Your Guide to Beijing's Halal Foods

Halal cuisine – food prepared according to Muslim dietary laws – plays a surprisingly big role in Beijing’s food scene, particular in the areas populated by the Hui Minority. Halal foods must be free of alcohol, and meats may only come from non-carnivorous animals that were slaughtered in a humane fashion, something that often makes halal meats a safer and more delicious alternative to regular meats. Many of those living in Beijing are familiar with the flavors of Hui cuisine from their visits to Xinjiang restaurants, but the following places can open up your culinary landscape to many new and wonderful dishes.

Da Shun Tang
A popular restaurant among Beijing’s Uighur community, this venue specializes in lamb and beef dishes like zhima yangrou (stir-fried lamb coated with sesame seeds). Daily 10.30am-2.30pm, 5pm-9pm. 1/F, Bldg 5, Fayuansi Xili, Xuanwu District. (6353 0644) 大顺堂, 宣武区法源寺西里5号楼1层
Hong Bin Lou
This time-honored Hui restaurant applies halal dietary rules to Beijing cuisine, including Chinese duck prepared according to Muslim dietary law, shuan yangrou (scalded lamb) and feiniu huoguo (beef crock-pot). Daily 11am-2pm, 5-9pm. 11 Zhanlanguan Lu (at the intersection of Baiwanzhuang), Xicheng District. (6899 2569/4560) www.hongbinlou.com.cn 鸿宾楼, 西城区展览馆11号（百万庄路口）
Dong Lai Shun
This halal hot pot has been around for more than a century, and this traditional eatery stays true to its roots, using copper pots over white hot charcoal. The service is friendly and the mutton delicious, and while there may be cheaper and cooler places to have hot pot, Dong Lai Shun is impossible to beat on tradition. 1) Daily 6.30am-9.30am, 11am-9pm. 12 Xinyuanxili Zhongjie, Chaoyang District, Chaoyang District. (6467 3707/6460 0671); 2) Daily 11am-10pm. 5/F, APM Mall, 138 Wangfujing Dajie, Dongcheng District. (6528 0932) 东来顺, 1) 朝阳区新源西里中街12号; 2) 东城区王府井大街138号新东安大厦5楼
Jubao Yuan
One of the oldest halal restaurants on Niujie, the biggest halal territory in Beijing. Jubaoyuan is known for its fresh beef, hand-cut mutton slices and well-mixed sesame dipping sauce, as well as its reasonable prices. Daily 11am-10pm. 5-2 Commercial Building 1, Niujie Xili, Xuanwu District. (83545602) 聚宝源, 宣武区牛街西里商业楼1号5-2号

Snacks
Nailao Wei
The imperial family used to eat this special dairy desert created from boiled and coagulated full fat milk, rice alcohol and sugar. Pure white, sweet and served cool, this is the perfect summer snack, and comes in fruity flavors such as papaya and blueberry. Nailao Wei. Daily 8.30am-10pm. North end of Niujie, Rm 107, 202 Guang’anmennei Dajie, Xuanwu District. (6352 2402) 奶酪魏, 宣武区广安门内大街202号107室(牛街北口)
Baiji Niangao
This place serves steamed glutinous rice rolled up with sweetened red bean paste, a traditional treat called niangao. Varieties include the famous lü da gun, donkey rolling on the ground; huangmi niangao, sticky millet cake and zhima niangao juan, sesame seed sticky rice cake. Daily 8am-4.30pm. 1/F, Niu Jie Qingzhen Supermarket, 1 Shangye Lou, Niu Jie, Xuanwu District. 白记年糕, 宣武区牛街(北口西侧)1号商业楼牛街清真超市1楼
Long Xingsheng Snack Shop
Beijing foodies rave about this halal snack shop, where the food is made by hand and with no chemical additives. Try the cold beef slices (jiang niu rou) sandwiched in hot shaobing and Songrou (松肉) - a popular Hui speciality made from dates, tofu and nuts. 5.30am-9pm. 19 Ya’er Hutong (near Yinding Qiao), Houhai, Xicheng District. (8403 1024) 隆兴盛名优小吃, 西城区西城区后海鸦儿胡同19号(近银锭桥)
Huguosi Xiaochidian
Traditional halal snacks of various shapes and sizes are served by this popular, hygienic, laozihao (historical brand). 1) Daily 5.30am-9pm. 93 Huguosi Dajie, Xicheng District. (6618 1705); 2) Daily 6am-8pm. 180 Di’anmenwai Dajie, Xicheng District. (6404 2946) 护国寺小吃店, 1) 西城区护国寺大街93号; 2) 西城区地安门外大街180号

