30 editor picks across China.
30 casual dining worth the trip across China, editor-ranked by TableJourney. All China guides.
Hong 0871 in an industrial park in Beijing's east serves Yunnan cooking with ingredients shipped from the province, and a menu that changes regularly.
OrderStewed pig skin with red bean and preserved vegetable when available, and the Tengchong clay-pot dish.
TipIt sits a bit out of the way in an industrial park, and Ctrip lists free parking, so a taxi or car is the easiest way to arrive.
Dahuaishu Grill on Meishuguan East Street in Beijing cooks beef, lamb and pork on an iron griddle in the old zhizi kaorou style, with egg-fried mantou slices.
OrderGrilled pork belly, beef tongue and lamb, with egg-fried mantou slices and gedatang soup.
TipCtrip lists a waiting area and free parking, so expect a queue at peak hours; the egg-fried mantou slices are a side worth adding.
Minzhongmin, listed as Fujian Cuisine on Dongsanhuan North Road in Beijing, cooks Fujian country recipes, from red crab on sticky rice to ginger duck.
OrderSteamed red crab on sticky rice, the heirloom ginger duck and the creamy mashed taro dessert.
TipThe owner and chefs come from Xiamen and bring produce and seafood from Fujian; the room sits in Kaidexingmao, units 110-111 on the ground floor.
Lao Chuan Ban opened in 1979 as Sichuan's Beijing office restaurant and has served homestyle Sichuan dishes to the public since 1995, in a hutong in Beijing.
OrderMouth-watering chicken in peanut and sesame sauce, fuqi feipian and maoxuewang.
TipThe restaurant opened in 1979 for the Sichuan provincial office; Ctrip lists a waiting area, free Wi-Fi and baby chairs, so arrive early at mealtimes.
Bad Ass Lamb Hot Pot on Maizidian West Street in Beijing serves lamb hot pot with 15 cuts of lamb and hand-sliced meat swished in a broth of your choice.
OrderHand-sliced lamb, the lamb shin and the blanched lamb head with cumin, with malabar spinach.
TipTry the lamb shin, which tastes less greasy after a few seconds in the broth, and the blanched lamb head seasoned with cumin.
Beiping San Xiongdi on Dongzhimen Inner Street in Beijing serves old-style instant-boiled lamb in copper pots on Ghost Street, open until 03:00.
OrderHand-cut fresh lamb and the prime top cut, with house sesame sauce, sugared garlic and red willow skewers.
TipCtrip lists a waiting area and folk performances at the tables; the late 03:00 close means a quiet table after the evening rush.
Xiang Bin Xuan on Huayuan Road in Beijing cooks authentic Hunan food, known for its chopped-chilli fish head and Yongzhou-style fried duck, plus stinky tofu.
OrderThe chopped-chilli fish head, Yongzhou-style fried duck and the stinky tofu.
TipExpect a queue at mealtimes, so arrive early or reserve by phone; the Michelin Guide also lists stinky tofu and mugwort dumplings as snacks.
Jing Hua Lou on Datun North Road in Beijing revives Qing-era banquet-house dishes, such as crispy duo and smoked pork head, in a second-floor dining room.
OrderOrder the crispy duo blanched in oil, sliced smoked pork head, and rose puff pastry to finish.
TipDiners are escorted from a retro entrance to a lofty dining room on level 2; Ctrip lists a waiting area and large tables for 10 or more.
Hu Da Restaurant, the Guijie flagship at 233 Dongzhimen Inner Street in Beijing, is known for spicy crayfish and never closes, a landmark on Ghost Street.
OrderCrayfish in garlic or Sichuan-spice flavours, Chongqing-style la zi ji chicken and mala scallops.
TipIt never closes, so a late table is easier than at dinner; Ctrip's dish list leads with garlic crayfish, Chongqing spicy chicken and mala scallops.
