In Case You Weren't Paying Attention: This Season's Beijing Restaurant and Bar Openings

It happens to the best of us: you've forgotten to pay attention to the Beijinger blog. If that's you, here is a reminder of all the exciting, shiny, new things that opened in our city this autumn that you should get out there and try.

EATS

Döner Kebab
It’s increasingly freezing cold outside, thanks to the influence of this year's La Niña, so we understand why you probably just want to stay at home, curled up on the sofa with a thick blanket and sipping hot chocolate. Unfortunately, however, you do still have to leave the house for mundane things like work and human interaction, in which case you may start craving warm, filling comfort foods like a good old doner kebab.

RELATED: 4 Best New Brunches in Town

Steak House
Any protein fiends that stop by Steak House to get their fix will be heartily satisfied. The recently opened, and aptly (albeit unoriginally) named restaurant is situated on the third floor of the Topwin mall. It's a spacious, softly lit venue with 300 seats yet minimal noise, making it ideal for a date night or a semi-formal business lunch.

Saigon Mama (also pictured at top)
Taking over a spot on the third floor of Taikoo Li South formerly occupied by a forgettable hot pot place (I think ... that's how memorable it clearly was), Saigon Mama serves authentic Vietnamese cuisine in a fast-casual setting. With two branches already established in Shanghai (the original location on Nanjing Xilu and a new branch in the Riyueguang Center near Dapu Qiao), both the food and the space feel polished and confident.

Mr. Charcoal
Not to be confused with the recently troubled Charcoal bar and grill in Shunyi, new Lido venue Mr. Charcoal is readying its own range of protein rife fare.We expect this bar and restaurant will stay open much longer than its similarly named Shunyi counterpart, considering the tasty, East-meets-West pub grub on its menu. Highlights include the RMB 15 corn niblet skewers which were a big hit at our recent Pizza Festival. These flame kissed bits of crisp vegetable are gently dusted with chili powder, resulting in a spicy sweet flavor that goes well with its lightly crisp texture.

Lou Jau Cha Don
We always feel like Sanlitun doesn't have enough high-quality Chinese options, and unfortunately, Lou Jau Cha Don, which recently opened in Sanlitun Soho, won't be changing that sentiment any time soon. It did slightly redeem itself though thanks to a strong dose of milk tea.

DRINKS

​The Little Smoke
The Little Smoke is the neighboring offshoot of popular southern barbecue joint The Big Smoke, and is fit for knocking back cocktails in rapid succession while chowing down on a range of thirst-inducing pub snacks. Those adverse to salty fare won't like these options, which include all-beef mini corn dogs, fresh-baked pretzel bites, hand-cut truffle oil fries, and gooey mozzarella sticks.

RELATED: Beijing's Newest Brewpubs You Won't Want to Miss

Bronze
The bar may be called Bronze, but a better name for its whiskey selection would be “sterling.” Indeed, this new Shuangjing venue has dozens of varieties on offer, including Speyside, Highland, and Japanese options.

Vesuvio
Bottega, recently recognized as Beijing's best pizza by you, our loyal readers, has opened a new bar on the top floor of their establishment: Vesuvio. The atmospherically-lit bar is small and cozy, with a stairwell and curtains seperating the two venues.

Tao House
More than 1,000 bottles of wine are stacked onto the racks built into the third-floor rafters of Topwin Center's newest bar, Tao House.The recently opened wine and cigar lounge feels like a cozy yet exclusive den. Even though it's primarily a wine bar (with bottles like Chilean Ulman Gran Reserva for RMB 880, Australian Holymount Estate Black Hedge Shiraz for RMB 880, 1999 French Chateau Langoa Barton for RMB 1,800, and many more on hand), Tao House's hardwood tables and bar, cushy leather sofas and chairs, not to mention a plethora of cigars, will leave you feeling more compelling than Dos Equis' Most Interesting Man in the World.

Mao Mao Chong (Guanghua Lu)
"The pollution today is terrible, so you'll need to drink something," says Eric Liu, mixing up a concoction brimming with pear juice, because that fruit supposedly has plenty of toxin fighting properties. But of course the Mao Mao Chong owner and bartender isn't readying a purely wholesome drink – it also has a generous splash of Grasovka vodka, along with bitters, honey, and a submerged cinnamon stick for a final touch of spice. Liu calls it the Peking Opera (RMB 60), and it's one of the many new cocktails on offer at his recently opened Guanghua Lu Soho location.

High Town Brewpub
Fast changeovers are nothing new in Nali Patio, where High Town has taken the space previously occupied by Particles Kitchen less than a year after its opening. From outside this new venue (which hopefully has more luck in this space), you can feel the straight-forward vibe coming off the black walls decorated with only their logo. Stepping inside, you will find that the 300-square-meter seating space is divided into two areas: the front is a bar complete with a blackboard naming the nine beers on tap, and a larger dining area is in the back. Behind the bar, you can get a glimpse of some of the brewing taking place.

More stories by this author here.

Email: margauxschreurs@truerun.com
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Photos courtesy of Tao House, Tracy Wang, Kyle Mullin, Robynne Tindall, courtesy of Bronze