There are so many new bars and restaurants opening up in Beijing every month that sometimes even we find it difficult to keep up. Need a refresher? Here's a roundup of all the new restaurant and bar openings we featured in our July 2017 issue (out now).
Big Bear & Rukis
You probably know either Big Bear or RuKis, if not both. The
expat bakers have been selling their popular cookies (Big Bear) and
Estonian rye bread (RuKis) in Beijing for some time now. Now the two
have taken over the space left behind by The Meatball Company and are operating a bakery-plus-cafe-plus-bodega-for-expat-food-products (think Naked Nut Butters, Mantra Bars). Are you a Gulou-based kid or self-described ‘hutong hipster’? Then visiting this place is mandatory.
See a listing for Big Bear & Rukis & read more 'Mifan/Mafan' restaurant reviews.
Singapore Seafood
There’s much more to Singapore Seafood, which recently opened a second branch in Guomao’s China World Mall (the new one), than, well, seafood. Taking a cue from the Republic it’s named after, Singapore Seafood offers a range of dishes inspired by different cultures. Think Hainan chicken and Mi goreng. Meanwhile, the chili crab is given a special touch with a tomato and nut base. A standout snack – and unique to Singapore Seafood, we’re told – is the egg-yolk coated crispy fish skin. Think Asian desserts are boring? Singapore Seafood's lush gingko and yam paste dessert will prove you wrong (and have you scraping the paste from the coconut. No regrets). The new location, while flash, has a pretty relaxed atmosphere (especially compared to its Parkview Green counterpart) – a nod to Singapore’s bustling street hawker markets.
See a listing for Singapore Seafood and read more Mifan/Mafan restaurant reviews
Lotus
Lotus is yet another welcome addition to the new China World Mall’s seemingly endless collection of places to eat and drink. Tucked away in the farthest corner of the fourth floor, this tranquil little restaurant serves up what we argue is some of Beijing’s most quality Chinese vegetarian fare. Think fine dining presentations, decent portions and surprisingly reasonable prices – especially compared to some of the capital’s more well-known vegetarian restaurants like Pure Lotus and King’s Joy. At Lotus, dishes range from pricey mushroom-based concoctions (RMB80-165) to more wallet-friendly options which run the gamut from thick, spicy noodles (RMB32) to almost-convincing renditions of spare ribs (RMB56).
See a listing for Lotus and read our full review
Bad Farmers And Our Bakery
Bad Farmers and Our Bakery claims it will “save your life.” Health experts we are not, but the cafe’s salads (RMB62-79) and juices seem pretty nutritious. They’re also damn tasty and very
’grammable, and that’s the most important thing – right guys? Speciality coffee (RMB24-26) and freshly made pastries round up the bakery. Originally from South Korea, the spot is an attractive and unpretentious addition to Beijing’s healthy food scene.
See a listing for Bad Farmers And Our Bakery
Zhang Mama (Sanlitun)
Nothing says success – or, perhaps, excess – like Sanlitun. And so, taking its cue from other hutong establishments before it – ahem, Mr. Shi’s Dumplings – everybody’s favorite Sichuan restaurant, Zhang Mama, has opened a new branch on the north stretch of Sanlitun Lu. Unlike the other, more humble, Zhang Mama locations, the Sanlitun branch has a menu with English translations, plush private rooms and wine bottles. It's decked out with Picasso-inspired murals and floor-to-ceiling mirrors, even the bathrooms are extra. We question if this is really Zhang Mama. One bite of brilliant, numbing boboji confirms it is. The food itself looks and tastes the same, and the prices seem pretty similar too. Yet we still can’t shake the feeling that everything has changed. Don’t get us wrong, the new location is very attractive in a generic sense, but maybe we like eating in a too-crowded space sans trendy lighting fixtures.
See a listing for Zhang Mama (Sanlitun) and read our full review
Rosés Clouds
Rosés Clouds is a notable addition to Wangfujing. Rosés Clouds is filled with pleasing minimalist furniture, 10-plus taps of craft beer and well-heeled patrons from across the city. Our favorite thing about Rosés Clouds is the atmosphere – beautiful black-and-white clouds wallpapering the interior, pleasant terraces on the exterior. A long bar inside serves coffee and cold-pressed juices (also a trend that’s made it big). But Rosés Clouds appears to be most popular as a lunch spot. The menu is extensive, featuring cold cuts, salads, burgers, steaks and the obligatory German-sausage plate. We find the pastas most gratifying – in particular a creamy alfredo fettuccine with salmon and dill. A sweet potato and beef salad is also a hit, especially suitable for those looking for light bites. But with coffee, meals and beers, Rosés Clouds works anytime of day. And it’s definitely cooler than a Wangfujing mall.
