Down a residential hútòng alley, hidden behind a nondescript facade, is this fantastic bar that's so much your quintessential speakeasy that it even makes its own hooch. It's a classy dark-lit space, where they distill their own gin and vodka on-site, to go with a menu of original and classic cocktails.
It's run by the same team as Capital Spirits, and a free rickshaw runs between the two on Friday and Saturdays evenings.
oGreat Leap BrewingBREWERY
(GLB #6, 大跃啤酒, Dàyuè Píjiǔ MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.greatleapbrewing.com; 6 Doujiao Hutong, 豆角胡同6号 beer per pint ¥25-50; h2-11pm Sun-Thu, to midnight Fri & Sat; bLine 8 to Shichahai, exit C)
Běijīng's original microbrewery, this refreshingly simple courtyard bar, set up by American beer enthusiast Carl Setzer, is housed in a hard-to-find, but beautifully renovated, 100-year-old Qing dynasty courtyard and serves up a wonderful selection of unique ales made largely from locally sourced ingredients. Sip on familiar favourites such as pale ales and porters, or choose from China-inspired tipples like Honey Ma, a brew made with lip-tingling Sìchuān peppercorns.
Cafe ConfuciusCAFE
(秀冠咖啡, Xiù Guàn Kāfēi MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 25 Guozijian Jie, 国子监街25号 h8.30am-8.30pm; W; bLines 2, 5 to Yonghegong-Lama Temple, exit C)
This smart and friendly cafe has an understated Buddhist theme with a good tea selection, speciality coffee, lassis, juices, and Western and Chinese dishes.
CRAFT BEERS & BARBEQUE
A revolution began in Běijīng in 2010. For once, it didn't concern politics. Instead, it was all about beer. When Great Leap Brewing and Slow Boat Brewery started making their own ales from 100% local ingredients, it marked the emergence of the capital's very own craft breweries. Now, at least five microbreweries are operating in Běijīng.
Great Leap, Slow Boat Brewery, Jing A Brewing, and Arrow Factory Brewing (箭厂啤酒; Jiàn Píjiǔchǎng MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %010 8532 5335; www.arrowfactorybrewing.com; 1 Xindong Lu, on Liangmaqiao Lu; 新东路1号外交公寓亮马河南岸 h11.30am-midnight Tue-Thu, to 2am Fri & Sat; W; bLine 10 to Agricultural Exhibition Center) are by far the best of the North American expat brewers, but Chinese microbreweries such as NBeer and Panda Brew ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.pandabrew.com.cn; 14 Dongsi Beidajie; 东四北大街14号 beers from ¥40; h10am-1am; W; bLine 5 to Beixinqiao, exit C), among others, have risen to the challenge and produce equally impressive ales.
And with craft beers increasingly popular with both locals and foreigners, there are more and more places around town where you can sample their ales.
Sānlǐtún & Cháoyáng
oJing A BrewingMICROBREWERY
(京A Brewing Co. MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.jingabrewing.com; Courtyard 4, 1949 Hidden City, off Gongrentiyuchang Beilu, 工体北路4号院 beers ¥40-60; h5pm-1am Mon-Thu, 4pm-2am Fri, 11am-2am Sat, 11am-midnight Sun; W; bLine 10 to Tuanjiehu, exit A or D)
Though Jing A has been brewing in Běijīng at Big Smoke ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %010 6416 5195; 1/F Lee World Bldg, Xingfucun Zhong Lu; 幸福村中路57号利世商务楼一层 dishes from ¥36; h11am-midnight Mon-Thu, to 1am Fri & Sat, to 10pm Sun; bLine 2 to Dongsi Shitiao, exit B) for some time, now it's finally opened its own taproom. Set within the classy red-brick 1949 precinct, the bar has earned its reputation as a producer of some of Běijīng's best (and most experimental) beers, with a fantastic selection of ales using local ingredients.
There are 15 beers on tap, featuring a mix of core and seasonal ales, and a few guest breweries. Signature beers include the Flying Fist IPA and Worker's Pale Ale, but keep an eye out for the Airpocalypse IPA, the price of which fluctuates in accordance to the air pollution index – the more polluted, the cheaper it is! Happy hour is ¥10 off beers to 7pm.
There's good food too, from kimchi Ruben sandwiches to pan-fried Yunnan cheese and air-dried Sichuan pork.
oParlorCOCKTAIL BAR
(香, Xiāng MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %010 8444 4135; 39-9 Xingfu'ercun, Xindong Lu, 新东路幸福二村39-9号 cocktails from ¥65; h6pm-late; bLine 2 to Dongsi Shitiao, exit B)
Discretely positioned away from Sānlǐtún's main strip, Parlor aims to re-create the atmosphere of an old-school Shànghǎi speakeasy. Here you'll get bartenders in bow ties mixing originals and classics, a solid wooden bar counter and the roaring 1920s decor. To find it, walk to the end of an alley leading into a car park just before the Bank of China on Xingfu'ercun and look for the wooden door and sign.