Liuji Zhizi Kaorou on Lazhu Hutong in Beijing grills beef, lamb and squid on an iron griddle in the old zhizi kaorou style, near Hufangqiao in Xicheng.
OrderGrilled beef, beef tongue and lamb, with squid whiskers and chicken gristle skewers.
TipCtrip lists a waiting area, so expect a queue at mealtimes; the city food guide suggests Beibingyang soda or erguotou with the grilled meat.
Ritan Shuanrou, the original shop at the east gate of Ritan Park in Beijing, serves halal instant-boiled mutton in small cloisonne copper pots.
OrderInstant-boiled mutton in the small copper pot, dipped in sesame sauce, with sugared garlic.
TipThis park-gate shop is the original; the Chaoyang district guide says it is on the 2025 Dianping Bichibang list, and it serves in small copper pots.
Bao Bao Hao on Chaoyangmen North Street in Beijing has served sizzling Cantonese claypot dishes since 2000, in a room styled after Guangzhou's old Xiguan.
OrderOrder the sand ginger chicken from the claypot, and the Cantonese cured sausage claypot rice.
TipClaypot dishes are seared to order over fierce heat for smoky wok hei, and the room is jam-packed at mealtimes, so reserve ahead.
Jingyi on Liulichang East Street in Beijing is a small alley room with a short calligraphic menu of Hubei river fish and home cooking, with limited seats.
OrderBraised tofu with fish roe, hot and sour young lotus root with chicken gizzards, osmanthus grass jelly.
TipSeats are limited, so come early or expect to wait in line; in winter, ask for the piping-hot egg-drop glutinous rice wine.
Hong Fan Qie's Yuyuantan South Road flagship in Beijing cooks Hubei dishes from daily-shipped ingredients on a menu that follows the 24 solar terms.
OrderOrder the long-snout catfish with tomato and the sauteed young lotus seeds.
TipThe menu follows the 24 solar terms, so ask what is seasonal; Ctrip lists a waiting area, tables for ten or more and free parking.
Zhungeer on Longtan Road in Beijing cooks Xinjiang dishes, from big plate chicken to red-braised naan-wrapped lamb, with free parking on site.
OrderBig plate chicken, red-braised naan-wrapped lamb and the tomahawk hand-grasped lamb with pilaf.
TipCtrip lists free parking, a phone-charging point and large tables for ten or more; the kitchen runs straight through the afternoon on weekends.
Duoweiju at the corner of Fuxue Hutong and Zhong Jianzi Alley in Beijing cooks Yunnan dishes, from bamboo fungus steam-pot chicken to cross-bridge noodles.
OrderBamboo fungus steam-pot chicken, cross-bridge rice noodles and the crisp taro.
TipCtrip lists a waiting area and free parking; service breaks between lunch and dinner, with a shorter lunch on Monday, so check the hours.
Smokin' Hog on Wuding Road in Shanghai smokes Texas-style brisket and ribs, a project a husband-and-wife team grew from pop-ups into a brick-and-mortar.
OrderThe Texas-style brisket and the smoked pork ribs.
TipThe brisket smokes low for 16 to 18 hours and a 9 kg raw cut cooks down to about 3 kg, so order it first.
Lao Zheng Xing on Fuzhou Road in Shanghai has held a Michelin star for nine straight years, serving clay-pot yanduxian with bamboo shoots and pork.
OrderYanduxian, the clay-pot spring soup of salted pork, fresh pork belly and bamboo shoots.
TipFounded in 1862 and at this address since 1997, it now fills several floors; try the yellow croaker in wine lees sauce too.
Qiantang Garden on Shuangyushu North Road in Beijing has cooked Ningbo seafood since the early 2000s, with fish tanks and shipments from the owner's hometown.
OrderOil-blanched river shrimp with vinegar and ginger, hairtail, and house-made waxberry juice.
TipPick the fish from the tank and ask how to cook it; the Michelin Guide singles out oil-blanched river shrimp and hairtail prepared several ways.
