Beijing's Rooftops & Terraces: the Liangma River
After taking a look at some of the rooftops and terraces around Sanlitun and Gongti as well as the hutongs, we’re now going to take a look at some situated roughly around the Liangma River area.
BARA
This fine dining establishment took over the space formerly occupied by WAA Gastropub back in 2023. With a terrace space resembling the front of a ship located right on the Liangma River, BARA definitely has some of the best views in the area. They have a special JOSPER Wood Grill imported from Spain on which they cook up a range of steaks, seafood and other meat. They also do a variety of other Western dishes, such as afternoon tea, salads, snacks and more, plus they have an extensive wine selection.
BARA·西餐牛排·酒廊
1/F Middle Tower, Liangma Gangwan 53 Maizidian Jie, Chaoyang District
朝阳区麦子店街53号亮马港湾大厦中楼一层
Hours: 11.30am-2am
Phone: 010 8597 7798; 156 1121 7515
Oasis Lounge
Located directly above BARA, Oasis Lounge’s terrace also boasts stunning views of the Liangma River below. The terrace has some lounge-type seating areas, but if you’re able to nab a spot, the best seating in the house is definitely the bar-style seating at the front, which has the best views. Here, they specialize in steak and smoked boxes along with other Western dishes, and they have a range of cocktails and other drinks.
Oasis Lounge
2/F Terrace, Tower 2, Liangma Gangwan 53 Maizidian Jie, Chaoyang District
朝阳区麦子店街53号亮马港湾大厦二层露台
Hours: 11am-9pm
Phone: 158 1088 2479
Sumac
Lebanese restaurant Sumac, which opened last year, has a chic terrace situated right next to the river, which looks particularly gorgeous at night when Sumac’s stunning entrance is all lit up. An offshoot of the Hong Kong-based restaurant of the same name, they pride themselves on serving modern interpretations of traditional Lebanese dishes with the finest ingredients.
Sumac 苏马克黎巴嫩餐厅
8, 1/F South Tower, Liangma Harbour Building, 53 Maizidian Jie, Chaoyang District
朝阳区麦子店街53号亮马港湾大厦南楼1层8号
Hours: 11am-midnight
Phone: 010 6591 9590; 132 6426 2888
Carpaccio
Italian restaurant Carpaccio’s terrace is located right on the riverside, offering scenic views of the river. The terrace covers a large area, however be warned that it can get pretty busy and full during peak hours. On the food front, they have a particular focus on pizzas, with an impressive 12 different pizzas on the menu, such as the Truffle & Parma Ham Pizza (RMB 148) and Salami Pizza (RMB 128) as well pasta, calzones, gelato and other Italian dishes.
Carpaccio
(1/F of FX Hotel), 39 West Maizidian Street, Chaoyang District
朝阳区麦子店西街39号 富驿时尚酒店一层
Hours: 10am-11pm
Phone: 010 8588 8847
La Seine
Situated next to the Liangma River, which has been dubbed “the Seine of Beijing” in recent years, La Seine opened up in 2023. They have a lovely terrace area out front surrounded by a wall of greenery, which creates a nice barrier from the road but still allows diners glimpses of the Liangma River in the distance. They serve up a range of Mediterranean food like pasta, tapas, steak and more. Something to watch out for is their great weekday lunch deal, which runs 11am-2.30pm and is where you can nab an appetizer, main and dessert for the low price of RMB 108.
Le Seine 塞纳河西餐厅
1, 1/F, 2 Sanlitun Beixiaojie, Chaoyang District
朝阳区三里屯北小街2号1层-1室
Hours: Mon-Fri, 11am-3pm, 5pm-11pm; Sat-Sun, 11.30am-4pm, 5pm-11pm
Phone: 136 9107 4647
Arrow Factory
Sitting right by the Liangma River, Arrow Factory has an outdoor seating area out back on the ground floor, a small rooftop terrace, and a relatively big rooftop area that’s a proper sun trap. As Arrow Factory is a British-style brewpub, they offer up a variety of great brews along with a range of Western food, including some traditional pub classics like Fish and Chips (RMB 128), Steak and Ale Pie (RMB 108) and Bangers and Mash (RMB 85). They also do a weekend brunch menu, with the star of the show being The Full English (RMB 95), which is definitely one of the best English breakfasts in town.
Arrow Factory
Waijiao Apartment, 1 Xindong Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区新东路1号外交公寓亮马河南岸
Hours: 11am-midnight
Phone: 010 8532 5335
Fresco
Specializing in steak and seafood, Fresco is hidden away right by where Liangma River ends in the south. This steak and seafood house’s elegant terrace is set with chic, bright turquoise furnishings and is bursting with greenery.
Up on the fifth floor, you get great views of Dongzhimen, and because it's west-facing, it’s perfect for the evening if you want to enjoy a beautiful sunset as you dine. Along with their fine dining menu, they usually also have seasonal specials available as well as a number of great set menu deals, which you can check out on Dianping.
Fresco
5/F, 27 Dongzhimenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District
朝阳区东直门外大街27号5层
Hours: 11.30am-2pm, 5-10pm
Phone: 010 8532 1799; 155 1013 7888
Goose Island
Located right on the southwest corner of the Solana shopping complex, Goose Island’s large terrace area out front is a lovely place to spend a lazy afternoon. Its wooden decking, a sprinkling of greenery, and views out across Chaoyang Park create a pleasant atmosphere.
While they have ten rotating beers on tap, Goose also has a nice selection of wine, cocktails and soft drinks for those who aren’t into beer. You can enjoy their stellar selection of burgers, pizza, meaty mains, tacos and more to nibble on while you drink.
Goose Island Taproom
BS-06-1/F-2/F, Solana Blue Harbor, 6 Chaoyang Gongyuan Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区朝阳公园路6号蓝色港湾BS-06-1F-2F
Hours: Sun-Thu, 10.30am-midnight; Fri-Sun, 10.30am-2am
Phone: 010 5905 6802
Q MEX Solana
Situated right next to Goose Island, Q MEX’s Solana branch boasts not one but two terraces, with an outside seating area at the front on the ground floor and a balcony terrace off the second floor. With beige and brown pillars and balustrades, a pergola, and plenty of greenery, the balcony terrace gives off strong Latin American vibes.
Here, you can enjoy Q MEX's brand new revamped menu of great Mexican and Western offerings, along with their weekly half-price deals – Mondays: Burritos, Tuesdays: Pizza, Wednesdays: Nachos, Thursdays: Steak and Habanero Chicken. They also have a daily happy hour running until 9pm, which sees discounts like ROC Craft Cocktails for RMB 45, Draft Beer for RMB 30-45, and Bottled Beer for RMB 25.
Q MEX Solana
A132, Langangwan L1 Street, Solana Blue Harbor, 6 Chaoyang Gongyuan Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区朝阳公园路6号蓝色港湾L1大街A132
Hours: 11am-midnight
Phone: 010 8794 5165
READ: Beijing's Rooftops & Terraces: Andingmen, Gulou & Beixinqiao
Images: Uni You, courtesy of the venues, Dianping
