Travel and food go together like peanut butter and jelly. Especially in China, foodies like me and Jeongsu feel like in heaven! During our short trip to Beijing about 2 weeks ago, we went all out and tried the local street food cuisine! Check out the best places to enjoy local Chinese street food and weird snacks you have never seen before!

Wangfujing Xiaochi Jie

This pedestrian street, also called Wangfujing dajie (大街) is a major shopping district in Beijing. You can find all kinds of shopping malls (like Beijing apm or even Forever 21), restaurants and a giant bookstore with lots of good books for studying Chinese there! However, it’s also one of the best spots to enjoy local street snacks.

Get off at Wangfujing metro station and walk along the shopping street. A great place to enjoy street food called Xiaochi Jie (小吃街 = snack street) is hidden in a side street on the left between stores. Walk until you see KFC on the right and a store called “360°”, turn left into the street at 360° and you enter Xiaochi Jie!

You can get the classics like candied strawberries on a stick, yogurt or BBQ. It’s also a great place to buy some souvenirs. Make sure to haggle and lower the price about 80% from what they say!

Dong Hua Men Night Market

This is probably the most famous snack market in Beijing offering the greatest variety of snacks from all over China – and the craziest… You can get everything from BBQ to Tofu and sweets but if you are in for a more adventurous tour, try starfish, seahorse or tarantula on a stick!

Walk Wangfujing pedestrian street all the way to the north end and the night market will appear on the left side: One food stand next to each other decorated with red lanterns.

I remember the first time I came here in 2012. The market was really special and I have never seen something like it before. Today, it seems like it’s strictly for tourists and the prices seem to have risen as well. But it’s still great for taking pictures 😉

Entrance

Tarantula

30 RMB mixed meat

Nan Luo Gu Xiang

I stumbled upon this lovely area when I was lost on my way back to the hotel in the Hutongs and it has become my insider tip for everyone who is looking to experience traditional China. It’s a very cool Hutong area close to a metro station (Nanluoguxiang) and was built in the Yuan Dynasty and received its current name during the Qing Dynasty, around 1750. It’s a very lively street with cool restaurants, stores and live music. It’s perfect for walking around in the evening after an exhausting day!

A must-try local snack here is the Old Beijing Tea 老北京茶汤！It’s a tea flavored pudding that was eaten in ancient China. Super delicious! Another delicious snack to try here is authentic Hong Kong egg waffles! If you have never been to Hong Kong or you miss it, you should try it!

Starbucks

old Beijing Tea

Hong Kong egg waffle

My favorites

Wangfujing Xiaochi Jie is definitely a highlight since Jeongsu and I stumbled upon it by accident and enjoyed it a lot! The Dong Hua Men Night Market is a must for tourists but the food has become a little overpriced and too touristy. My absolute favorite was Nan Luo Gu Xiang because of it’s lovely charm and the great snacks you can eat there. I also bought very cute gloves in that area which were much needed in bitter cold Beijing.

Recommended Hotels in Beijing

The hotels recommended below are hotels I have personally stayed at and recommend to other travelers.

More Hotel Deals in Beijing

Booking.com

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