It’s been another big year for familiar names and also a great year for newcomers in the Beijinger’s 2015 Reader Restaurant Awards. After 9,000 ballots were counted, the Beijinger team sifted through the results and found your favorite spots for dining in Beijing in 2015. In the category of “Best Shunyi” restaurant, The Orchard secured the number one spot this year. The accolades for “outstanding” went to Mrs. Shanen’s and The English Tearoom. Here’s a closer look at why readers voted these top restaurants as the best in Shunyi.

Best: The Orchard 果园西餐厅
This institution among residents of Shunyi, is located on Hegezhuang Village, Cuigezehuang Township. Set in beautiful grounds that are lined with fruit tree orchards, trellises, and a pond filled with lotus flowers. You feel as if you’ve left Beijing entirely. With no shortage of charm, you’ll need more than just an hour of dining to enjoy all that The Orchard has to offer. The restaurant comes highly recommended for its affordable menu of western food and emphasis on organic produce. With ample provision for little ones, it makes an ideal spot for family dining. Their well-known Sunday Brunch is incredibly popular, and was voted "Outstanding Brunch (Affordable)" in the Beijinger’s 2011 Reader Restaurant Awards. Many of the ingredients used in their dishes are grown right here, and the homemade breads are a real treat. With consistently good food, efficient service, and it’s rather unique setting it’s no wonder The Orchard secured top spot in this year’s awards.

Outstanding: Mrs. Shanen’s 单太太贝谷面包房
Great tasting food relies on fresh raw ingredients, and that is what you get at Mrs. Shanen’s. Right near their cafe and bakery is their very own organic Green Cow Farm. This is where their fresh milk, cream, cheese, butter, vegetables, and meats come from. This Shunyi staple offers Beijing’s best bagels in a variety of flavors, including cheddar, sesame, and cinnamon raisin. They also serve up great sandwiches, salads, artisan pizza, cheeses, cakes, and ice cream, alongside an extensive breakfast menu. Produce from Green Cow, and other organic products, are sold in the café. With children’s toys, and a menu that caters for kids of all ages, it’s no wonder Mrs. Shanen’s was voted “outstanding”.

Outstanding: The English Tearoom 英国茶房
Located behind Shunyi’s Beidong Flower Market, The English Tearoom is a quintessentially British, family-friendly tearoom. The café prides itself on serving real tea in traditional English-style teapots, including black teas, green tea, herbal, and fruit teas, all of which are imported. With traditional fresh-baked English scones, and a wide selection of cakes and biscuits, you can enjoy an authentic afternoon tea. The English breakfast is generous, and the lunch and dinner menu includes a number of favorites, from sausage rolls and Scotch eggs, to traditional fish and chips. The space is divided into the main tearoom and the children’s tearoom. There’s a large play area, child-friendly restrooms, and an extensive kids menu, which prides itself in using healthy organic ingredients. A little slice of England, and why reader’s voted it “outstanding”.

beijingkids Shunyi Correspondent Sally Wilson moved to Beijing in 2010 from the UK with her husband and son. Her daughter was born here in 2011 and both her kids keep her happily busy. In her spare time, Sally loves to stroll through Beijing’s hutongs and parks. She is a (most of the time) keen runner and loves reading: books, magazines, news, and celeb websites – anything really. Sally is also a bit of a foodie and loves trying out new restaurants.

Photos: courtesy of The Orchard, Mrs. Shanen’s, The English Tearooms

If you have kids under 5, Tea Room Tots is a great way to keep them entertained while you relax and enjoy a coffee with other parents. While we’re on the subject of coffee, this week’s INN Shunyi Coffee Morning will be held at Jamaica Blue (Yosemite) instead of its usual location at Roundabout. Struggling to find Easter decorations or a gift that’s a little bit different? Look no further than handmade kimono bunnies or origami eggs. Also for Easter, what better way to celebrate the holiday than with a family brunch or lunch this weekend?

INN Shunyi Coffee Morning
Join the International Newcomers’ Network’s Shunyi Coffee Morning this Thursday, April 17 at Jamaica Blue’s Yosemite branch (across from ISB). Held from 10am-noon every third Thursday of the month, this provides a great opportunity to meet other locals in Shunyi. For more information, visit www.innbeijing.org or call 1371 8053 814.

Tea Room Tots
Every Friday from 10.30am to noon, join mums and bubs at The English Tearoom for play, songs, tea, and lunch. The restaurant offers a generous 15 percent discount on food as well as providing fruit for the kids’ morning tea. Song time and the snack break take place around 11.15am to accommodate families that need to be home for lunchtime naps. The next Tea Room Tots will be this Friday, April 18. If you haven’t been to The English Tearoom yet, see our review from last May.

Salo Salo Comes to Harrow
On Friday, April 25 at 6.30pm, Harrow is hosting a Salo Salo fundraising event for typhoon relief in the Philippines. There will be food, live performances, raffle prizes, and a DJ. The evening will be held in the school theater and is open to people outside the Harrow community. Tickets cost RMB 150. To reserve yours, contact Isabelle Henderson at ihenderson@harrowbeijing.cn.