There's also upstairs seating, with jazz bands and swing classes on Sunday to Thursday nights.
Běihǎi Park & Xīchéng North
oNBeer PubBAR
(牛啤堂, Niú Pí Táng MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %010 8328 8823; www.nbcraftbrewing.com; Huguo Xintiandi, 85 Huguosi Dajie, 护国寺大街85号护国新天地一层 bottles from ¥25, draft ¥35-50; h3pm-2am; W; bLines 4, 6 to Ping’anli, exit B)
In a scene dominated by North American expats, NBeer is an all-Chinese affair that produces some of Běijīng's best beers. It has a massive 37 ales on tap behind a bar made from Lonely Planet guidebooks! The majority are brewed on-site and include a variety of IPAs, pale ales, stouts and European-style ales. It also boasts the biggest fridge of beers in Běijīng.
The food is also good, including excellent cheeseburgers and enormous, juicy kebabs. Visit before 7pm for 30% discounts on all draft beers.
It's on the ground floor of a multifloor complex known as Xīntiāndì, at the western end of Huguosi Dajie. You can sometimes sit on the patio out the back in summer and spy Jīngāng Hall (金刚殿; Jīngāng Diàn), originally built in 1284 and the only surviving feature of Hùguó Temple, which this hútòng is named after.
3Entertainment
Běijīng is the cultural capital of China and by far the best place to be if you’re interested in seeing anything from ballet and contemporary dance, to jazz or punk bands. Then there are the traditional local pastimes such as Peking opera (jīngjù) and acrobatic shows, as well as movies, theatre and Běijīng’s various sports teams.
oDDCLIVE MUSIC
(黄昏黎明俱乐部, Huánghūn Límíng Jùlèbù, Dusk Dawn Club MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %010 6407 8969; https://site.douban.com/237627; 14 Shanlao Hutong, 山老胡同14号 tickets free-¥60; hnoon-1am; bLines 6, 8 to Nanluoguxiang, exit B, or Line 5 to Zhangzizhonglu, exit D)
One of the capital's current favourite spots to catch Chinese indie, punk and metal bands, DDC is an intimate space located down a nondescript hútòng. Its courtyard bar is also a good place for a drink, with a wide selection of Běijīng craft beers (from ¥30), on tap (including a few of their own brews) and cheap cocktails (from ¥35) at its bar made up of Lonely Planet guidebooks.
DDC was established by a collective of Chinese musicians, artists and curators to foster a Běijīng underground subculture.
oHot Cat ClubLIVE MUSIC
(热力猫俱乐部, Rèlìmāo Jùlèbù MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 46 Fangjia Hutong, 方家胡同46号 h10am-midnight; bLine 2 to Andingmen)
Hot Cat Club is one of the city's most popular venues with its sticky-carpet pub feel and nightly roster of local and foreign guitar-slinging bands playing everything from rock 'n' roll to electronica. Gigs are usually free, but there are a few paid events. Walk behind the stage to access the grungy beer garden.
oSchool BarCONCERT VENUE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %010 6402 8881; https://site.douban.com/school; 53 Wudaoying Hutong, 东城区五道营胡同53号 tickets around ¥50; h6pm-2am; bLines 2, 5 to Yonghegong-Lama Temple, exit D)
Another reason why hip Wudaoying Hutong is too cool for school, this divey band venue is the best spot to tap into the capital's underground scene. Run by a couple of veteran Běijīng punks, it hosts quality gigs from local and touring punk, garage, indie and noise to hard-core and metal bands.
National Centre for the Performing ArtsCLASSICAL MUSIC
(国家大剧院, Guójiā Dājùyuàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %010 6655 0000; www.chncpa.org/ens; 2 Xichang’an Jie, 西长安街2号 tickets ¥80-880; hperformances 7.30pm; bLine
1 to Tian'anmen West, exit C)
Sometimes called the National Grand Theatre, this spectacular Paul Andreu–designed dome, known to Beijingers as the ‘Alien Egg’, attracts as many architectural tourists as it does music fans. But it’s the place to listen to classical music from home and abroad. You can also watch ballet, opera and classical Chinese dance here.
National Centre for the Performing Arts, Běijīng | CHRIS LEE/500PX/GETTY IMAGES ©
Cháng’ān Grand TheatrePEKING OPERA
(长安大戏院, Cháng’ān Dàxìyuàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %010 6510 1310; Chang’an Bldg, 7 Jianguomennei Dajie, 建国门内大街7号 tickets ¥50-800; hperformances 7.30pm; bLines 1, 2 to Jianguomen, exit A)
This large theatre, with its distinctive model of a Peking-opera mask standing outside, offers a genuine experience, with the erudite audience chatting away knowledgably among themselves during the daily performances of Peking-opera classics – this is a place for connoisseurs, although there are usually English captions on a screen to one side of the stage.
