Beijing's "Best Restaurant" Award Winners Through the Ages

Voting is open in The Beijinger's 8th Reader Restaurant Awards, but did you ever wonder about those previous 7 years?

A look back at the best restaurants of the year show that Beijing’s dining scene may not be as tumultuous as we often think - at least at the better quality end of the scale.

Way back in 2004,
Taj Pavilion took the top spot in our first ever Restaurant Awards. Although few would call it the city's greatest restaurant these days, the first "Best Restaurant" winner is still known as a go-to place for quality Indian food, and still regularly features as a winner in the "Best Indian/Pakistani" category.

2005
saw Sanlitun restaurant Alameda take the top crown, a title it was to hold for three years. This perennial favorite still shows up under various categories in the awards - last year it took the “Best Business Lunch” trophy.

2006
Alameda

2007
Alameda

2008 saw the top title split for the first time into "Chinese" and "Non-Chinese" categories. Da Dong took the Chinese title, while newcomer SALT took the Non-Chinese crown.
Da Dong has successfully swept the Best Chinese field ever since, while the Non-Chinese category has proven more volatile.

2009
Da Dong (Chinese) Element Fresh (Non-Chinese). The Shanghai cafe chain Element Fresh hit Beijing in 2009 and surprised many by taking the top "Non-Chinese" spot. A case of "the shock of the new?" Element Fresh failed to even win an "Outstanding" spot in top restaurants in 2010, although it still made a strong showing by winning "Best American" (although some may ask when did cafe food become 'American'?), Best Brunch (non-hotel) and Best Sandwiches.

2010
Da Dong(Chinese) Maison Boulud (Non-Chinese). Although Maison Boulud took several awards in its first year of business in 2009, it failed to win an "Outstanding" in the top spot that year. In 2010, however, this Ch'ien Men 23 favorite clawed its way to the top to join Da Dong king of the Beijing restaurant scene.

2011 ? Voting is open for this year's restaurant awards, so click on the link and have your say. Will Da Dong maintain its three year run of winning "Best Chinese"? Will Maison Boulud retain the "Best Non-Chinese" crown?

Cast your vote here.