Ranked by TableJourney editorial score.
Douzhi is a grey-green, sour drink of fermented mung beans, boiled and sipped hot with crisp jiaoquan fried dough rings and shredded pickles, the standard test of a Beijing palate.
Douzhi has a documented history of more than 300 years and is traced to the Liao and Song dynasties. A Qianlong-era record shows an official proposing that it be inspected and served in the palace. It is made from fermented mung beans, a by-product of cellophane noodle production, and drunk hot with jiaoquan and salted vegetables. Beijing listed the custom of eating douzhi as municipal intangible cultural heritage in 2007. Yin San brews with a starter kept from the previous day and boils it in a double boiler.
4 editor picks for Douzhi with jiaoquan (fermented mung bean drink) in Beijing, ranked by editorial score. All Beijing signature dishes · Douzhi with jiaoquan (fermented mung bean drink) across every city.
Huguosi Snacks' founding shop at 93 Huguosi Street in Beijing, open since 1956, sells over 100 halal snacks, from douzhi and jiaoquan to lüdagun and pea cake.
OrderDouzhi (fermented mung bean drink) with jiaoquan, lüdagun and pea flour cake
TipThe shop opens at 05:30, so go early for breakfast; douzhi is an acquired taste, and the 2025 city-walk guide says to pair it with jiaoquan.
Yin San Douzhi on Dongxiaoshi Street in Beijing opens at 05:30 and closes at midday, serving douzhi with braised meatballs and miancha in a ten-table shop.
OrderDouzhi with jiaoquan and braised meatballs
TipIt opens only for half a day, so come early; customers queue to the door, carry their food to a seat and often share tables with strangers.
Mingyuan Restaurant, a no-frills hutong room on Beizongbu Hutong in Beijing, serves Beijing home cooking, from fried meatballs to old-Beijing zhajiangmian.
OrderZhajiangmian and fried meatballs
TipIt has tables for ten or more, so it suits a group; add the fermented mung bean milk, a classic Beijing snack, to the fried starch sausage.
Tianxingju on Xianyukou Street near Qianmen, founded in 1862, serves Beijing-style stewed liver with steamed stuffed buns from early morning in Beijing.
OrderOrder the Beijing-style stewed liver with steamed stuffed buns, the shop's classic pairing.
TipFounded in 1862 as Huixianju, the shop opens at 07:00 on Xianyukou Street near Qianmen, so it works as a breakfast stop.
Douzhi with jiaoquan (fermented mung bean drink) makes more sense with someone from Beijing explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
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