There is no shortage of charming courtyard restaurants in Beijing, but few are as cozy as Little Yunnan. The tiny but functioning wood stove in the center of the room keeps the space toasty and the tea kettle bubbling. Two lofts lined with couches serve as small private dining rooms, and the smattering of plants along the windowsill and books along the shelves help make this restaurant a tiny den of warmth.

It’s not much to look at. Despite being newly opened, the carpet is worn – and dusty plastic vines dangling overhead rarely inspire confidence for a fine dining experience. When we wandered in at lunchtime, the bargain RMB 38 buffet looked lusterless, and even the menu was disheartening, featuring an oddly large list of Chinese dishes. Turn a blind eye to all this and focus on the flavors.

It's holiday season, and for those of us far away from home, it's likely that we'll spend the next week or so drinking and dancing the night away rather than partaking of cozy family time. So at 1am (or 6am), after another night of holiday drinking festivities, we all have the munchies, and it's decision time. The obvious bets would be to grab a Stadium Dog, or perhaps a jianbing or some chuan'r from a street vendor. But as for me, nothing feels better for a late-night, post-drink chowdown than a giant bowl of noodles.

Yellow River (Huanghe Shui) Shaanxi Noodles is a 24-hour noodle heaven, right at Gongti East Gate. The jolly chefs there make giant, greasy and immensely satisfying bowls of noodles around the clock.

In Chaoyang, Cornerstone is a new stylish Italian restaurant serving pizzas and more in the World Financial Center. The generous portions and great lunch deals should make this place a hit with the CBD business crowd.

In nearby Central Park, Gori, an international eatery with everything from Thai to terriyaki has been opened by the much-loved Igosso/Pekotan team.

It’s that time of year. Temperatures have dropped and the heat is finally on – hot pot season has arrived. The Chinese options alone (Beijing and Sichuan and Yunnan, oh my!) may seem endless, especially on Guijie, a street dedicated to this beloved communal dining extravaganza. But rumor has it that this winter will be a long, harsh one – so to support you through this extended hot pot season, here are some alternatives to keep your belly full and body warm.

Who doesn’t like a deal? The popular US website Groupon is all over the news recently over Google's proposal to buy it for USD 6 billion. This group buying website has become tremendously popular by creating a win-win situation – sellers offer large discounts in bulk to a group of buyers, and the discounts only take place if enough buyers opt-in. Buyers win since they can get ridiculous discounts on anything from dinners in restaurants to lawnmowers, and sellers can attract a large group of buyers at one a time.

Bought an apple lately? If you’ve gone food shopping in any local market or stopped off at a fruit stall in the last month or so, you’d likely have noticed that a bag of fruit has left a deeper dent in your pocket than it did a year ago.

The huge stainless-steel open kitchen calls to mind an American diner, but the slick furnishings take away that illusion. The menu, however, does reflect classic comfort food: mac and cheese croquettes (RMB 35) and donut holes (RMB 35). Helmed by successful caterers Culinary Capers, Switch! serves simple and upbeat Western fare.

These foods only have two things in common - they are stringy, and Beijingers love to snack on them. They range the gamut from chewy noodles to crunchy donuts, from snappy intestines to toothache-inducing sweets. They are to be found everywhere, and tanghulu in particular is a beloved snack during the cold season. Keep an eye out for these treats.

A few cafes have opened up in Sanlitun recently. Taking over the club White Rabbit’s spot in 3.3, Hercules offers up deli fare in the form of sandwiches, salads and soups. Refresh! around the corner under Hooters also serves light fare in the form of sandwiches and paninis, baked goods, smoothies and coffee.