2016 Year in Review: The Year in Beijing Fine 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. Brush off your dinner jackets and dust off your top hats because below we take a look at the biggest news to hit the fine dining scene over the past year. As has been the case for several years now, fine dining (and more specifically, hotel dining) is handing the baton over to fast-casual as the driving force of the Beijing dining scene, but that doesn't mean the year passed uneventfully in the world of white tablecloths. 

Technically, it did open at the end of 2015, but for us, The Georg still dominated the fine dining scene this year – at least if the amount of birthdays, anniversaries, and celebrations we were invited to there are anything to go by. Set in a stunning restored hutong building just around the corner from bustling Houhai, The Georg's covered courtyard is the perfect spot for a weekend brunch or a quiet dinner. One of the things we love about The Georg is that menu is very easy to navigate: you get a list of dishes, for RMB 130 each, and you can choose any you want, as many as you want. If you prefer the chef to make your choices for you, you can go for the RMB 450 set menu, a selection of four dishes, including dessert. Chef Talib Hudda may have moved on to the Opposite House, but The Georg remains one of the city's best upscale dining options, if only for the beautiful setting. 

Probably the biggest fine dining openings of the year all came courtesy of the brand new Intercontinental Beijing Sanlitun, which is home to steak house Char Dining Room and Lounge, schmancy tapas joint Top Tapas, and Japanese/Chinese duo Ying. So far our favorite of the three is Char, for its sparkling view out over Taikoo Li and its incredibly tender Australian Wagyu steaks (from top producer David Blackmore). 

Speaking of steak, one old favorite we returned to time and again this year was Morton's. Despite being a big-name brand, Morton's often flies under the radar in Beijing, perhaps due to its location in Dengshikou, probably not a frequent stop for many Beijing residents. However, the refined dining room, excellent steaks, and expansive (if pricey) wine list make this a great spot for special occasions - a milestone birthday, perhaps, or an important business dinner. They keep things fresh with frequent menu changes, too. 

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Photos courtesy of Morton's, Intercontinental, Margaux Schreurs, Tracy Wang