If you’re like us and enjoy living in Beixinqiao but are tired of the only options for sandwiches being those sad egg and ham slabs on white bread at various cafés or a desperate purchase at Subway, then you'll be happy to hear that there's now a new, better option for your wedge-shaped cravings: Queenie's Sandwiches & Bar (QS). Located directly across from Café de la Poste, it's likely that QS will take the neighborhood by storm and have done a lot right even in the three short months that they've been open.
The have a large list of creative sandwiches with great prices to match, which in our opinion puts other options and proclaimed sandwich artists to shame. We tried the Saigon Style (RMB 25), essentially their take on bánh mì, a staple of Vietnamese cuisine. It was loaded with pork, veggies, and spice on toasted bread. While it wasn’t super authentic, they still did a great job at making it hearty and well worth your money. Some other options that piqued are interest but we have yet to try were their Thailand Fish Fillet (RMB 25), Japanese Crab with Wasabi (RMB 25), and Guangzhou Style (RMB 25). All the sandwiches cost between RMB 20-25, except for the Queenie’s Selection which is RMB 45, which likely means it is loaded, sloppy mess of fried ingredients and sauces (need to try this one). They informed us that even more of these delicious sammiches will be coming to the menu shortly (they already have 20!).
In addition to sandwiches they also have a bunch of fried goodies that we’ve been told aren’t half bad, including potato balls, cheese shrimp, codfish fillet, and many more for only RMB 15. It’s almost like they raided Metro of all of their most delicious frozen snacks and comfort food, to create a temple of munchies at staggeringly low prices:
A Sierra Nevada Torpedo IPA for just RMB 25? This is a bottle of beer that up until a couple of months ago was nearly impossible to find, and if you ever encountered it, it would likely set you back over RMB 50. They also have a couple of house wine options for RMB 15. Along with with their full-on assault of the area’s lunch and quick dinner fix options, they are open till four in the morning for you who “fourthmeal” and have RMB 5-10 shots for sale if you can’t go a minute without pounding a couple before or after your late night snack. We can’t wait to see what kind of madness this will bring in.
If you want to avoid the crowd then you can also get your munchies delivered for an additional RMB 5 if you live within 3km of the shop. We are worried that they may soon overwhelm themselves with this extreme generosity, but for now it is a bomb find worthy of you patronage.
Queenie's Sandwiches & Bar
Daily 9am-4am. 181 Yonghegong Dajie, Dongcheng District (8404 5027)
东城区雍和宫大街181号
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Email: danielkippwhittaker@thebeijinger.com
Photos: Kipp Whittaker
this place is mainly a BAR and now it's open 24 hours: I think is the only place opened 24 hours around Lama Temple / Gulou.
You go there for cheap drinks and have some fun ....then maybe when you drinking you can also get some snack aside....
But you don't go there for having lunch/dinner....at least, not me.
Personally I go there very often because of the very cheap drinks and they have a very nice rooftop which is great in summer.
Living in another country broadens your appreciation of different foods; it doesn't completely eradicate your love for others. Sometimes all I crave is a decent, comforting sandwich, and that stands for no matter where I am in the world (praise the lord for places like Laos and Vietnam where these culinary aspects are melded with traditional culture and cuisine).
