Darn, it’s getting cold! So it’s perfect timing that I found SìPasta and its signature pasta offering of Spaghetti Alle Parmigiano Reggiano that is prepared piping hot and fresh on an actual cheese wheel.

*Not the actual dish – it looks way better in real life

SìPasta has been around for a couple of years, but its discreet location on the first floor of the basement in Liangmaqiao’s Grand Summit makes it almost a well-kept secret. Even though I’ve frequented PokeGo, which is directly opposite of the restaurant, I have somehow missed this until now.

The restaurant is decorated in hues of deep red and fresh white, featuring quaint touches of hand-painted ceramic lamps and colorful crockery. A keyboard on a stand tells us that live entertainment is offered here, most likely in the evenings. High chairs are available for young ones and the restaurant is spacious enough to accommodate strollers.

SìPasta’s menu covers classic Italian offerings – from bruschetta to Neopolitan meatballs (RMB 38 for 3, highly recommended), pizza, and, of course, pasta. While everything we ordered was perfectly satisfactory, what I will be returning for is definitely the restaurant’s signature pasta dish. While it usually comes with truffle paste, I asked to forgo that and have the spaghetti alle Parmigiano Reggiano plain, with just black pepper to taste, and it warmed the cockles of my belly and heart. It was so good that my kid gave up his pappardelle alle Bolognese ragù to share mine instead!

Drinks-wise, you’ll be happy to know they offer wine by the glass and that their spritzes are delightfully delicious. I was personally very grateful for the soothing warmth and comforting flavor of the orange & cinnamon tea (RMB 25 with free refills).

The service at SìPasta is patchy, with the day’s floor manager being prompt, friendly with the kids, and understanding, while the other servers were slow and easily confused by our specific instructions. Any hassle was avoided as the empathetic manager took over our orders and everything went well.

Get more reviews like this when you’re out and about and need a place you can trust, by following the jingkids international account on Dianping. Scan the QR code below!

Images: Vivienne Tseng-Rush

KEEP READING: Sweet & Sour Pork, Served Cold on Ice? Yes Please!

“I want my favorite foods, and I want them now!” Ok, sometimes when I get hangry I start sounding like my toddler, but come on, there’s just something about having your favorite comfort food (whether it’s soup, carb overload, or desserts) that makes life so much sweeter.

Recently I discovered that Beijing’s new favorite Indian restaurant not only delivers all over the city, but all over the country as well! Owned and operated by Sk Rabiul Baksh, former Indian chef at the Hyatt Regency Beijing Wangjing, Dastaan Indian Restaurant has been building up a loyal group of foodie followers since it opened early last year.

Focusing on great food, cultural events, and now delivery even during Spring Festival, they’ll send you your Indian comfort food anywhere you go.

To get in touch, add Rabiul on WeChat at rabiulcool and be sure to ask him to add you to the Dastaan WeChat group, where you can get the latest information on the restaurant firsthand.

Find it:
3/F, Sanlitun SOHO 5 Shopping Mall, Chaoyang District
朝阳区三里屯SOHO5号上场3层
Tel: 150 0135 8663

For those with a sweet tooth, Mary Sweets is an expat favorite. What started out as a small operation has grown to a bakery that makes cakes, donuts, cookies, and (my personal favorite) their brownies assortment (RMB 62), where you get six different pieces of their super moist brownies.

They’re taking a break for the Chinese New Year holiday and will be firing up their kitchen again on Jan 29. To check out their WeChat store, scan the QR code below.

Want more great eats that you can’t always find on Sherpas or Meituan, without ever leaving your home? Add Foodie Queen Ana Lourenco on WeChat at ana_linaxin and request to join her Beijing Delivery Specials WeChat group.

Images: Dastaan Indian Restaurant, Mary Sweets

KEEP READING: 6 Super Fun CNY Camps To Keep the Kids Busy

Preston “The Foodie Emperor” Thomas is well known within Beijing’s gastronomic community, and as the president of ChiFan for Charity and the father of two beautiful girls he seemed like the perfect person to ask about the best Easter treats in the ‘Jing.

What’s your favorite Easter treat and where can we get it in the ‘Jing?
I love cannolis – not exactly an Easter dessert but no doubt delicious. Any Italian chef should be able to make them for you in Beijing. I think this year I’m going to ask Andrea from Opera Bombana if he can make some for me. It also gives me an excuse to go there for lunch, because I love his cooking.

