The Cedar Tavern of Factory 798, where everyone who is anyone runs into someone they know.

The gold standard in Peking Duck, featuring a special set of seasonings.

Turns effortlessly from white-collar weekday lunch spot to Sunday brunch hangout to post-clubbing oasis, serving a menu of Taiwanese dishes and sweets.

Instant-boil mutton has never tasted so good.

High design pervades this fusion favorite, from the tall chairs to the rose petals surrounding the excellent sesame beef.

Halal standard at the narrowest point of Houhai lake.

Aernout Mik loves this subspecies of Sichuan hotpot, in which the ingredients (frog, eel, beef, lamb) are tossed with a mix of trance inducing herbs and spices.
A very local and cheap resto, super spicy.

Refined twists on the standard northern Chinese repertoire, with fantastic duck and lobster dishes.

New spins on the Sichuan classics amidst China-chic decor; try the cumin fish.

Called just “the cafeteria” by the inner circle of artist and owner Ai Weiwei, and serving the refined southern cuisine of his native Zhejiang.

Vegetables that look and taste like meat on a quiet street near the Lama Temple.

Spicy Hunan classics on the west bank of Beijing’s Houhai lake. By artist Fang Lijun.

The International Olympic Committee was based at this newish arrival during the Beijing games. It may not yet be as famous—or lived-in—as its Singapore sibling, but the properties share a focus on personalized service and this location is a stone's throw from Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. -reviewed by Indagare Travel, Inc.

A good choice for travelers looking for a dose of tranquility in the buzzing city, the St. Regis sits on a leafy, embassy-lined street. Not that there isn't plenty of on-site entertainment, including Jazz concerts at its cigars-and-whiskey Press Club Bar and a ten-pin bowling alley. -reviewed by Indagare Travel, Inc.

Regular upgrades have allowed the Peninsula to keep up with the new arrivals of Beijing five-stars, and service—the hotel company's calling card—remains top-notch. The two gold Rolls-Royces that pick up VIPs are legendary as is the hotel's fortuitous address: on Goldfish Lane. -reviewed by Indagare Travel, Inc.