24 Hours in Beijing With Vegan Influencer Alex Ogden
24 Hours in Beijing is a series in which we ask some of the capital’s movers and shakers how they’d spend a full day in the city.
This time around, we hear from Alex Ogden, a full-time foodie, entrepreneur, and content creator best known for her videos showcasing China’s rich landscape of "accidentally vegan" eats. Originally from Vancouver, Canada, she’s called Beijing home since 2019.
Follow her foodie travel adventures on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok at @veganinchina, or 爱吃草的阿莲 on all major Chinese platforms.
Every hour of my life pretty much revolves around planning or eating the next meal. So, if you ask me to plan a 24-hour itinerary in Beijing, you probably won’t be checking off any major tourist sights — but I can promise you the best dumpling meal of your life.
While the rest of China likes to tease Beijing for being a “food desert,” I think it has one of the most diverse ranges of authentic regional cuisines in the country. You could do a decent food tour of the whole country without leaving Beijing!
You have 24 hours in Beijing – what's for breakfast, lunch and dinner?
For me, coffee is an absolute non-negotiable. And for the ultimate Old Beijing breakfast pairing, you’ve got to try 红糖芝麻花卷 hóng táng zhī ma huā juǎn. Imagine if a chocolate croissant and cinnamon roll had a steamy love affair in a Xicheng alleyway... But the baby somehow looks like neither of them.
It's a soft steamed bun with thick, sweet sesame paste folded into its many creases. The best ones leave you with a crumbly mess and stick to the roof of your mouth like peanut butter. Paired with an oat milk flat white, it's absolute bliss! You can get these buns at any Old Beijing or Halal bakery, but my favourite one is from 隆福寺小吃 Longfusi Xiaochi because they’re very generous with the filling.
For lunch, it's dumplings, obviously! My go-to is 馅老满 Xiàn Lǎo Mǎn. Their wrapping-to-filling ratio is legit, and I’m obsessed with the boiled fennel dumplings (清香素茴香水饺 qīngxiāng sù huíxiāng shuǐjiǎo). If potstickers are more your thing, try the 罗汉素 luóhàn sù. They finish them with starchy water to form a lacy, crispy skirt — divine when dipped in black vinegar!
I like to walk off lunch by checking out a quirky exhibition somewhere in the city. Recently, I visited the 100% Women (百分百妇女) pop-up at Wangfujing Xiyue Mall — featuring a wall of hand-embroidered menstrual pads with some very bold designs.
If you can read Chinese (or are a pro with phone translation apps), don’t miss the book of personal stories from women across China about their experiences navigating womanhood. It’s powerful and surprisingly daring for a conservative city like Beijing. The exhibition runs until Aug 20* and is free to visit (although they accept donations, which go towards providing menstrual products to women in rural China).
If Vegans of Beijing (WeChat ID: Food_Meditation) is hosting a meetup, I always try to go. Recently, we gathered at Duli for dinner, a plant-based East-meets-West fusion spot. I love their experimental dishes — personal faves include the Pistachio Pesto Burrata and the Cauliflower and Corn Fritter Bao.
After dinner, I might swing by Zhazha Bistro for a cocktail or a cheeky rice wine shooter. If you’re still a little peckish, their 丝娃娃 sīwáwá wraps — a Guizhou-style DIY veggie roll-up — are the perfect late-night snack.
What is your must-visit spot in Beijing and why?
I’m absolutely obsessed with Chaochao, a cozy hutong hideaway specializing in Sichuan-inspired tapas. The vibe feels like you’ve been invited into someone’s art-filled living room, and the food is unreal. If you’re feeling fancy, treat yourself to a glass of sake — so crisp and refreshing!
*If you can't make it to the 100% Women pop-up before it ends, be sure to follow them on RED @百分百妇女 for future events.
READ: 24 Hours in Beijing with Poet Anthony Tao
Images courtesy of Alex Ogden