What will the bunny be leaving in the girls’ baskets?
Usually, we don’t do baskets, we do a yearly Easter egg hunt that has some candy in it. Last year, some of the eggs were filled with chocolate and USD cash. I try to get some chocolate from abroad. Been getting harder and harder to get every year. But Butler & White’s still hooks it up. Also, IKEA has some, but going to IKEA requires a lot of self-control and I’m not sure I’m up for that challenge, but they should be a good option, especially in the food section.

What do you hope the Easter bunny leaves in your basket?
A gift card to Wolfgang’s. Who doesn’t love steak?

What is the best place for hot cross buns?
InterContinental Hotel. I just ordered some yesterday, and somehow they are already gone. I swear it wasn’t me!

Best place for pizzelle?
Good question. I think one of the Italian restaurants should be able to get it sorted. Like La Pizza, Bottega, or Assaggi (the bakery that’s connected to it has some awesome desserts, I’m sure they would have it).

And what about the best lamb in Beijing?
Al Safir. Ashraf is a legend! He’s been around for 12 years, I think, and he’s got the best Arabic food around. Hands down! The man cooked for [royalty]– you know his lamb must be good.

Where can we get some deviled eggs?
 DIY. They aren’t that difficult to make. Don’t be lazy.

What about the best babka?
Since Bittapitta is gone, better go see Didi at the Jewish center.

Where can we find the best family-friendly Easter brunch?
NUO Hotel: great food, a lot of stuff for kids to eat. You really can’t go wrong at NUO. Ticks all the boxes.

And the best grown up Easter brunch?
InterContinental. Ajit and his team do an excellent job. They will make sure you are properly tipsy before you leave. The food is great too, with an awesome selection. They even have brunch on a Monday! A new cure for a case of the Mondays.

What about the best restaurant for a non-brunch Easter?
Hulu. If we don’t have brunch this year, I think we will be heading to Hulu. Let’s be honest, Ignace and his team never stop inventing super awesome new dishes for EVERY holiday. I think Easter will be the same. I would love Ignace to put on an Easter bunny costume. That would be a sight to see. (I would pay good money for that!)

Any other good suggestions I missed?
If you want something sweet support, your local bakers. Fiona does amazing EVERYTHING! Just ordered some dinner rolls, she makes them taste just like home. We have a lot of talented pastry/dessert people in Beijing. Show some love and support. Buy local, support local.

Images: Preston Thomas

KEEP READING: The Bunny Does What?! Easter Explained

Spring heralds warmth, flowers, and happy full bellies as Restaurant Week takes over the capital city from Mar 10-Apr 3. The biannual food festival sees some of Beijing’s best dining experiences offering lower prices, while also providing the prime opportunity to try that Michelin-starred restaurant you’ve had your eye on for a while now.

During last year’s second edition of Restaurant Week, my husband and I made a date night of our pick – Brasserie 1893 at the Waldorf Astoria. It was a lovely night to remember. So now we’re taking advantage of every edition of Restaurant Week to try a new dining spot since the capital is rife with them!

Among the new additions to 2022’s first installment of Restaurant Week are Japanese yakiniku restaurant ootoku, rated 10 for its spectacular interior, alongside steak specialist L’OX by FLO, and french bistro Cours et Pavillons tucked in the Weijia hutongs in the heart of Beijing.

I myself am eager to sample the elite offerings at ootoku with its Wagyu beef, foie gras nigiri sushi, and sashimi platter, which are available as lunch for RMB 375 and dinner at RMB 1,280. While that’s slightly higher than my average meal budget, these prices are a fraction of what dining at this quality establishment would otherwise cost outside of Restaurant Week.

It’s worth mentioning that categories and booking your seats on the Dining City app have changed just a tad. This year, you can search restaurants under “Best Value,” “Dining With a View,” and “Classic,” as well as the usual “Amex Privileges” listings and “Award Winner” categories.

With more than 90 restaurants taking part in Restaurant Week this time around, it might seem daunting to narrow your choices. ChiFanForCharity President and Beijing’s widely-acknowledged “Foodie Emperor” Preston Thomas suggests Rive Gauche and Opera Bombana for some fine dining, while the Tapas Bar at InterContinental is “Foodie Queen” Ana Lourenco’s recommendation.

Well, what are you waiting for? Scan the QR code or search “DiningCity” under Mini-Programs in WeChat to book your spots now!