Kimono Easter Bunnies
Easter Sunday is just around the corner, falling this year on April 20. Looking for something different to add to your Easter decorations? Check out Tomoko’s very cute kimono bunnies and eggs, lovingly handcrafted using beautiful paper from Japan. The kimono bunnies (boy and girl) are RMB 30 each and the origami eggs cost RMB 15 each. To purchase, contact Tomoko at happiesttomoko@hotmail.com.

Easter Weekend Brunches and Lunches
There are several dining options for Easter this weekend. Here are the ones happening in Shunyi.

Hilton Beijing Capital Airport is hosting an Easter Sunday Brunch on April 20 from 11.30am-3pm. There will be dishes from all over the world, with a wide range of wines and champagne at 360° restaurant. Children can have fun in the kids’ playground and take part in Easter activities, including egg painting and an egg hunt. The Easter Bunny will also be hopping in for the day. RMB 368 (add RMB 60 for free-flow wine, beer, champagne), RMB 184 (ages 6-12), free for kids 5 and under.

There’s a new spring menu at Green-T-House-Living – perfect for an Easter treat. Dishes include wild red rice soup, jasmine-dusted pork ribs, Beijing duck, sea bass, and delectable ice creams to finish. Watch this space for an upcoming review of their new menu. For reservations, call 136 0113 7132 or 6434 2519.

The Sunday brunch at The Orchard is always a delight, with plenty of creative international dishes. The peaceful setting among orchards and gardens makes for a lovely day out. Most of the organic vegetables used in their dishes are from their own garden. For reservations, call 6433 6270.

Loft Eatalicious is a new Italian restaurant at Pinnacle Plaza (recently reviewed here). It will have a special Easter Sunday all-day menu for RMB 198 per person. Starters include octopus or veal, followed by a choice of risotto or gnocchi; for the main you can choose between roast lamb and salmon. Their desserts cost extra, but are well worth it. To book a table, call 8046 1565 or email shunyi@eatalicious.com.

Photo courtesy of Tomoko

Congratulations are in order! Several establishments in Shunyi have received recognition for their passion and quality of service.

Photos of Leslie Simpson’s OBE Ceremony Released
The tireless founder of Roundabout is now officially Leslie Simpson, OBE after she received the distinction of Officer of the Order of the British Empire earlier this year. Many of us knew about this achievement, but there are now newly-released photographs from the ceremony. Read more about the recognition of Leslie’s charity and philanthropy work overseas here.

There are many ways to help Leslie and the Roundabout staff do their good work: Donate your gently-used goods, buy something at the charity store (where all proceeds go to charity), shop at bazaars that donate their table sales to Roundabout, make a monetary donation via Roundabout to any of the 48 charities they support, enlist as a volunteer (kids now welcome), and of course, tell all your friends about Roundabout!

Congratulations, Leslie!

The English Tearoom Wins City Weekend Award
The English Tearoom has just won the Editor’s Pick Best for Families award at the recently-concluded City Weekend Reader’s Choice Awards. This is a tall order for a fairly-new restaurant, and one “all the way out in Shunyi.” But the attention is well-deserved, as The English Tearoom is indeed very family-friendly. Everything from the decor to the menu, roomy play area, and organized activities are planned with the littlest family members in mind. On recent visits, we’ve noticed that there are also many visiting grandparents who are happy to come along for a good meal and a good time.

Well done, The English Tearoom!

Green T House Living Earns Accolades from NYC
New York-based dining website The Daily Meal has just published its choices for 101 Best Restaurants in Asia in 2013. Shunyi’s popular Green T House Living made it into the top three. This is not the first time Green T House Living has won the approval of dining and decor experts. Its signature style brings a very welcome change to the dining and cultural scene of Shunyi. Make a reservation for a special lunch or dinner, and check their website for a ever-changing events and activities.

Our compliments, Green T House Living!

Annie’s
It’s becoming predictable. For 10 years in a row, Annie’s has won Best Italian in the Beijinger’s Reader Restaurant Awards. This year saw the Italian chain reap five other awards: Restaurant of the Year (Non-Chinese, Casual), Best Service, Best Value, Outstanding Place for a Celebration, and Outstanding Salads.

While Annie’s branch can be found all over the city, Annie’s central kitchen is actually located in Maquanying. The 300sqm facility is the first stop for all of the fresh ingredients that the chain uses. This is also where the restaurant’s organic vegetables are grown. The ingredients are then packed and delivered daily in chilled vehicles to the different branches across Beijing.

Felicitazione, Annie’s!

Photos courtesy of Mary Kate Brown

Dana is the beijingkids Shunyi Correspondent. Originally from the Philippines, she moved to Beijing in 2011 (via Europe) with her husband, two sons and Rusty the dog. She enjoys writing, photography, theater, visual arts, and trying new food. In her free time, she can be found exploring the city and driving along the mountain roads of Huairou, Miyun and Pinggu.