541 Best Restaurants in China

Inside the Jiming Temple, this establishment makes a good lunch stop. The chefs use wheat gluten and other ingredients to create mock pork, fish, chicken, and goose dishes; the tofu threads and the Sichuan-style "fish" are recommended.

A gloriously gaudy atmosphere is the main draw of this 24-hour dim sum restaurant. It serves all the classics as well as a "pollution menu" featuring dishes that supposedly counteract the effects of Beijing's smog.

East–West fusion cuisine is served in an ultramodern setting: there are polished red wooden floors, gauzy curtain dividers, and theatrical open kitchens. For dinner, a concise à la carte menu is available but the main draw is the lavish international buffet, with over a dozen stations serving up lobster, foie gras, prime rib, and delectable desserts. There's also an excellent selection of international wines.

"House of Beijing Flavors" makes up for its rather isolated location by having one of the widest selections of traditional Beijing fare in town. Dishes range from the austere, such as ma doufu (mung-bean pulp cooked in lamb fat), and zha guanchang (fried starch chips meant to imitate sausage), to more cultivated offerings, including Peking duck or slow-cooked lamb. The Beijing dessert platter is a tasty introduction to the city's long tradition of sweet snacks. The huge, open-plan dining room is bustling and fun, but can get rather smoky.

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.

Locals and foreigners alike pack this pleasant restaurant for affordable roast duck and tasty, varied Chinese fare with a Beijing slant. The roadside patio, garlanded by small, twinkling lights, is a lovely spot for warm weather dining.

Reliable, standard Shanxi fare is the order of the day at this slightly out-of-the-way restaurant—dishes might include the region's famous aromatic crispy duck, and "cat-ear" noodles (referring to their ovoid shape), stir-fried with meat and vegetables. End your meal with a "sweet happiness" pastry. Jinyang Fangzhuang is attached to the ancient courtyard home of Ji Xiaolan, a Qing Dynasty scholar, the chief compiler of the Complete Library of the Four Branches of Literature. You can visit the old residence without an admission fee and see Ji Xiaolan's study, where he wrote his famous essays. The crab-apple trees and wisteria planted during his lifetime still bloom in the courtyard.

You can readily sample your way through culinary history at some of Beijing's oldest and most famous eateries, all grouped under the one roof of a house with a traditional courtyard. Soft bean curd topped, perhaps, with braised lamb and mushrooms, pot stickers shaped like traditional little satchels, or tripe served with a dipping sauce that's an old family secret are just some of what might be on offer.

Cool off after a full day of sightseeing on this trellised patio with an ice-cold beer and plate of noodles. In addition to an array of familiar foods, the restaurant can arrange overnight camel rides for Y700 per person, as well as trips to Yadan National Park and other destinations.

Part of a small, family-run chain that operates in destinations along the Silk Road, this popular tourist hangout is far from authentic, but people flock here for the familiar Western fare and rock-solid travel advice. The café is only operational during the summer tourist season, so if you visit in the winter you'll find the area locked up.

A convenient pit stop when visitng Nanluoguxiang, this modest little eatery really offers only one option: a set meal of tasty Taiwanese-style lurou fan—rice with an aromatic ground pork topping complemented by a flavorful boiled egg, mixed pickled vegetables, and a simple clear soup, for less than $4. A vegetarian stew and rice set is also available. The home-brewed teas and chilled custard desserts are worth a try, too.

This long-standing eatery is a well-liked spot to sample Jinan lu cai, a variation of one of the eight famous cuisines of China. The signature dish is jiu zhuan da chang (literally "nine turns intestine"), chewy braised spirals of pork chitterlings, but if that sounds extreme, try the sweet-and-sour fried carp, or their decent local take on roast duck with pancakes.

All famous Chinese dishes can be found on this restaurant's user-friendly picture menu, from Peking duck to Sichuan numbing peppercorns and chicken. Well, mock chicken, but it tastes so close to real chicken, and sometimes better, even the biggest carnivore would enjoy dining here. Ultraclean and friendly service can be expected. Very creative veggie dishes include a mushroom hotpot and mango mushrooms! It is more of a lunch spot as the atmosphere is simple and no alcohol is served.

A wall of picture windows looks out onto leafy Anfu Lu, so you can watch passersby from this simply furnished dining room. Wash down your pickled mashed potatoes, ru bing (rectangles of panfried goat cheese), or other home-style Yunnan dishes with a Belgian beer or one of the house juices.

Kali Mirch's spices and chefs come directly from India, and it's a delicious option if you're looking to take a break from Chinese food and approximations of Western food. The tandoori chicken, curry mutton, palak paneer, and pulao rice are but a few of the solid dishes here; the outdoor tables are a good place for people-watching.

The space is dingy, the tables are cramped, and the staff is brash—but the food makes it all worth it. Kam Fung has been around for more than five decades, serving traditional Hong Kong café fare such as crumbly crusted freshly baked egg tarts, and pineapple buns wedged with a thick slab of butter. Wash everything down with the velvety smooth milk tea after a meal that’s cheap, quick, and absolutely satisfying.

A packed house is always a good sign. The Artyzen Grand Lapa’s elegant Cantonese restaurant draws local diners daily with its refined setting—crisp white linens, Chinese artwork, plush carpeting—and a menu of classics like Peking duck, tea-smoked fried chicken, and crabmeat baked in the shell. Lunchtime dim sum shines with juicy shrimp dumplings, truffle-flecked spring rolls, and delicate rice flour rolls with porcini mushrooms, and there’s a great plant-based menu of Cantonese dishes.

