This spotlessly simple Cantonese “teahouse” smells like it could be in Hong Kong or Taiwan, and not just because the Guangdong chefs can cook. Ying He is one of few Gulou eateries abiding by the smoking ban officially introduced (if not strictly enforced) on May 1.

Dominated by Hong Kong-style dishes, with occasional twists of Sichuan, Fujian, Malay and Western cuisine, this polished cafe offers attentive service and suits both business talk and intimate chat.

Sanlitun Village North pursues one thing, and one thing alone: style. Never mind whether its inhabitants hail from Paris or Guangzhou – so long as their products are classy, creative and chic, they’ll fit right in.

Which is why we weren’t at all surprised to see Chinese label Even Penniless join the ranks, quietly and seamlessly, a few months ago. The New York Times calls the designer “one of the most exciting local names in young fashion.” A Hangzhou fashion school graduate, Gao Xin grew his brand in the cutthroat fashion world of Shanghai – yet his talent for minimalist design separated him from the rest.

Ming Court may be a bit far from town, but just think of it this way: It’s a tasty and classy alternative to the airport food court. Take, for example, the fried grouper cooked two ways (RMB 218). Half is covered in a heavy sweet-and-sour sauce, not so unique – but the half stir-fried with mushrooms and dried shrimp roe brings out the tenderness and taste of this sea creature.

This casual crab house and bar is the first in Beijing to offer a big variety of American-style crab dishes. Crabs, from Alaskan king to Australian snow crab to English bread crab, are held in a big blue tank by the entrance for diners to pick, and no matter which dish you choose, the execution is just right, whether it is the tender and fresh crab salad, the hearty crab cake, or any of the other seafood dishes.