KEEP READING: Summing up Beijing’s Best Dim Sum Restaurants and What to Order

Images: Pexels, DiningCity, Vivienne-Tseng Rush

In the last 48 hours, any time someone’s asked “How are you?” I’ve replied, “Freezing, thank you.” That answer isn’t going to change for the next couple of months, as we head into what I feel will be the coldest winter yet, even if I mutter that every year. Which is to say, winter is well and truly here, people, which also means it’s hotpot season! If you’re looking to change things up from the usual Haidilao hotpot, but are unsure of how to select from the many other hotpot restaurants around town, we’d like to help. Here are some of the best family-friendly hotpot places as recommended by Beijing natives. Oh, and the following restaurants all have a rating of 4.8 or above (out of 5) on Dianping.

Having Luck 行运打边炉 (xíng yùn dǎ biān lú)

This popular hotpot franchise has outlets across Beijing, all of which will take you on a trip down to the fragrant harbors of Hong Kong. Each of the stores is decorated with iconic Hong Kong sights such as MTR – aka Hong Kong’s metro system – station signs, famous street names, and neon store fronts. The lively visual setting enhances the flavor of the restaurant’s signature chicken hotpot, which is creamy and flavorful. Another recommended dish is their new roasted pork and seafood combination hotpot, which has received some rave reviews from local food vloggers. The restaurant also offers Hong Kong-style dim sum and kids will love their cute bunny-shaped pudding for dessert!

Search 行运打边炉 (xíng yùn dǎ biān lú) on Dianping to find the nearest outlet to you!

Fu Lu Wa Family Hot Pot 葫芦娃一家人火锅 (hú lu wá yì jiā rén huǒ guō)

Got that one person in the family who loves spicy while the rest of you do not? Have no fear, for at Fu Lu Wa Family Hot Pot, you’ll be able to satisfy both with a special vessel that cooks two different soup bases alongside each other! Their spicy soup base is definitely a must-try for spice-lovers. The restaurant also offers one of the largest condiment bars I’ve seen, allowing you to mix up your own saucy concoction to better flavor your meats, though the restaurant has its own special house sauce which they also bottle and sell in the most adorable gourd shaped containers. Incidentally, fu lu refers to gourd, which is why that shape appears everywhere in the interior decoration of the place.

Search 葫芦娃一家人火锅 (hú lu wá yì jiā rén huǒ guō) in Dianping to find the nearest outlet to you!

Phoenix House 囍风楼 (xǐ fēng lóu)

Also known for its Hong Kong style offerings of dim sum and hotpot, Phoenix House is a well-respected name around town. Its menu is so thick it can easily take at least 20 minutes to peruse completely, and just about everything we’ve tried there is delicious – from the aforementioned dim sum to fresh sashimi slices and of course, the must-try chicken hotpot, which has a rich soup base full of collagen that’s also known to have beauty benefits. Their fresh vegetables go great in the yummy soup base, such that even kids will eat their greens without much protest here. There are two locations, one close to SKP and the other in CityWalk at Universal Studios Beijing, and both are very well-kept and clean.

SKP address: Xifenglou, No. 1 West Dawang Road, Winterless Center Block A, Chaoyang

KEEP READING: Time to Huddle up Indoors at Our Fave Kid-Friendly Cafes

Images: Dianping

Neighboring countries and regions have a tendency to share their cultures, especially when it comes to food. But what about two countries on different continents, with multiple oceans and mountains between them? Will we still be able to spot any doppelgangers? With this question in mind, I asked a few Beijing expats about their hometown foods and the closest Chinese versions.

USOne Beijing resident I spoke to believes that hamburgers are similar to roujiamo (肉夹馍) – a signature dish of Shaanxi province and dubbed the Chinese hamburger – since they are both two layers of bread with meat and a bit of vegetable inside. Roujiamo is covered with two layers of flatbread called baijimo (白吉馍), and usually stuffed with chopped pork and green peppers. Similarly, hamburgers, or any burgers really, are basically meat and lettuce between two buns.

South AfricaBiltong is a famous South African snack and is basically dried meat ranging from beef to ostrich and beyond. They are cut into pieces and seasoned with salt, black pepper, and vinegar. In China, Xinjiang dried meat is quite similar: Salt and special ingredients – which vary from household to household – are cured, resulting in dried meat that’s nutrient-rich and easy to carry. Fun fact: It was invented to help Xinjiang’s minorities stay nourished during the long winter season, and is also believed to be one of the “secret weapons” that gave Genghis Khan’s army its fearsome reputation!