Matinées, when they have them, usually start at 2pm; evening shows at 7.30pm. Most shows last for around two hours. Buy tickets in person from the ticket office here. Shows rarely sell out, but the cheaper seats often do. Note, there are sometimes days, between a change of shows, when there are no performances.
Modernsky LabLIVE MUSIC
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %010 5876 0143; http://m.modernsky.com; basement fl, D 5-108 Galaxy Soho, 朝阳门银河SOHO, D座B1层5-108 bLines 2, 6 to Chaoyangmen, exit G)
One of Běijīng's newest venues, Modernsky is run by a local music label of the same name, and has shows by local indie, rock and electro bands. It's in the basement of the Galaxy Soho building.
Cháoyáng TheatreACROBATICS
(朝阳剧场, Cháoyáng Jùchǎng MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %010 6507 2421; www.bjcyjc.com/en; 36 Dongsanhuan Beilu, 东三环北路36号 tickets ¥200-880; hperformances 3.50pm, 5.30pm & 7pm; bLines 6, 10 to Hujialou, exit C1)
The Cháoyáng Theatre hosts visiting acrobatic troupes from around China who fill the stage with plate spinning and hoop jumping. It's an accessible place for foreign visitors, and tickets are available from its box office, but often bookable through your hotel.
Mei Lanfang Grand TheatrePEKING OPERA
(梅兰芳大戏院, Méi Lánfāng Dàxìyuàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %010 5833 1288; www.bjmlfdjy.cn; 32 Ping’anli Xidajie, 平安里西大街32号 tickets ¥30-300; hperformances 7.30pm; bLines 2, 6 to Chegongzhuang, exit C)
Named after China’s most famous practitioner of Peking opera, this theatre opened its doors in 2007 and has since become one of the most popular and versatile venues in town. Performances start at 7.30pm daily. Tickets have to be bought from the ticket office in the lobby between 9.30am and 8pm.
East Shore Jazz CaféJAZZ
(东岸, Dōng’àn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %010 8403 2131; 2nd fl, 2 Shichahai Nanyan, 地安门外大街 什刹海南沿2号楼2层, 地安门邮局西侧 beers from ¥30, cocktails from ¥45; h3pm-2am; bLine 6 to Beihai North, exit B, or Line 8 to Shichahai, exit A1)
Rock star Cui Jian’s saxophonist, whose quartet plays here, opened this chilled venue just off Di’anmen Waidajie and next to Qiánhǎi Lake. It’s a place to hear the best local jazz bands, with live performances from Wednesdays to Sundays (from 10pm), in a laid-back, comfortable atmosphere.
Líyuán TheatrePEKING OPERA
(梨园剧场, Líyuán Jùchǎng MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %010 6301 6688; Qianmen Jianguo Hotel, 175 Yong’an Lu, 永安路175号前门建国饭店 tickets ¥280-480, with tea ¥580; hperformances 7.30pm; bLine 7 to Hufangqiao, exit C)
This touristy theatre, in the lobby of the Qiánmén Jiànguó Hotel, has daily performances for Peking-opera newbies. If you want to, you can enjoy an overpriced tea ceremony while watching. The setting isn’t traditional: it resembles a cinema auditorium (the stage facade is the only authentic touch), but it’s a gentle introduction to the art form.
Tiānqiáo Performing Arts CentreTHEATRE
(天桥艺术中心, Tiānqiáo Yìshù Zhōngxīn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %400 635 3355; www.tartscenter.com; 9 Tianqiao Nandajie, 天桥南大街9号 hbox office 9.30am-8.30pm; bLine 7 to Zhushikou)
Officially opened in late 2015, Beijing's new modern performing-arts centre comprises four theatres that host both foreign (My Fair Lady, Phantom of the Opera) and Chinese musicals and productions.
Lao She TeahousePERFORMING ARTS
(老舍茶馆, Lǎoshě Cháguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %010 6303 6830; www.laosheteahouse.com; 3rd fl, 3 Qianmen Xidajie, 前门西大街3号3层 evening tickets ¥180-580; hperformances 7.50pm; bLine 2 to Qianmen, exit C)
Lao She Teahouse, named after the celebrated writer, has daily and nightly shows, mostly in Chinese, which blend any number of traditional Chinese performing arts. The evening performances of Peking opera, folk art and music, acrobatics and magic (7.50pm to 9.20pm) are the most popular. But there are also tea ceremonies, frequent folk-music performances and daily shadow-puppet shows.
