History

Beijing's best-known meat pie is the menting roubing, named for the studs on palace gates, and a story says the imperial kitchen first made it for Empress Dowager Cixi. Its traditional filling is beef and spring onion. The Eryouju shop, established by the imperial chef Chang Eryou in 1921, later became the Huatian Eryouju meat pie restaurant. Today the pies are a neighbourhood meal: Beijing Pie in Xila Hutong sells them thin-skinned and generously filled, and Jingdong Chengji sells pork, lamb and beef versions.

Book a food experience

Tours, tastings and classes that match this page, bookable on GetYourGuide.

Browse every bookable food experience

Common allergens: Gluten, Soy, Sesame

Make it at home

Yield Makes 8Hands-on 45 minTotal 1 hr 15 minDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 300g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 170ml hot water, about 80C
  • 400g minced beef, about 20 percent fat
  • 4 spring onions, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp grated ginger
  • 2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
  • 80ml cold water
  • Neutral oil, for frying
  • Black vinegar, to serve

Method

  1. Stir the hot water into the flour, knead for 5 minutes, cover and rest for 30 minutes.
  2. Mix the beef with the ginger, soy sauce, salt and white pepper. Beat in the cold water, a spoonful at a time, stirring in one direction until the meat turns sticky. Fold in the spring onion and sesame oil.
  3. Divide the dough into 8 pieces and roll each into a 14cm round. Put a mound of filling in the centre of each, gather the edges over it and pinch to seal, then press flat with your palm to 10cm.
  4. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wide, lidded frying pan over medium heat and fry 3 or 4 pies for 3 minutes on one side until golden.
  5. Turn them over, add 3 tbsp water, cover and cook for 4 minutes, then uncover and fry for 1 minute more until the water has evaporated and the second side is crisp. Repeat with the remaining pies and serve hot with black vinegar.

Tip from the editors. Beat the water into the meat in one direction until the filling turns sticky; that is what makes the pie run with juice.

Where to eat roubing (beijing meat pies)

Roubing (Beijing meat pies) in Beijing

Beijing Pie (Xila Hutong) ★ 4.1

¥ Northern ChineseWangfujing

Beijing Pie in Xila Hutong, Beijing, is known for thin-skinned, juicy, generously filled roubing meat pies, served with Kung Pao chicken and home dishes.

TryRoubing meat pies and Kung Pao chicken

TipThe city's 2026 Spring Festival guide calls it a top choice for authentic home-style Beijing food; fried meatballs and fried starch sausage sit beside the pies.

Directions

Jingdong Chengji Roubing (Longtan) ★ 3.5

¥ Northern ChineseQianmen Dashilar

Jingdong Chengji Roubing on Fuguang Road in Beijing is a meat pie shop west of Building 17 in Xingfu Beili, open for lunch and dinner on the Dianping list.

TryRoubing, Beijing meat pies

TipService breaks from 14:00 to 17:00, so go at lunch or after 17:00; the Beijinger lists it near Guangminglou and Longtan Lake in its 2025 rundown.

Directions

All Beijing signature dishes →

More cities are in research. Want roubing (beijing meat pies) covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.

Browse all dishes →