Use this when a restaurant expects QR-code ordering.
When QR Menus Have No English: The Paper Menu Request Card
Excuse me, I am a foreign visitor. Could you help me order, or do you have a paper menu?
您好，我是外国游客。能帮我点菜吗，或者有纸质菜单吗？
How Foreign Visitors Actually Order Food in China (Without Speaking Chinese)
Stuck staring at a Chinese-only QR menu with no English option? These bilingual cards cover the exact phrases for ordering paper menus, requesting staff help, and communicating dietary restrictions (pork-free, vegetarian, halal, allergies) — tested across 20 Chinese cities in April 2026.
Use this when a QR ordering flow requires a local phone number.
Ordering Without a Chinese Phone Number (WeChat Mini-Program Workarounds)
I do not have a Chinese phone number, so I cannot use the mini program. Could I order with staff?
我没有中国手机号，不能使用小程序。可以请服务员帮我点餐吗？
Important because lard may not be obvious from the menu.
No pork
I do not eat pork. Does this dish contain pork or lard?
我不吃猪肉。这道菜里有猪肉或者猪油吗？
Use specific restrictions; vegetarian assumptions vary.
Vegetarian request
I do not eat meat, seafood, or animal oil. Does this dish contain any of these?
我不吃肉、海鲜和动物油。这道菜里有这些吗？
Must-Try Dishes by City (With Payment & Price Tags)
Switch cities and review the local dishes most worth trying during a short transit stop.
Cuisine style: Jing cuisine (Imperial Beijing) · 京菜
Beijing's Top 10 Foreigner-Friendly Dishes (With Bilingual Names)
Restaurant dishSplurge
Peking Roast Duck
北京烤鸭
Crispy-skinned whole duck roasted in a closed oven, served sliced with thin pancakes, scallions, cucumber, and sweet bean sauce. The definitive Beijing dish with a history traceable to the imperial kitchen.
Where to find it: Quanjude (Qianmen branch) and Dadong are the most tourist-accessible; book ahead or expect a queue. Cheaper options appear in Guijie food street.
Payment note: Sit-down restaurants; WeChat Pay and Alipay widely accepted, some chains accept Visa.
Dietary flags: No specific dietary flag
Restaurant dishBudget
Zhajiangmian
炸酱面
Thick wheat noodles topped with a slow-fried soybean paste sauce mixed with diced pork, served with julienned cucumber, radish, and bean sprouts on the side. A staple of everyday Beijing home cooking.
Where to find it: Small noodle shops throughout Dongcheng and Xicheng districts; look for hand-written menus. Old Beijing Zhajiangmian near Nanluoguxiang is a convenient tourist stop.
Payment note: Cash or QR code; most small shops accept WeChat Pay.
Dietary flags: Contains pork
Street foodBudget
Jianbing
煎饼
A crepe made from mung-bean and wheat batter cooked on a flat griddle, spread with egg, hoisin and chili sauces, scallions, and a crispy wonton shell. Beijing's most popular breakfast street food.
Where to find it: Mobile carts near subway exits citywide in the early morning, especially around Guomao, Wangfujing, and Zhongguancun.
Payment note: Street carts; WeChat Pay QR codes are standard, few accept cash exclusively.
Dietary flags: Vegetarian
Restaurant dishMid-range
Lamb Hot Pot (Beijing style)
北京涮羊肉
Paper-thin sliced lamb swirled briefly in a boiling clear broth, then dipped in sesame paste thinned with fermented tofu and chili oil. Distinct from Sichuan hot pot in its mild broth and sesame-forward dipping sauce.
Where to find it: Donglaishun (Wangfujing) is the historic choice; Niujie area around the Muslim quarter offers halal-certified options.
Payment note: Sit-down restaurants; QR ordering common, credit cards at larger chains.
Dietary flags: Halal
Street foodBudget
Tanghulu
糖葫芦
Skewered hawthorn berries (or strawberries) coated in a crackly caramel sugar shell. A classic Beijing street snack sold on bamboo sticks, especially popular in winter.
Where to find it: Street vendors at Wangfujing Snack Street, Nanluoguxiang, and near major parks like Beihai and Jingshan year-round.
Payment note: Street vendors; most accept WeChat Pay, cash also works.
