Nothing says summer like an outdoor feast! Check out these four great barbecue spots and get ready for some fresh-air cooking.

Shangzhuang Reservoir
Just a stone’s throw from downtown Beijing, this Haidian spot is a popular weekend destination for barbecue fanatics. But don’t worry, it’s not too crowded, and with a little perseverance, you’ll be able to find a quiet spot to set up shop. The south side of the lake is a good choice because the grass here is flatter, so your grill can stand steadily. Bring your own grill, charcoal and other gear – nothing’s available for rent or purchase. While you attend to the coals, your kids can walk in the woods, fish or bask in the sun. If you have a hammock, definitely pack it. And if you have a dog, bring him along, too!

Shangzhuang, Haidian District (5177 0006)
Getting there: Take the Jingcheng Expressway (京承高速) to the North Fifth Ring Road (北五环路), then follow this to Shangzhuang Lu (上庄路). Alternatively, take bus number 303 from the North Gate of the Summer Palace (Yiheyuan Beigongmen, 颐和园北宫门) to Shangzhuang Shuiku Zhan (上庄水库站). 上庄水库，海淀区上庄镇

BB-Q
This restaurant located in Beijing’s Yayuncun area feels more like a park or the backyard of a friend’s house thanks to its large lawn, artificial waterfall and sunny, open design. Kids roam the yard, mingling with the owners’ pets, which include cats, a turkey and a peacock. Barbecue grills are set up around a fishpond – renting one costs RMB 50. You a can order meat (both “Turkish” and “Brazilian” style) and veg from the restaurant for a DIY barbecue, or have a chef cook for you. Call for reservations.

Daily 10am-2pm, 5.30pm-9pm. Yayuncun Xinjiayuan, 1 Xingdian Lu, Chaoyang District (5173 7682) 思烤 BB-Q，朝阳区辛店路1号亚运村新家园

Yunfeng Farm
Located in the Miyun Reservoir area, Yunfeng Farm is an outdoor haven for urban families, with four large yards, several dining rooms and a swimming pool. The farm has a meadow that serves as an outdoor grilling spot, and you don’t need to worry about toting your own stuff – you buy your food from the farm, and grills, charcoal, cooking oil and other gear are all available for rent. (However, pack knives and forks and olive oil if you’re looking for a more continental-style dining experience.) Homegrown vegetables, lamb, beef and chicken are all on offer, but the house specialty is fish and shrimp. The RMB 100/person set meal price includes corn and other veggies, beef, lamb, chicken and bread – if that’s not enough, they’ll also cook you local dishes. Call ahead to book.

After the pig-out, burn off your lunch exploring the surrounding area, which offers great opportunities for hiking, fishing and horseback riding; start with a visit to Yunfeng Mountain. Li Hui and Yi Shanwen, the Yunfeng laoban will happily help you arrange activities and guides. Fishing rods can be rented from the farm for RMB 20/day, and if you call ahead and reserve, Li Hui and Yi Shanwen can help you make a booking for horse riding (RMB 50/two hours). For those still hungry after the grill, there is an orchard, and fruit picking is encouraged.

And if you can’t face the journey back to town after all this eating and playing, rooms are available for RMB 100-150/night.

Daily 24hrs. Bulaotun, Miyun Reservoir. (8109 0661)
Getting there: Drive north along Jingshun Lu (京顺路) to the Kuliushu traffic circle (枯柳树环岛) and then head towards Miyun (密云). Drive alongside the Miyun Reservoir (密云水库) towards Heilongtan (黑龙潭), then turn right towards Wanmu Caoyuan (万亩草原) and continue driving until you reach Yunfeng Farm (云峰农场). 云峰农场，密云县不老屯

Schiller’s
Everyone’s favorite German eatery lets you grill your lunch or dinner yourself! Simply decorated, Schiller‘s features a very nice garden with pre-set grills for open air cooking (chicken wings, sausages, corn, steak, and vegetables are all on offer). You can keep cool with some authentic German beer. If you’re feeling a little lazy or don’t want your kids near the coals, the restaurant will happily do the hard work for you. The RMB 88 set meal deal, which includes meat, salad, veggies and bread, seems to be a fair option.

