There are hundreds of thousands of noodle places all over Beijing, hole-in-the-wall places, stalls in dingey alleys and then the accessible expat haunt places. I’ve been too all types and have been ill repeatedly many times, so I’m going to recommend my favourite places that have had me returning.
Noodle Bar @1949
Tucked away in the Hidden City 1949, this noodle bar is a perfect hideout in winter—small and cosy. Diners sit on the 3 sides of the bar to watch the noodle master toss, pull and slice noodles. Portions are generous with plenty of soup—investigation of MSG has yet to be done, but it sure is tasty. The beef noodles is the best choice as the pork one comes a little too greasy for some and the vegetarian version uninspiring. Tables available outdoors in the summer.
1949 The Hidden City. Courtyard 4,
Gong Ti Bei Lu, Chaoyang District, (opposite pacific century place mall south gate)
Tel: +86 6501-1949
Noodle Loft
Straightforward simple noodles in an eclectic setting, with steaming bowls of noodles to be garnished heavily with Northern flavours, chillies in chilli oil and lots of vinegar—just like how they do in Shanxi province. Everything is made fresh here, enjoy the bustle of noodle making activity and order the popular choices of beef noodles and diced pork noodles.
3 Heping Xijie,
和平西街3号
Tel: +86 5130-9655
Xiaolumian
Run by the same owners of The Schoolhouse Mutianyu, Xiaolumian is a good stopover for generous portions of fresh handmade noodles with organic vegetables on your way to/from the Mutianyu side of the Great Wall. Flavors here tend to lean towards the foreign palate, still the typical lao Beijing “zha jiang mian” is worth at go. Portions are large, so be sure to dine with friends.
Yingbeigou Village
Near Mutianyu Great Wall
Tel: +86 6162-6506
info@xiaolumian.com
Food in Novel
The simple yet little tacky interiors here include a real tree rooted in the centre of the restaurant. Noodles are done well and Yunnan’s signature dish of “crossing the bridge” rice noodles is a mandatory order. The dish comes with up to 18 ingredients including chestnuts and shrimps, or simply vegetarian. This place offers a good tasty option for vegans. Skip the choice of rice wine and order the papaya wine instead.
15-1 Dongzhimennei Dajie,
东城区东直门内大街15-1号
Tel: +86 8406-0237
Qin Tang Fu
The most reliable of Beijing noodle shops where every visit is consistently good. Service is always spotty, but the noodles never disappoint. Start with the cold buckweed noodles (the Chinese rendition of soba) with chillies and lots of vinegar before choosing from the beef, lamb or spinach noodles. The restaurant is best known for their “rou jia mou” pork stuffed between bread and the “yang rou pao mo”, a very heavy dish of unleavened bread bits in the lamb broth bath.
128 Dongsi Beidajie,
东四北大街128号
Tel: +86 6407-1211
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