See a listing for Rosés Clouds and read our full review
Klerm
Located in the space once occupied by Chiang Mai-style restaurant Cacha Cacha, Klerm has a lot in common with its predecessor – which makes sense considering half of the management team is the same. Like Cacha Cacha, Klerm eschews the traditional Thai aesthetic for a more ostentatiously hip look. We love the green curry with chicken (RMB78), the papaya salad (RMB57) and the Thai tea (RMB34). But what does 'klerm' mean? Despite sounding like the name of a cleaning product, we’re told on good authority (i.e. the restaurant owner and another Thai friend) that the word ‘klerm’ actually describes the happy feeling one has after ‘getting high.’ Indeed.
See a listing for Klerm and read our full review
Hakata Itika
Located in Wangfujing's Oriental Plaza mall, Hakata Itika is a one-of-a-kind high-tech ramen joint. That’s right – in authentic Japanese fashion, Hakata Itika features both touch screens and soupy noodles. Customers order off the high-tech menus up front and then sit in what is essentially a cubicle for noodle-eaters. As for the noods, they are authentic and delicious. And plenty of flavorful add-ons are offered as well. The touch-screen menu allows diners to customize the texture of the noodles to their liking, from soft to hard to whatever in between. The ramen (RMB42-56) is presented as it should be: swimming in bone-soaked broth, with bok choy and egg included.
See a listing for Hakata Itika and read our full review
Sproutworks
From our first Lululemon store to what seems like our millionth high-tech gym, China’s health craze has officially arrived in Beijing. It’s fitting, then, that the popular Shanghai-based food chain Sproutworks has finally made its way to the capital. Sproutworks’ first Beijing location is tucked away in a corner of the new China World Mall. The restaurant is simple. There’s no trendy dishware or black-tied waiters. Instead, the food is served buffet style on black plastic trays. We choose from a revolving menu of Chinese- and Western-inspired dishes, including soups (RMB25), salads (RMB30-50) and panini sandwiches (RMB45), as well as an extensive selection of hot and cold sides. The refreshingly affordable lunch specials are sure to please the working crowd.
See a listing for Sproutworks and read our full review
Legend Beer (Dongzhimen)
‘Peace and quiet’ is an overrated concept. At least that’s what Legend Beer might have you believe. The brewery, whose first location is a sprawling behemoth in the midst of Gongti club land, has opened another location along Dongzhimen Wai Dajie, one of Beijing’s most bustling roads. An eight-lane street meets a six-lane highway at the site of this new outdoor bar. Stand outside or pull up a wooden stool on the sidewalk – then order a pint.
See a listing for Legend and read our full review
Mai Fresh
A new group of casual hutong folk are trying their hand at casual hutong brunches. Mai Fresh is the newborn baby of hutong cocktail institution Mai Bar, and is just a quick drunken stumble away from its ancestral homeland along Beiluoguxiang. Mai Fresh has a beautiful terrace overlooking sloping hutong roofs and the bulldozers currently knocking them over. Dishes are perfect for sharing, and reasonably-priced egg plates make for budget-friendly brunching. A filet (RMB138) and oysters (RMB30 each) and bubbles are available if you’re in the mood for a splurge. Mai Fresh’s drink game is strong – heady cocktails lightened up with day-drinking in mind. Get a spritz (RMB60) or seven – if you’re a hutong hipster, you were going to anyway.
See a listing for Mai Fresh and read our full review
Beersmith Gastropub
A brewery in the CBD is just like a brewery anywhere else, but more CBD-esque. There are tasting flights and vats of beer. Ales are Indian and pale – but unlike at other Beijing breweries, the patrons in this District look like they just finished some very Central Business. Atmosphere aside the beer here is good. Beersmith is a laudable, if more buttoned-up, addition to Beijing’s ever-expanding craft brew scene, with its excellent beers all made by Great Leap alum Tom Ashton. The IPA (RMB58) is worth traveling across town for. The Pilsner (RMB48) goes down like a silky, sexy keytar solo. And the crisp dry-hopped cider (RMB60) uses Shandong apples. A Wagyu beef burger (RMB88) is all kinds of mouth-melty and the beer-battered French fries (RMB48) are heavenly little crunch-bullets.
See a listing for Beersmith Gastropub
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