Daily 9am-12.30am. 1 Liangmahe Nanlu (south of Capital Mansions), Chaoyang District (6464 9016) 大明西餐厅, 朝阳区亮马河南路1号京城大厦南边

Where to Buy Equipment:
Barbecue equipment can be purchased at big supermarkets like Carrefour. If you’re serious about grilling, try one of the outdoor clubs listed below. Some provide one-day rentals at 10% of the selling price. If you’re lucky enough to have a backyard, Villa Lifestyles will deliver and set up your new grill and give you a one-year warranty. 

Sanfo Outdoor Club
Daily 10am- 8pm. 1) 1 Nongzhan Lu, south gate of Chaoyang Park (6592 5827); 2)1/F Beijing Golden Bridge Building, 1A Jianguomenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District (6507 9298) 三夫户外俱乐部 1) 朝阳区建国门外大街甲1号金之桥大厦1层; 2) 三夫户外俱乐部，朝阳区农展南路1号(朝阳公园南门西侧)

Bluefish Outdoor
Daily 10am- 8pm. 1) 3-4 Dongzhimen Beidajie (150m west of Dongzhimen Qiao, opposite the 7-11), Dongcheng District (8775 8849); 2) 1/F, Bldg A, 80 Andingmenwai Dajie, Dongcheng District 蓝鱼户外，1) 东直门内大街4－3号东直门桥向西150米路南（7－11马路对面）; 2）东城区安定门外大街80号甲楼1层

Villa Lifestyle
Daily 9am-6pm. W-8 Tianyun Plaza, Tianzhu Garden (next to Bank of China), Shunyi District (6457 1922, 139 1187 9236, 139 1187 9226) 别墅生活方式, 顺义区天竺花园天韵广场W-8号(中国银行旁边)

Ben Radcliffe is a coloring and lighting artist for the animated film industry. He’s worked for Walt Disney Feature Animation and for Dreamworks Animation, and you can see his handiwork in Shrek 2, The Polar Express, Veggie Tales, Chicken Little and the upcoming Meet The Robinsons. Right now, Ben’s taking a year off from work to travel in China, Vietnam, and Israel. He likes taking photos, movies and spicy Thai food. He hates video games.

Olga Sherlygina, Russia
“What’s your favorite movie that you have worked on?”
Ben Radcliffe: Shrek 2 was probably the best looking one, artistically speaking. But Chicken Little was the one I had the most fun on. The producers and directors were absolutely crazy. They would come to work dressed up like Chicken Little, and they would run around throwing candy in the offices. They threw huge parties for the whole crew and dressed like Bon Jovi and sang his songs. It was so crazy but fun.

Sarah Sulistio,Singapore
“What different kinds of departments are there in animation?”
BR: Wow, that’s quite professional. There are a few parts. Lighting is what I do and it’s the most important part. It’s like the cinematography part – it’s where we make the film look good. We decide how the final picture comes together and looks.

“When you apply to college, should your portfolio have everything?”
BR: Well, I don’t know. My portfolio for college was pretty horrible, looking back. I mostly did, like, X-Men drawings.

Anisha Chattopadhyay, India
“Where do you get ideas?”
BR: They’re not really my ideas. For animation movies, it’s the director who has the final word on everything. Successful movies are director driven; it’s the creation of one man’s vision. For my part, I take a lot of pictures, I watch movies, and I just kind of consume all kinds of media, paintings, etc. I love art and I am always looking at something. For example, when I was traveling in Vietnam, I was looking for interesting pictures that tell stories. There were a bunch of pictures that I took of Vietnamese cycle drivers when they were sleeping. Who are those people and what are the stories behind them?

Steffie Lehman, US
“What was the hardest movie that you ever worked on?”
BR: The hardest movie was Shrek 2 because I was very young and inexperienced, and I was one of the new people, while most of the crew had participated on Shrek 1. The movie was twice as big as the first one but we basically had the same amount of time and money to do it so it was twice as much work.

Shaun Alese, Netherlands
“Has your job become harder as movies have become more complex?”
BR: Computers are becoming so much faster and artists are becoming so much better but it still takes the same amount of time to take a shot. You do have to work harder as computers are getting more and more complex.

Chi Han Yeo, Singapore
“Any really big obstacles you had to overcome?”
BR: Working on movies is kind of like a catch-22. I had to work on some terrible movies to get work on great movies. A lot of artists are just not willing to do that. They have large egos and they think “It’s not for me.” That was probably the biggest obstacle – getting my foot in the door.