KazakhstanA fellow foodie I interviewed thinks baursak from her country resembles a famous Beijing snack called NaiYouZhaGao (奶油炸糕), NaiYouZhaGao is made from flour and eggs, with optional vanilla powder added. One important thing to remember while eating this delicious treat is to top it off with a bit of powdered sugar! Baursak both tastes and looks quite similar, as it’s a puffy bread that contains similar ingredients. However, the difference is that baursak is reserved for important occasions like weddings, whereas NaiYouZhaGao is consumed on a daily basis without fanfare.

KoreaAs Korea and China are geographic neighbors, they share some similar food traditions, not least of which is dumplings. Although China is famous for its dumplings, aka jiaozi, Korea also has a version called mandu. Mandu is larger in size, with typical fillings including shrimp, kimchi, tofu, and vegetables. As for jiaozi, its classic variations would be chives and eggs or ground pork and cabbage.

BrazilWhen y it comes to Brazilian cuisine it’s hard to overlook the country’s signature barbecue dish, known as churrasco, which is coated with coarse salt and paired with different types of peppers. It’s similar to Xinjiang mutton shashlik (羊肉串), though the chunks are smaller than the Brazilian fare with cumin powder giving the meat its distinctive taste.

United Arab Emirates, DubaiMachboos is famous in Dubai and many other Middle Eastern countries. It’s a rice dish with chicken and a couple of special ingredients such as the spice baharat and boiled limes. If the picture looks familiar, that might be because it’s practically the spitting image of Yangzhou fried rice, which instead uses shrimp, eggs, and peas as its main ingredients.

UKA full British breakfast wouldn’t be complete without some British baked beans, usually made by boiling white beans for a long period of time and then stewing them in sauce, which is made from tomatoes, salt, and vinegar, or sometimes, simple Heinz tomato sauce for convenience. Canned baked beans are common in British supermarkets too. Likewise, in China, a dessert called 红豆沙 hóng dòu shā is also made from beans, albeit red beans. The red beans have been cooked in water with rock sugar, and the dish is sometimes served with small, sticky rice balls and dried tangerine for a richer taste.

Wherever you go and no matter how far you stray from your hometown, food is always one of the best ways to connect. It acts as a bridge between the locals and your culture. So whenever you find yourself with a craving, go out and find a local restaurant to sate it – you just might find a familiar taste.

Are there any Chinese food doppelgangers from your hometown? Let us know in the comments!

KEEP READING: Bite-Size Beijing: Eating Your Way Through the City’s Street Foods 

Images: Rachel Bu

This post comes courtesy of UnTour Food Tours, who have been taking guests off the beaten path to eat shoulder-to-shoulder with locals since 2010.

Visiting Beijing as a vegetarian or vegan can be frustrating and rewarding in equal measure, depending on your outlook. While Beijing can be a fantastic city for vegetarian and vegan dining, a little knowledge and some key phrases go a long way when it comes to tracking down veggie treasures and avoiding unwittingly eating meat.

Here are a few pros and cons of Beijing for meat-free foodies.

Pros:

• Variety: Local Chinese restaurants of all kinds often have just as many vegetable dishes as meat dishes, representing a wider selection of vegetable varieties than you may find overseas.
• Dedicated Restaurants: Vegetarian restaurants are relatively plentiful in Beijing. You won’t find one on every street corner, but you’re likely to find one at least one within half an hour’s walking distance wherever you are in central Beijing.
• Accommodating Waitstaff: While staff in restaurants overseas are becoming increasingly accustomed to and welcoming of meat-free diners, the willingness of many of your average Western restaurateurs to accommodate meat-free guests is yet to compare to their counterparts in Beijing. Special orders and special requests are the norm here, and staff at many restaurants will ask if you have any special dietary requirements at the time you order. If you hear a member of staff ask “yǒu jì kǒu ma?” they’re asking if you have any dietary restrictions. Read on below to find out how to answer.

Cons:

• What Constitutes Meat: There’s only one real challenge to getting your hands on authentic Beijing food while avoiding animal products. It is, however, a significant one that will take some patience and persistence to overcome. While Beijing’s restaurant staff may be eager to meet your dietary requirements, differing ideas regarding the meaning of the word meat can make ordering difficult, especially for visitors with limited Chinese language skills. The term ‘meat’ (肉 ròu), is usually taken literally in Beijing to mean the muscle tissue of land animals and birds, so learning to avoid other animal parts, parts of other animals, and the derivatives of both requires a far more specific and explicit approach (see handy phrases below). Additionally, understanding of vegetarianism and veganism is often limited, meaning that telling restaurant staff you’re vegetarian may be insufficient. Check out these phrases below to help successfully navigate the meat minefield.