Roasted Mutton/Beef
Baikui Laohao This popular eatery features shao yangrou, a spice-infused braised mutton and soup. The ground floor serves a wide range of snacks, while more formal dishes and seating can be found on the second floor. 1) Daily 11am-2pm, 5.30-11.30pm. 158 Jiaodaokou Dajie, Dongcheng District. (6404 0967); 2) Daily 6am-8.30pm. Longfu Guangchang, 1 Longfu Qianjie, Dongcheng District. (6406 0668) 白魁老号, 1) 东城区交道口大街158号; 2) 东城区隆福前街1号隆福广场
Kaorou Ji This halal restaurant has been around since the Qing dynasty, serving up their house specialities of barbecued lamb and steamed sesame buns. Daily 11am-11pm. 14 Qianhai Dongyan, Xicheng District. (6404 2554) 烤肉季, 西城区前海东沿14号
Kaorou Wan This restaurant specializes in Hui-style grilled beef and other traditional dishes, and was lauded by the likes of Emperor Puyi and author Guo Moruo. 1) 10.30am-9.30pm. 32B Zizhuyuan lu, Haidian District. (6848 7031/7035); 2) Daily 10.30am-9.30pm. 185 Yonghegong Dajie, Dongcheng District. (6406 9729); 3) Daily 10.30am-9.30pm. 58 Nanlishi Lu, Xicheng District. (6802 8180); 4) Daily 10.30am-9.30pm. 69 Wanquanhe Lu, Haidian District. (6257 6888) 烤肉宛, 1) 海淀区紫竹院路乙32号; 2) 东城区雍和宫大街185号; 3) 西城区南礼士路58号; 4) 海淀区万泉河路69号

Mutton Tripe
Baodu Jinshenglong
To enjoy a full tripe experience, start with sampling the four kinds of mutton tripe: duling, duxin, shixin and duban, then move on to another round of tripe varieties: mogu, shandan and hulu. Finish with a plate of duren, the most tender variety of tripe. Daily 11am-10.30pm. 65-8 Lipukang, Ande Lu, Xicheng District. (133 0111 8396) 爆肚金生隆, 西城区安德路六铺炕65-8

Hand Pulled Noodles
Mabashi
This tiny Hui-style restaurant is known for its hand-pulled noodles (la mian 拉面) and braised beef (hongshao niurou 红烧牛肉). North gate of Jishuitan Hospital (on the northwest side), Xinjiekou Dongjie, Xicheng District. 马八十, 西城区西城区新街口东街积水潭医院北门路口西北角

Xinjiang Style
Tulufan Restaurant
This well-known Xinjiang restaurant is managed by Chen Niansheng, a 70-year-old restaurateur who also founded Nan Lai Shun (one of the most popular halal restaurants in town). They serve great fried crispy mutton (baohu 爆糊), sweet-and-sour carp (tangculi yu 糖醋鲤鱼), fried fermeneted soybeans (chao madoufu 炒麻豆腐) and grilled breads (kao baozi 烤包子). 10am-2pm, 5-9pm. 6 Niu Jie (north entrance), Xuanwu District. (8316 4691, 8316 0247) 吐鲁番餐厅, 宣武区宣武区牛街北口6号