When it comes to eating food in Beijing, you will be faced with two options – going left or right down the street. Most of the time you have to explore Beijing’s streets to find something that might look tasty. It’s a risk but most of the time, it’s a risk worth taking. I would recommend organising your trips into Beijing through China Tours and it is also worth booking through China Hotels. Otherwise, for those days when you feel like something easy and something similar to eat, then this article is for you. I will talk in particular about two restaurants I have been to so far.
Gung Ho Pizza
Tasty Pizza in Sanlitun
Gung Ho is a pizzeria take away and dine in restaurant in the heart of the Chaoyong district in Sanlitun, Beijing. This place is perfect for pizza lovers and westerner’s who want a slice of something familiar. The pizza menu is different from typical pizza combinations and has different styles. The main attraction of the pizza is the whole wheat flour base and top with their signature toppings. Some combinations are wild such as the Camembert and blackcurrant or the spinach pesto pizzas. The menu is stylish and the place has a special atmosphere to it due to the service of the staff. The business pride themselves on their service, when a delivery takes place, they shout “Gung Ho!” and have a rapid pace of work to add to the feel. The term ‘Gung Ho’ in Mandarin actually means ‘to be dedicated’ or ‘enthusiastic’ so that would explain the reason of the fast and charismatic style.
Prices vary but if you are looking for something that eats well and will leave you satisfied for a quick meal, then Gung Ho is a must.
Blue Frog
The Blue Frog
For a more up beat and even more western style of food, choose the Blue Frog located in The Village, Sanlitun district. This place serves all kinds of foods from pasta to its main feature- burgers. The burgers are huge so be careful when ordering as you may find that your eyes are bigger than your stomach. The place itself has a great vibe to it and will almost take you out of China for a while as there is TV, pool, familiar foods and not surprisingly, a lot of western faces. Be sure to check out this place during Happy Hour where you can take advantage of the half price burger promotion.
The Village also offers a lot of western style foods such as Mexican, Gourmet and Italian so you will never be out of choices when coming here. However, as with everything western in Beijing, it will be expensive so be weary of this. I got the spicy chicken burger meal here and it cost me around 120Yuan which is a decent price for a top end restaurant in the heart of Beijing.
In my next blog I will continue to talk about other areas across Beijing that are good to eat for Western styles. I will also look into Raffles City food court and what they offer there. Be sure to check out China Travel for more information on getting around the city and booking your trip here.
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