General Phrases:

我是素食主义者。 Wǒ shì sù shí zhǔ yì zhě. I’m a vegetarian.
我不吃肉。 Wǒ bù chī ròu. I don’t eat meat.
我不吃海鲜。 Wǒ  bù chī hǎixiān. I don’t eat seafood.
鸡蛋可以／不可以。 Jīdàn kěyǐ / bù kěyǐ. Eggs are okay / not okay.
我对…鸡蛋／海鲜／ 花生／乳制品／麸质…忌口／过敏。 Wǒ duì… jīdàn / hǎixiān / huāshēng / rǔzhìpǐn / fūzhì… jìkǒu / guòmǐn. I am allergic to…eggs / seafood / peanuts / dairy / gluten.
你能不能做饭没有肉？Nǐ néng bùnéng zuófān méiyǒu ròu? Can you make this dish without meat?

These phrases will help you avoid most meat dishes, but on their own will not help you totally avoid meat. Pitfalls include added fish, seafood, vegetables cooked in animal oils, oyster sauce, chicken stock powder, bone broth, offal, or small pieces of meat added to vegetable dishes only for flavor. “Oh, no that’s just in there for flavor” or “That’s not meat, that’s fat” are common responses from staff when vegetarians point out the small chunks of pork fat in their vegetables.

我是纯素主义者。 Wǒ shì chī chún sù zhǔ yì zhě. I’m a vegan.

This phrase is likely to raise some quizzical eyebrows as veganism isn’t widely known or understood in Beijing. Try the key phrases below to help communicate your specific dietary requirements.

Key Phrases:

These sentences may be cumbersome for beginning Chinese users, however, they really are your best bet for avoiding animal products with confidence. Consider saving the phrases, or this page, to show to restaurant staff in Beijing.

您好！我是素食主义者。我不吃任何来自肉的食品，请麻烦不要在菜里添加任何含肉制品，海鲜，羊油，猪油，鸡精和耗油。谢谢！

Nín hǎo! Wǒ shì sùshí zhǔyì zhě. Wǒ bù chī rènhé láizì ròu de shípǐn, qǐng máfan bùyào zài cài lǐ tiānjiā rènhé hán ròu zhìpǐn, hǎixiān, yáng yóu, zhū yóu, jījīng hé hào yóu. Xièxiè!

Hello! I’m a vegetarian. I don’t any meat products. Please do not use any meat products, including seafood, animal oils or fats, chicken stock powder, and oyster sauce. Thank you!

您好！我是纯素主义者。我不吃任何来自动物的食品， 请麻烦不要在菜里添加任何含肉制品，海鲜，羊油，猪油，鸡精，耗油，鸡蛋，蜂蜜和奶制品。谢谢！

Nín hǎo! Wǒ shì chún sù zhǔyì zhě. Wǒ bù chī rènhé láizì dòngwù de shípǐn, qǐng máfan bùyào zài cài lǐ tiānjiā rènhé hán ròu zhìpǐn, hǎixiān, yáng yóu, zhū yóu, jījīng, hào yóu, jīdàn, fēngmì hé nǎi zhìpǐn. Xièxiè!

Hello! I’m a vegan. I don’t eat any products that come from animals. Please do not use any animal products, including seafood, animal oils and fats, chicken stock powder, oyster sauce, eggs, honey, and dairy products. Thank you!

This article originally appeared on UnTour Food Tours’ official WeChat account (ID: UnTourFoodTours). Join UnTour in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Hong Kong to discover China’s delicious food, explore authentic neighborhoods and learn the fascinating stories that make up 5,000 years of culinary history.

Images courtesy of UnTours

Whenever I travel to a new destination, I like to take a cooking class and learn how to whip up a selection of local dishes for myself. I find cooking good food with good company a real pleasure. Maybe it’s because such experiences remind me of back in the day, when I would team up with my sisters to work wonders in our parent’s kitchen.

When the opportunity to attend a cooking class at The Hutong presented itself, I was determined not to let it pass me by. Undeterred by my failure to rally a companion to accompany me, I headed off solo.

