To Try List: Brunch & Bistro, New Tacos, Burgers and More

Our To Try List covers new restaurants, dining deals, drinks discounts, guest shifts, pop-ups, and more foodie happenings in Beijing.

New restaurant Brunch & Bistro opens in Xingfucun, there’s a new taco spot in Sanlitun, The Rug launches a new burger for cheese lovers and more on our To Try List this week. 

Brunch & Bistro Opens in Xingfucun

The Xingfucun area has a new resident in the form of Brunch & Bistro, located right on the corner of Chunxiu Lu and Xinzhongdong Jie. With a bright red exterior, it’s difficult to miss and the red theme continues inside which, along with brown leather couches and exposed brick walls, gives the space a kind of chic diner vibe. 

Foodwise they’ve got an array of Western dishes like burgers, sandwiches, salads, appetizers, pasta and a few desserts as well as some signature dishes which include things like Glazed Ribs (RMB 98/half rack, RMB 168/full rack) and Roast Chicken (RMB 72). On the burger front, along with your standard Bacon Cheeseburger (RMB 55), they’ve got a couple of more unusual offerings in the Grilled Salmon Burger (RMB 66) and Grilled Beef Ribs Burger (RMB 69). To slurp on they’ve got a pretty impressive bottled beer selection as well as few on tap along with a decent cocktail menu, wine, coffee, milkshakes, smoothies and other soft drinks. 

Brunch & Bistro
North side, 6 Gongti Beili, Dongcheng District
东城区工体北里6号楼北侧
Hours: 10am-10pm
Phone: 132 6329 6686

New Taco Spot Taco Away Opens in Sanlitun

We are always excited to hear about new taco spots opening up in Beijing so you bet we were right on it when new Mexican restaurant Taco Away opened up in Sanlitun. They keep things simple with three types of tacos on the menu: Beef Tacos al Pastor (RMB 65), Pork Tacos al Pastor (RMB 60) and Tacos Carnitas Surtidas (RMB 68, pictured above). They’ve also got Quesadillas Chilorio (RMB 68), some snacks and desserts as well as a few beers, tequila and mezcal.  

Taco Away
Small gate on north side, 12 Dongzhimen Waidajie, Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区三里屯路东直门外大街12号北侧小门
Hours: Sun-Thu, 11am-11pm; Fri-Sat, 11am-midnight
Phone: 185 0065 5154

New Burger and More Dishes on The Rug’s Winter Menu

Last week The Rug launched its winter menu and they’ve got a new burger that cheese fans will love. Called the Creamy Cheese Sizzling-Iron Burger (RMB 108) it sees a bacon cheeseburger cut in half and placed on a teppanyaki-style grill then smothered in a creamy cheese sauce. Other new additions on the winter menu are the Quinoa Tofu Super Veggie Egg Benedict (RMB 98) and Sous-Vide Salmon with Crispy Skin (RMB 138). You can read more about all the new offerings here.

The Rug (Sanlitun)
Courtyard 4, Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区工体北路4号机电研究院内
Hours: 10am-10pm
Phone: 010 6507 2342

The Rug (Chaoyang Park)
Bldg 4, Lishui Jiayuan, Chaoyang Gongyuan Nanlu (opposite South Gate of Chaoyang Park), Chaoyang District
朝阳区朝阳公园南路丽水嘉园4号楼(朝阳公园南门对面)
Hours: 10am-10pm
Phone: 010 6325 7152

The Rug (Wangfujing)
Room 112, West Block, 1st Floor, Wangfu Zhonghuan, Da Yuanfu Hutong, Dongcheng District
东城区大阮府胡同王府中环1层西座112室
Hours: 10am-10pm
Phone: 010 6528 3966

Home Plate Launches New Menu

Home Plate recently revamped their menu, adding some banging new barbecue dishes. The new menu is all about blending classic American BBQ flavors with fresh bold flavors and some of our favorite new additions are the Char Siu Hong Kong Style Pork Ribs (RMB 198/400g + two sides), the Chengdu Hot Beef Jerky (RMB 68) and Cajun Fried Shrimp (RMB 68). They’ve added a plethora of new wing options, now offering the choice of Buffalo, Char Siu, Hot in Memphis, Hot Honey and Tangy Barbecue (RMB 78/for 6, RMB 128/ for 12. RMB 188/for 18, RMB 258/for 24). You can read more about the new menu here.

