering (you haven’t): I am wholeheartedly Team Kardashian. Because the Book of 2016 is all the more interesting for her meddling, dramatic ways. Betrayal can be a beautiful plot twist sometimes. And the world thrives on drama. 

Beijing is every bit as dramatic and surprising as the brain of Kim Kardashian’s PR Team itself. That’s why our F&B scene is always changing, even if it sometimes feels like a betrayal. Case in point: Gulou drinking institution Beiluo Bread Bar has closed. Over in Sanlitun, one of the longest running Taikooli restaurants, Union Bar and Grille, has also closed. And somewhere in between, along Dongzhimen Wai Dajie, rogue hot-dog stand No More Bunz is no more. (That’s right: No more No More Bunz.)

Feeling betrayed? Worry not. As the saying goes: When one (restaurant) door closes, another (restaurant) door opens. And we’ve got the scoop on all the best openings, so read on. #TeamKimye.