The Beijing Comfort Food Checklist

As the colder days arrive, Beijing is getting ready for winter 2025! With the approaching chill comes an undying need to eat some glorious Beijing comfort food. To have the ultimate cozy experience, we present to you a compilation of Beijing and a few more general Chinese comfort foods that are sure to warm your heart and soul.

1. Hot Pot (火锅 huǒguō)

A winter staple, Beijing hot pot is a comfort food you definitely can't skip. It is the undisputed king of Beijing winters. Whether you go for the classic mild, clear broth or opt for another variety, it is the perfect warming winter dish. There is nothing quite like gathering around the steaming copper pot and doing those traditional seven dips of the meat into the broth. And let's not forget the sauce, the sesame paste, the peanuts, the chilli oil, the garlic and spring onions combining together for that extra punch of flavor. So, for the greatest winter christening, it is absolutely necessary for you to enjoy a Beijing hot pot with your friends and share a memorable meal together. 

2. Brown Sugar and Sesame Baked Bun (红糖麻酱焙子 hóngtáng májiàng bèizi) 

Forget about cinnamon rolls or gingerbread, hongtang majiang beizi is the ultimate baked treat for winter. It's golden and glossy with a mixture of sesame and brown sugar coating it in layers. Sort of like a Chinese layered biscuit, this bun, paired with a coffee, will change your life. The sesame and brown sugar are the perfect ingredients to warm you up on a cold winter day. 

3. Dumplings (饺子 jiǎozi)

Does anything quite say comfort like a big pile of dumplings? Whether they are steamed, boiled, or fried, for your Beijing comfort food list to be complete, dumplings have to be on it. Whether stuffed with classic fillings like pork, chives and cabbage or more unusual options like the kung pao chicken ones at Baoyuan Dumplings 宝源饺子屋, they are a winter staple. 

4. Sweet Potato (烤红薯 kǎo hóngshǔ)

You know winter has arrived when you walk out of a subway station to the sight of a little cart and the accompanying aroma of freshly baked sweet potatoes in the air; the smell alone defines Beijing winter. Roasted until the skin curls away while the insides are pillowy and soft, it's simple but so nostalgic and heart-warming. These sweet potatoes are pure comfort wrapped up in foil. 

5. Noodles (面条 miàntiáo)

China is the undisputed land of noodles, and no winter comfort food list would be complete without them. No matter the variety you choose, be it a steaming bowl of Lanzhou lamian, thick biangbaingmian, zhangzhamian or a simple chaomian, there really is no wrong answer. Go haywire trying as many noodles as you can because winter is the ideal time to stuff your face with them!

6. Tanghulu (糖葫芦 tánghúlu)

Already a classic wintertime sweet treat in Beijing, the recent milk skin tanghulu craze has made them more popular than ever! Whether you want to jump on the viral bandwagon or just listen to a local Beijinger's recommendation, remember to grab yourself a stick on your next outing to get the truest Beijing comfort food feels. 

7. Jujube Tea (红枣茶 hóngzǎo chá)

Ask any Beijing local and they will swear on everything dear to them that jujube tea is the key! On a cold day when you can feel the chill in your bones, jujube tea is the answer. With its warm and mildly sweet flavor, maybe a floating chrysanthemum flower for aesthetics and health, and a golden colour, the tea is a welcome sight for anyone looking to escape the harshness of the dry Beijing winters. 

8. Beijing Roast Duck (北京烤鸭 Běijīng kǎoyā)

No Beijing comfort food list is complete without roast duck. The tender duck meat and crispy skin paired with the thick sauce, spring onions, cucumber and perhaps a sprinkle of sugar if you're daring, all nestled in a thin pancake, is an indulgent winter special that just hits the spot. Sure, it's not an everyday food, but it's one that cannot be missed. 

What's your favorite winter comfort food? Let us know in the comments below!

READ: Snack Attack: Explaining the Milk Skin Tanghulu Craze

Images: Canva, the Beijingers, Meituan Waimai