Home Plate Sanlitun
106, Bldg 10, Courtyard No.4, Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区工人体育馆北路4号院10号楼一层106号
Hours: 11am-11pm
Phone: 400 096 7670

Home Plate Sanyuanqiao
35 Xiaoyun Lu Courtyard, Chaoyang District
朝阳区霄云路35号院
Hours: 11am-10pm
Phone: 131 6162 2182

One Night Bar Takeover at Bottega CBD

This Saturday (Nov 2) from 7pm, Timothee Becqueriaux of Bar Mixato will be doing a one night bar takeover at Bottega’s CBD branch. For those not in the know, Bar Mixato is a cocktail bar brand launched by Starbucks Reserve Roastery that specializes in blending coffee with cocktails. Becqueriaux will be supported by Bottega’s own chief bartender Peter Kwok and they’ll me mixing up some limited edition cocktails for the evening so don’t miss it!

Bottega CBD branch
E116B-E118, 101, 1/F, Block E, Zhongjun World City, Jinhui Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区金汇路中骏世界城E座1层101内E116B, E118单元
Event hours: Nov 2, 7pm
Phone: 010 6591 5348, 186 1048 9047

Philly Cheesesteak Special at The Bake Shop 

Today (Nov 1) and tomorrow (Nov 2), The Bake Shop is doing a special Philly Cheesesteak event on their second floor terrace. They’ll be making the sandwiches right in front of you, cooking up the steak on an iron grill, topping it with caramelized onions, sauce and seasoning and then stuffing it inside one of their freshly baked crusty rolls. The sandwiches will come served with a warming glass of mulled wine. They’ll be available from noon until 5pm each day, you can read more about the event (and see a mouth-wateringly good video to get you pumped) here.

The Bake Shop 
2/F, 63 Baochao Hutong, Dongcheng District
东城区宝钞胡同63号楼上
Event hours: Nov 1-2, noon-5pm
Phone: 184 0129 0854

Día de Muertos Specials At Pebbles

In celebration of Día de Muertos, aka the Day of the Dead, Pebbles Courtyard have some special deals and dishes available for dinner today (Nov 1) and for lunch and dinner over the weekend. They’ve got a Steak and Cocktail Set Meal (RMB 188) which includes a Char-Grilled Skirt Steak served with grilled nopales and onion, frijoles, queso fresco, diced avocado and pico de gallo and a Love Hurts cocktail that combines Raicilla La Reina with pineapple juice, chipotle sauce and pungent litse fruit. Flank Steak Tamales (RMB 108), Chicken Tamales (RMB 78) and Menudo (RMB 38) will also be available. 

Pebbles Courtyard
74 Wudaoying Hutong, Dongcheng District
东城区五道营胡同74号
Hours: Tues-Thurs, 5-10pm; Fri-Sat, noon-10pm
Phone: 010 8404 0767; 138 1012 8324

Radikon Wine Tasting at uh-huh

Next Friday (Nov 8) uh-huh is doing a Radikon Master Class wine tasting event. The tasting will focus on orange and natural wines which Radikon Winery, from Friuli, Italy, is a leading producer of. You’ll get to try six different Radikon wines and will be led in a master class by Saša Radikon, son of Stanko Radikon, the founder of the winery. Tickets are RMB 358 and also include finger sandwiches and snacks, if you can’t make it for the class you can still enjoy Radikon wines by the glass or as a tasting set from 6pm. You can read more about the events and buy tickets here.

uh-huh
146 Jiaodaokounan Dajie 交道口南大街146号
Event hours: Nov 8, 2.30pm-4.30pm
Phone: 185 1594 1500

READ: To Try List: Spuds Irish Bar, New Spanish, Taiwanese & More

Images: Katie Coy, Vincent R. Vinci, courtesy of the venues, Dianping