6 Best Restaurants in Beijing to Shanghai, China

Bai Wei Jiaozi Cheng

$$ Fodor's choice
Set in the Qinhuangdao Sea View Hotel, this immensely popular restaurant is adorned with red lanterns and gold dragons. Although known for its huge array of truly juicy dumplings, it serves other Chinese specialties as well.

Da Pai Dang

$$ Fodor's choice

Lined with street-food-style stalls, this wildly popular, well-established dining hall—the original and best of five locations around town—dishes up Yangtze wetlands specialities, including appetizers and soups that emphasize local vegetables rather than the usual starchy offerings; Nanjing's famous salted duck, served sliced on the bone; and steamers full of duck dumplings. Order from the picture menu (with tiny English translations) or get up and browse, pointing to what you want and giving your table number to a costumed attendant.

Malena Belgian Beer Bar

$$ Fodor's choice
With a huge beer list, decent cocktails, and great Western food, Malena is popular with travelers and expats. The people-watching here is good, too, thanks to a lively outdoor terrace and a Quancheng Square location.
Belgian Lunch Dinner $$ Fodor's Choice
Quancheng Sq., Ji'nan, Shandong Sheng, 25000, China
0531-8601–6627
Known For
  • wood-fired pizza
  • good salads
  • English-speaking staff

Recommended Fodor's Video

Trio el Bistro

$$ Fodor's choice
Run by a young local guy who studied in Texas, this hole-in-the-wall taco bar serves up arguably the best Mexican food in town. All three of the hefty signature tacos are worth a try, and there’s a decent selection of sides and craft beers, too.
Mexican Dinner $$ Fodor's Choice
13 Laiwuer Lu, Qingdao, Shandong Sheng, 266000, China
186-5321–9327
Known For
  • strong cocktails
  • expat following
  • hip setting
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues.

Wumen Renjia

$$$ Fodor's choice

Shelled river shrimp (wumen xiaren) are a light and delicate signature dish at this lovely restaurant, accessed via a narrow alley north of Lion's Grove Garden. The busy kitchen also pulls off a crisp rendition of the region's famous songshu guiyu (squirrel fish), scored and fried so that the white meat fans outward in chopstick-friendly mouthfuls; sweet-and-sour sauce completes the experience.

Xichengyuan Wonton

$ Fodor's choice

Locals squeeze around tables at this simple eatery, a quick hop from the Master of the Nets Garden, to lunch on mouthwateringly zingy wonton soup and xiaolongbao (freshly steamed, soup-filled pork dumplings). There is no menu—order at the entrance, take a number, and find a seat.