Tiānqiáo Acrobatics TheatreACROBATICS
(天桥杂技剧场, Tiānqiáo Zájì Jùchǎng MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %010 6303 7449; 95 Tianqiao Shichang Lu Jie, 天桥市场街95号 tickets ¥180-380; hperformances 5.30pm; bLine 7 to Zhushikou)
West of the Temple of Heaven Park, this 100-year-old theatre offers one of Běijīng’s best acrobatic displays, a one-hour show performed by the Běijīng Acrobatic Troupe. Less touristy than the other venues, the theatre's small size means you can get very close to the action. The high-wire display is awesome. The entrance is on Beiwei Lu, along the eastern side of the building.
Húguǎng Guild HallPEKING OPERA
(湖广会馆, Húguǎng Huìguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %010 6351 8284; 3 Hufang Lu, 虎坊桥路3号 tickets ¥180-680, opera museum ¥10; hperformances 8pm, opera museum 9am-5.30pm; bLine 7 to Hufangqiao, exit C)
The most historic and atmospheric place in town for a night of Peking opera. The interior is magnificent, coloured in red, green and gold, and decked out with tables and a stone floor, while balconies surround the canopied stage. Opposite the theatre, there’s a very small opera museum displaying operatic scores, old catalogues and other paraphernalia.
There are also colour illustrations of the liǎnpǔ (types of Peking-opera facial makeup) – examples include the hóu liǎnpǔ (monkey face) and the chǒujué liǎnpǔ (clown face). The theatre dates back to 1807 and, in 1912, was where the Kuomintang (KMT), led by Dr Sun Yatsen, was founded. Shows here attract a lot of domestic tour groups. There are few English captions, but it's not hard to follow what's going on.
The restaurant here is also very good, and inexpensive, making for a nice pre- or post-theatre meal.
Red TheatreACROBATICS
(红剧场, Hóng Jùchǎng MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %010 6714 2473; 44 Xingfu Dajie, 幸福大街44号 tickets ¥200-880; hperformance 7.30pm; bTiantandongmen)
The daily show is The Legend of Kung Fu, which follows one boy’s journey to becoming a warrior monk. Slick, high-energy fight scenes are interspersed with more soulful dance sequences, plus plenty of ‘how do they do that’ balancing on spears and other body-defying acts. To find the theatre, look for the all-red exterior set back from the road.
GAY & LESBIAN TRAVELLERS
Although the Chinese authorities take a dim view of homosexuality, which was officially classified as a mental disorder until 2001, a low-profile gay and lesbian scene exists in Běijīng. For an informative and up-to-date lowdown on the latest gay and lesbian hot spots in Běijīng, have a look at Utopia (www.utopia-asia.com). Another useful publication is the Spartacus International Gay Guide (Bruno Gmunder Verlag), a bestselling guide for gay travellers.
7Shopping
Whether you’re a diehard shopaholic or a casual browser, you’ll be spoiled for choice in Běijīng. Join the locals in their favourite pastime at any number of shiny shopping malls, markets and specialist shopping streets. Then there are the pavement vendors and itinerant hawkers. All ensure that keeping your cas
h in your pocket is increasingly difficult.
Forbidden City & Dōngchéng Central
Locals, out-of-towners and tourists haunt Wangfujing Dajie, a prestigious, partly pedestrianised shopping street that's been given a much-needed makeover in recent years and now sports some slick shopping malls and top-name brands, as well as plenty of tacky souvenir outlets.
oSlow LaneTEA, CLOTHING
(细活裡, Xì Huó Lǐ MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 13 Shijia Hutong, 史家胡同13号 h10am-8pm; bLine 5 to Dengshikou, exit C)
Secreted away down historic Shijia Hutong, this quietly seductive shop sells beautiful, handmade teaware and quality tea as well as elegant clothing, much of which is made from Tibetan yak wool. Teasets start from around ¥680.
Wangfujing DajieSHOPPING STREET
(王府井 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Wangfujing Dajie; bLine 1 to Wangfujing, exit C2 or B)
Prestigious, but these days rather old-fashioned, this part-pedestrianised shopping street not far from Tiān’ānmén Sq is generally known as Wángfǔjǐng. It boasts a strip of stores selling well-known, midrange brands, and a number of tacky souvenir outlets. At its south end, Oriental Plaza (东方广场; Dōngfāng Guǎngchǎng MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %010 8518 6363; 1 Dongchang’an Jie; 东长安街1号 h10am-10.30pm; bLine 1 to Wangfujing, exit B) is a top-quality, modern shopping mall. Further north, just before the pedestrianised section ends, is the well-stocked Foreign Languages Bookstore (外文书店; Wàiwén Shūdiàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 235 Wangfujing Dajie; 王府井大街235号 h9.30am-9pm; bLine 5 to Dengshikou).
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