Sharing Culture Sharing Knowledge

If you don’t already know, The Hutong is a cultural center located in the heart of Beijing. In addition to cooking classes, they facilitate a wide range of other activities. These include team building events, educational programs, guided trips to various parts of China, tea tours, movie screenings, and workshops. On the evening that I visited, they happened to be hosting a cooking competition for a group of lively high school students.

The kitchen in which our class was to take place was set up with impeccable attention to detail. There were four participants, including myself. Each of us had a cleaver, a chopping board, and an apron waiting for us upon arrival. We were also given printed copies of the recipes so that we did not have to concern ourselves with studious note-taking during the class.

The friendly teacher began with a brief introduction to Chinese cooking, and the different regions from which the country’s popular dishes originate. The talk was informative but not in a tedious “university lecture” way.

Luckily, no need to furiously write down each step as this handy recipe book was provided

The Hutong hosts several different Chinese culinary classes. I opted for a class that showcased Sichuan cuisine. Each of the three dishes that we cooked featured the signature red chili peppers and tongue-numbing peppercorns which work together to give Sichuan food the fiery flavor for which it is renowned.

The class was very practical and hands on. All participants had the opportunity to chop, crush, marinate and exhibit creative wok skills. The class fee of RMB 300 included complimentary soft drinks and hot tea.

The first dish we cooked was Ma Po Dofu (a spicy dish comprised of cubes of tofu and ground pork). The Hutong staff is good about accommodating different dietary requirements, and so my portion omitted the pork. Once this dish was completed, we moved on to a timeless classic: gongbao chicken. We plated up our rendition of this famous creation and left it steaming on the table. It was now time for the finale: stir-fried cabbage with a Sichuan twist. And then we were done.

We circled the long wooden table and spent a moment admiring our handiwork. Photographs were taken, a large bowl of rice added to the mix, and it was time to tick off the last item on our checklist…  feast! I could not think of a better way to conclude an exceptional evening.

The Hutong
1 Jiudaowan Zhongxiang Hutong (southeast of Beixinqiao subway station), Dongcheng District (6404 3355) 东城区九道湾中巷胡同1号(北新桥地铁站东南边）

*This post is a reworking of a blog post that was originally published on www.itisreal.net
Photos: Pamela Djima

Starting this Saturday and Sunday, and every weekend until the end of December, East’s Domain will run a Gingerbread House Workshop from 10am to 11am and from 2pm to 3pm. For those who’d rather put the kit together at home, you can get one to take away for RMB 268. To book your spot, email domain@east-beijing.com.

When you’re there, also check out their unusual take on a Christmas tree, put together by East, Roundabout, Mobo Design, and Penguin Books China, the tree is made of books donated by the local community. The “Christmas Tree of Knowledge” can be added to by anyone with some books to spare and will be up until Christmas Day, at which point the materials will go to Roundabout’s pop-up store at Domain. All proceeds from the books will go to Educating Girls of Rural China.

For more Christmas cheer and joy, head to Moka Bros in Solana on December 11. Starting at 11am, there will be free tree decorating, and DIY gingerbread men (RMB 20), hot chocolate (RMB 35), and mulled wine (RMB 50).

If you’re a fan of sipping tea and nibbling on scones (and have already gone through our extensive list of where to do so) – fear not, there is a new option in town: China World Hotel‘s Lobby Lounge presents the Wellendorff Afternoon Tea set put together by executive pastry chef Jonathan Wu, available now through March 31.

The set is a celebration of the opening of the German jewelry brand’s new boutique in the hotel, and is available between midday and 6pm every day, at RMB 298 per set (plus 10 percent service charge and 6 percent VAT). The cakes are adorable, adorned with edible renditions of rings from the Wellendorff’s collection.

RELATED: We Put Beijing’s Dunkin Donuts to the Test: Which of Their 18 Varieties is the Best?

Dunkin Donuts proving popular on its first day in U-Town

And finally, if you prefer your baked goods bigger, rounder, and slightly less sophisticated, head to the newly opened Dunkin Donuts at Chaoyang U-Town shopping center, the first one of these branches to open in central Beijing, with the first outlet opening in Pinnacle Plaza in Shunyi. Queues on the first day were quite impressive but with any luck they’ve died down by now.

PHOTOS: EAST, Margaux Schreurs, courtesy of Dunkin Donuts

This originally appeared on our sister site, theBeijinger.com.