2016 Year in Review: The Best of Casual Dining

Well guys, it's about that time. As the year draws to a close, we're taking the opportunity to look back on the ups and downs of the Beijing dining scene in 2016. Below, we take a look at the biggest openings and closings to hit the casual dining scene, those everyday options that see us through countless lunches and quick dinners. 

No blog about dining in Beijing in 2016 could avoid mentioning the Topwin Center, which since it opened in the middle of the year has upped the number of desirable dining venues in Sanlitun tenfold. With a decidedly international food court in the basement, plus a number of more upscale venues on the fifth floor, the Topwin Center is home to several of our current favorite dining venues, including Beyond Yakitori, solo dining haven Zheng ramen, and trendy hotpot place Cou Cou. 

We couldn't do a blog about casual dining this year without mentioning the biggest (based on square meterage alone at least) opening of the year: The Crib (pictured above). Home to more than 20 restaurants, bars, and food retailers, The Crib aims to act as an incubator for Beijing's budding F&B professionals. On the other side of the fence, diners can grab bits and bites from any of the stalls and enjoy them in the communal dining areas. Current vendors include Le Fromager de Pekin, Jing A, Kato-ya, and Mr. Shi. 

Speaking of "culinary incubators" (quotation marks my own ...), 2016 was a year of ups and downs for another culinary start-up, Hatchery. Hatchery originally opened at the end of January in a 250-square-meter space in Tuanjiehu, attracting lots of attention with their Mighty Mo's mussels concept and frequent parties. Bad news struck in August, however, when they were forced to move on just six months later. However, the team behind Hatchery aren't ones to be kept down that easily and have come back fighting with an outpost in new Dongsi Jiutiao coworking/lifestyle space 5lmeet, which opened in mid-November (pictured at top). A promise of permanence and a built-from-the-ground-up kitchen has given the Hatchery team a new lease of life, and they have several new dining concepts on the go, including Coop, serving classic Aussie brunch dishes at the weekend, and a residency from Gail's Caribbean Cuisine. 

2016 was certainly a great year for Vietnamese dining, seeing the opening of wildly popular banh mi joint Rollbox in Xingfucun and fast-casual Vietnamese eatery Saigon Mama in Taikoo Li. Both do a mean banh mi, although Rollbox's come out on top for their fresh fillings and low, low prices. Saigon Mama, on the other hand, dishes up some of the best pho and bun bo hue (a spicy rice noodle soup from the central Vietnam city of Hue).

Of course, it wasn't all good news. 2016 saw the closure of Taikoo Li stalwart Modo Urban Deli. Modo Urban Deli first opened in 2010 as just Modo, serving contemporary fusion "small plates" alongside a thoughtfully curated selection of wines by glass. They added the Urban Deli part of the name in mid-2013 when the restaurant reopened after extensive renovations as a deli offering sit-down and takeaway options including creative salads, deli platters, and the best damn Cuban sandwich in Beijing.

Also turning off the lights in 2016 was The Meatball Company, who slung their last meatball sub on November 24. The legacy lives on, however, through spin-off brand Ladle and Spice, which continues to sell delicious sauces and condiments. 

More stories by this author here.

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Photos: The Crib, Hatchery/5LMeet, Robynne Tindall, Margaux Schreurs, the Beijinger