This classic cha chaan teng serves some of the best Hong Kong classic dishes. Sample both their baked treats and carb-focused mains---try the beef hor fun, a savory and aromatic stir-fry noodle dish, followed by a pineapple bun with a slab of cold butter or an egg tart (or both). If you have room for dessert, the Hong Kong French toast is a must.

Hunan cuisine, or xiang cai, is famous for its extensive use of colorful chili peppers, resulting in a "dry heat" rather than the more aromatic heat of Sichuan and its famous mouth-numbing peppercorn. This contemporary Hunanese eatery puts an international spin on the region's well-known flavors, like steamed fish with fresh diced chillis, sizzling spice-roasted duck, flame-baked shrimp wrapped in tinfoil, and a giant rack of melt-in-the-mouth, spice-encrusted pork ribs. The dining room is elegant without being showy, and service is friendly and attentive.

This bustling, no-frills restaurant that has been around since the 1930s offers some of the best beef brisket noodles in town. Expect a line when you arrive, though solo diners can sometimes jump ahead.

Tender beef with noodles in soup is the mainstay dish of this humble Hong Kong diner, which, like many similar small local restaurants, only accepts payment in cash. Choose the type of noodles you want (flat rice noodles, thin egg noodles, or vermicelli), beef cut (brisket or tendon), and consider opting for the curry soup version, which lends the dish a spicy-sweet richness. The soups pair beautifully with an iced milk tea.

Beloved by expats, this closet-size café is an escape from the hustle and bustle of West Street. On any given night, English teachers can be found sampling tasty Chinese-style dumpling soups and drinking beer in the cobblestone pavilion.

Hong Kong roast meats are famous for a reason, and roast goose is one of the must-try dishes. This is a good place to sample the roasted bird with a side of rice or noodles---the goose skin is crispy, while the meat remains tender and flavorful. The restaurant also serves char siu, roast pork, and chicken; but the geese remain the best option.

Next to Aurora and with the same stunning views of the peninsula, Kira serves quality Japanese fare. Its wasabi, for example, comes fresh and doesn't burn badly—truly sublime mustard is a sign that something fresh is taking place in the kitchen. Outdoor deck seating is a nice way to enjoy Kira's carefully cut sashimi, subtle seaweed soups, and fine cuts of wagyu beef. This is an excellent choice for entertaining guests and for family dining, but there are also private booths if you're in the mood for something intimate.

Anyone seeking an authentic hot pot experience need look no farther than Ko Lau Wan. Locals flock here for the tender beef and seafood that you cook at your table in a piping-hot pot of broth. The soup selection is quite extensive, but the satay broth and the fish stock with crab are particularly tasty. The owner comes from a fishing village in the New Territories, so there’s no wonder the cuttlefish, shrimp balls, sea urchin, amberjack, and abalone are all so tantalizingly fresh. The adventurous should try the geoduck, a giant clam popular among Hong Kongers, which can be eaten raw as sashimi with soy sauce and wasabi or slightly cooked in soup.

Health-conscious diners will appreciate the simple Shanghainese vegetarian food served at this popular restaurant in the One Peking Road tower. The menu revels in its vegetarianism, rather than trying to emulate meat; highlights include the Golden Treasure Cold Platter, which includes delicious sweet gluten with mushrooms; the Shanghai-style cold noodles with seven different sauces; and bean-curd dumplings. Good, too, are the sweet pan-fried cakes. 

This French-owned spot specializes in thin Breton crepes filled with all sorts of sweet or savory fillings. Most of the clientele is French, which is a good indication of the authenticity of the food. Fillings for these made-fresh-to-order pancakes range from traditional to experimental; La Complète buckwheat galette is loaded with a classic combination of egg, ham, and deliciously gooey melted cheese, while L’Americaine has minced beef, Emmental cheese, tomatoes, egg, and caramelized onions. The dessert crepe selection is just as wide-ranging. La Crêperie also carries a delicious apple cider—the traditional drink of choice for accompanying galettes in Brittany.

An Italian pizza-man can often be seen working the massive brick oven at this glass-enclosed corner joint in Sanlitun, popular with Italian expats for the most authentic Napoli-style pizzas in Beijing. The classic Margherita is top-notch, with a thin crust, bubbled and charred at the edges, topped with creamy buffalo mozzarella and a perfectly tangy tomato sauce. Or you can say "when in Beijing" and try the Peking duck pizza, one of many available options. A good selection of antipasti, salads, and pastas round out the straightforward menu.

Named after Barcelona's most bustling boulevard, the Catalan-inspired recipes are the brainchild of Netflix celebrity chef Rafa Gil. Highlights from the tapas menu include the bombas (deep-fried smoked potato and meat balls covered in bread crumbs and spicy sauce) and the famous ham, cheese, and truffle “bikini” sandwiches. Another must-try is the Segovian-style roasted suckling pig, which is large enough to feed four. The elegant velvet-and-rattan main dining room is beautiful, but the place to be is on the outdoor terrace, which boasts spectacular views of Victoria Harbour. This is, without a doubt, one of the finest Spanish restaurants in the city.