Outdoor Dining

A restaurant situated on Gulou Dongdajie that does lamb spine (羊蝎子 yáng xiē zi) hot pot, as well as arge range of barbecue options. 

The Roof bags the Topwin Center’s most coveted spot as well as the complex’s least original name, a fitting motif as you overlook the south side of Sanlitun among the area’s young elite. However, there’s no doubt that The Roof, with its horizon-dissecting waterways, umbrellas and turf, and waiters decked out in all-white, makes for a fine spot for a cocktail, a serene evening with a hookah, or even a bowl full of oysters. You get the idea.

Yunnan-inspired private dining in a quiet restored courtyard art space near Zhangzizhong Lu. Book in advance through their Weidian: 吾十小院

Smart Italian-run Italian restaurant with attractive decor and an especially large outside seating area, previously named Florentina. Serves up great homemade pastas, pizzas, and meat and fish mains.

Courtyard restaurant specializing in Imperial cuisine

Beijing's first proper food truck comes courtesy of the Opposite House, stationed on a sunny patch of their forecourt in Taikoo Li North. The short-but-sweet food menu boasts gourmet baozi and mantou, fusing Southeast Asian flavors with traditional techniques.

Down a deserted alley, just at the point that doubt starts to creep, Susu welcomes you into her twinkling, ever-so-modish folds. A courtyard oasis whose designer dazzle bears the stamp of Apothecary and Modo, it makes a supremely assuring first impression. Run by former Stone Boat owners Amy Li and Jonathan Ansfield - who also opened Thai restaurant Tuk Tuk - Susu has two chefs from Saigon working the kitchen. Lunch sets feature pho, Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches and banh xeo crepes, while at dinner you've got caramelized claypot dishes, Vietnamese stews and "the fabled La Vong Fish."

Courtyard restaurant serves Italian fare (pasta, pizza), traditional teas and claims to have a mostly organic menu. Set lunches available.

This restaurant next to the Today Art Museum in Pingod serves dumplings of various kinds - "lao Beijing" style, Dongbei style, "xiang la" spicy dumplings, seafood dumplings, pork, beef etc. They also do a small range of seafood dishes, including stir-fried clams, scallops etc., Hunan dishes and a range of other homestyle favorites.

Another of Pingod's hip homestyle restaurants, Billy Zhan does grilled fish, grilled tofu, dry pot cauliflower (gan guo cai hua) and guo bao rou in a distinctively pink hued venue.