A roundup of all the latest bar and restaurant openings in Beijing.
Cellar Door (Sort Of)
First, Cellar Door braved Beijing’s hutong brickings by cheekily rebranding themselves as Cellar Window. But then, when even their reduced shop was forced out, hipsters all across Gulou shed tears of grief. Now, the Door has found a logical new home in hipster-adjacent Waiting for Godot, the coffee shop and bar on Jiaodaokou Dongdajie. The collab means little has changed at WFG – except now there’s a ton more beer (and hipsters).
See a listing for Cellar Door
Peiping Machine Gongti
Peiping’s original taproom in Andingmen is habitually so full that revelers spill out into the hutongs. And so, the brewhouse is a prime candidate for the hallowed Beijing bar-and-restaurant tradition: starting in Gulou, then opening a second location in Sanlitun. Peiping’s massive Gongti location has 64 (!) taps. Challenge accepted.
See a listing for Peiping Machine Gongti
Drinkin
With its slogan “Life in, Foolish in, Drink in,” how could this place not be good? Kidding – Drinkin is a little awkward, and it’s entirely not sure what it is. But hey, the bar has a moderately priced selection of wines, plus the distinct advantage of being one of the only bars left for Andingmen residents, post neighboring hutong brickings. Take a date here, but one you’re not trying too hard to impress.
See a listing for Drinkin
Drunk Alone
Did we feature a place called Drinkin and a place called Drunk Alone? Yes, and good job, Beijing. Drunk Alone is a spicy chuan’r joint that we visited for the express reason of its name being ‘Drunk Alone.’ Ironically, there is no alcohol here. Avoid.
See a listing for Drunk Alone
The Rug
Ladies and gentlemen: the original Rug is back. After a lengthy renovation, The Rug’s Chaoyang Park location has reopened, and the new space is just as sleek and eye-catching as we’d hoped. It has the air of a modern bistro – tables of both business lunchers and casual dates chatting over shared plates and coffees, large windows letting the Beijing sun stream in. This is a place people linger, where customers take time with their meals to enjoy each other’s company. This is all a long-winded way of saying: Hey, The Rug’s got good vibes and a delectable new menu.
See a listing for The Rug and read our full review
Qingjiu
With so many sake-slinging options, it can be hard to choose. But Qingjiu is a fine choice for several reasons. Even when it’s full, it’s quiet – the cozy dining room is divided into small sections. Qingjiu’s menu runs the gamut of Japanese classics – all authentic, but not overly expensive. We try hunks of glistening sashimi and a trio of hors d’oeuvres before diving into Japanese hot pot. We dunk bits of fish, mushrooms and vegetables into one of the best renditions of sukiyaki broth we’ve had all year. To drink, Qingjiu offers a variety of sakes – though largely on the pricey side.
See a listing for Qingjiu and read our full review
The Butchers Club
The Butchers Club is in Parkview Green, just below Stella McCartney and around the corner from Opera Bombana. It’s bougie and expensive – at over RMB100 per burger. Our Wu Tang Burger (RMB118) is juicy and smothered in a rich, tangy kimchi sauce. This, plus the restaurant’s signature duck fat fries, is enough to power us through an entire day. Throw in a craft beer (Butchers Club serves Kaiba beers, from Shanghai), and you’ve got yourself a feast. But all this totals nearly RMB200, making it one of the capital’s priciest patties. But these are quality burgers – with majorly quality dry-aged beef. Maybe being bougie ain’t so bad after all.
See a listing for The Butchers Club and read our full review
Lievito
Lievito a charming addition to Beijing’s growing pizza scene. The menu here is divided into classic and gourmet pizzas, but even the classics have an air of the gourmet. Dough here is produced with love and precision, and diners can even choose which kind they’d prefer – a classic, artisan Italian dough, or a heartier variety featuring German grains. While Lievito may be a bit tough to find – it’s up a flight of stairs just along a quiet section of the Liangma River, its seclusion is an advantage. With its sexy interior and understated, relaxed vibes, this just might be your best bet for date night. (Just make sure your date is hungry.)
See a listing for Lievito
The Great Outdoors
The once-bustling bar strip along Fangjia Hutong is a shadow of its former self. But new bar The Great Outdoors continues on the Fangjia tradition – albeit with calmer vibes. It can be hard to appreciate the great outdoors in Beijing winter. But at these Great Outdoors, appreciation is reserved for the beers, served alongside a variety of Western comfort food to vaguely outdoorsy decor – unstained wood, photos of treks along the walls. The Great Outdoors has, of course, the time-honored hutong bar tradition of a beer fridge, though the best is on the (12) taps: Little Creatures Pale Ale, Goose Island Honkers Ale, Liefmans Fruitesse, you know, the classics.
See a listing for The Great Outdoors
Arcade
Arcade – Hatchery’s latest concept – features arcade games and food. But it also hosts a solid bar and space for parties. Co-working space 5Lmeet, Hatchery’s home, has taken over Guomao’s formerly drab Traders Hotel and turned it into a millennial haven. It’s got long tables with plenty of outlets for all your laptopping-and-caffeinating needs. And speaking of coffee, it also has the latest branch of BigSmall, one of the capital’s best and hippest coffee shops. The team have dramatically slashed the prices of Common Burger and Canteen – two of their fast-casual concepts – to accommodate the grab-and-go crowd.
See a listing for Arcade and read our full review
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