Hua Sheng Feng on Dongsanhuan South Road in Beijing serves Wenzhou seafood and home dishes from live tanks by the entrance, opened by a Wenzhou native.
OrderMud snails in scallion oil and the gingery pork tripe soup with egg omelette, plus tank seafood.
TipChoose your seafood from the live fish tanks by the entrance and ask the staff for the best way to cook it.
La Roba on Zaojunmiao Road in Beijing is a Yunnan restaurant named for a Nuosu subgroup, with ethnic decor and a menu of classic Yunnan dishes.
OrderThe millefeuille pea flour pancake and the Dali-style fish braised in pickled papaya.
TipExpect a queue at peak periods; the Michelin Guide recommends the chewy millefeuille pea flour pancake and Dali fish braised in pickled papaya.
Yue Xiao Guan on Chaoyangmen Nanxiaojie in Beijing is a Cantonese restaurant serving stone-ground rice rolls and Zhanjiang oysters until midnight.
OrderStone-ground egg rice rolls, salt-and-pepper jiudu fish and ginger-scallion Zhanjiang oysters.
TipThe kitchen serves until midnight, so it suits a late dinner; Ctrip lists a waiting area for the mealtime queue.
Dongsi Minfang on Chaoyangmen Inner Street in Beijing cooks Beijing home dishes, from fried meatballs to fish head with flatbread, and roast duck by the half.
OrderHalf a roast duck, stewed hairtail, fish head with flatbread and fried meatballs in sweet and sour sauce.
TipCtrip lists tables for eight to ten and sofa seating, so groups should reserve; the room is on the 2025 Dianping Bichibang list.
Erpangjia on Qingnian Road in Beijing stews a whole Qiqihar goose in a big iron pot, eaten dry first, then with broth for dipping vegetables, until 01:00.
OrderThe whole iron-pot stewed goose, first dry, then with broth and vegetables.
TipEat the goose dry first, then add broth and cook vegetables in it; the district guide says one goose weighs about seven and a half jin.
Legend Taste on Kangding Road in Shanghai is a no-frills Yunnan restaurant serving southern minority dishes like black chicken salad from a covered terrace.
OrderBlack chicken salad with lemon chili and the wild vegetable pancake.
TipThe terrace out front is the more relaxed seat; the dining room inside is cozy and can feel tight.
Di Shui Dong on Maoming South Road in Shanghai is a loud, busy Hunan restaurant whose cumin-cooked spare ribs keep weekend queues forming at this branch.
OrderCumin spare ribs, shredded pig ears with chilli and the steamed jiaozi.
TipExpect a wait on weekends even at this bigger second location, and a buzzing, loud room once you are seated.
Jianguo 328 on West Jianguo Road in Shanghai cooks MSG-free Benbang classics, drawing crowds for its dried-shrimp scallion oil noodles and pork belly.
OrderScallion oil noodles and the red-braised pork belly.
TipReserve ahead and aim for off-peak hours; the noodles pair well with the crispy pork chop.
Mao Long on Jinxian Road in Shanghai has served no-frills Shanghainese home cooking since 1989, run out of a five-table room by a mother and her daughter.
OrderThe braised pork the family is proudest of, plus whatever seafood came in that morning.
TipIt seats about 20 across five tables, so a short wait for a table is normal at peak hours.
Easeful Cuisine on South Shaanxi Road in Shanghai earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand for its Zhejiang cooking, served from a second-floor dining room.
OrderThe boneless smoked cod fried to order and the charred brown sugar walnut rice cake.
TipBeyond the main dining room there are six private areas, useful for a group; the seafood comes mostly from Zhejiang.
Garlic Barbecue on Jianguo East Road in Shanghai smokes beef brisket over lychee wood for 18 hours, then closes for the day once the meat is gone.
OrderBeef brisket carved to order and the smoked beef short ribs.
TipShow up early on a weekday; the brisket and ribs can sell out by early afternoon.
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