Dietary flags: Vegan · Gluten-free
Local Dishes Worth the Language Barrier
Street foodBudget
Baodu
爆肚
Blanched tripe (lamb or beef stomach) flash-cooked in boiling water for seconds, dipped in sesame sauce. A traditional Beijing Muslim street snack with a long history in Niujie.
Where to find it: Niujie Muslim food street and Guijie Snack Street; look for shops with red signage and visible boiling pots.
Payment note: Small stalls; QR code payment standard.
Dietary flags: Halal
SnackBudget
Lvdagunr
驴打滚
A rolled glutinous rice cake filled with sweet red bean paste and coated in roasted soybean flour, giving a nutty, chewy bite. One of Beijing's classic old-style snacks.
Where to find it: Daoxiangcun pastry shops and Niuren Street traditional snack vendors; also at Wangfujing Snack Street.
Payment note: Pastry shops and market stalls; WeChat Pay and cash accepted.
Dietary flags: Vegan
DessertBudget
Wandouhuang
豌豆黄
A chilled yellow pea pudding cake with a delicate sweet flavor and smooth texture, originally served in the imperial court. Best eaten cold in spring or summer.
Where to find it: Daoxiangcun chain bakeries and traditional snack shops near the Temple of Heaven and Beihai Park.
Payment note: Bakery chains; WeChat Pay, Alipay, and cash all accepted.
Dietary flags: Vegan · Gluten-free
DrinkBudget
Beijing Yogurt
北京酸奶
Thick, slightly sour set yogurt sold in clay or glass bottles sealed with paper lids. A uniquely Beijing street refreshment with a distinct tangy flavor compared to modern commercial yogurt.
Where to find it: Street vendors near Wangfujing, Nanluoguxiang, and subway station exits; also available in supermarkets citywide.
Payment note: Vendor carts; WeChat Pay or cash.
Dietary flags: Vegetarian
Street foodBudget
Mala Tang
麻辣烫
Skewered vegetables, tofu, and meat pieces simmered in a spicy numbing broth, priced per skewer. A nationwide street food with a strong foothold in Beijing's night markets.
Where to find it: Guijie food street (Ghost Street), Wudaokou student area, and outdoor night markets across the city.
Payment note: Stalls and small shops; QR code payment.
Dietary flags: Spicy
Restaurant dishMid-range
Shuan Yangrou (Mongolian-style)
铜锅涮肉
Traditional copper-pot hot pot using charcoal to heat a clear broth, specifically for lamb. The copper pot format is distinctly Beijing and predates gas-heated hot pot restaurants.
Where to find it: Old restaurants in Dongcheng and Xicheng, especially around Qianmen and Dashilar historic district.
Payment note: Sit-down restaurants; WeChat Pay and Alipay standard.
Dietary flags: No specific dietary flag
Restaurant dishBudget
Chao Gan (Braised Pork Liver and Intestine)
炒肝
A thick, glossy stew of pork liver and intestine simmered with heavy doses of raw garlic and thickened with starch to a translucent gravy, eaten alongside small steamed buns (baozi). A classic old-Beijing breakfast with a distinctive gelatinous texture.
Where to find it: Tianfu Hao and other traditional breakfast shops near Qianmen and Dashilar; also found at Guijie food street.
Payment note: Cash or QR code at traditional breakfast shops.
Dietary flags: Contains pork
Restaurant dishBudget
Sesame Paste Noodles (Liang Mian)
麻酱凉面
Cold wheat noodles tossed in sesame paste, soy sauce, vinegar, and chili oil with shredded cucumber. A popular summer staple sold at noodle shops and canteens across the city.
Where to find it: Noodle restaurants citywide; also available as a takeaway item from Beijing-style canteens and fast casual shops.
Payment note: QR code or cash.
Dietary flags: Vegetarian
Street foodBudget
Mending Rou Bing (Door-Nail Meat Pie)
门钉肉饼
A pan-fried round beef pie shaped and sized like the bronze nails on old Beijing palace gates — hence the name. The thin dough is stuffed with a juicy scallion-seasoned beef filling and fried until the base is crisp and the top stays soft. A classic Beijing Muslim (Halal) snack.
Where to find it: Niujie Muslim food street and traditional halal restaurants (Baoyuan Dumpling and Jinfang Mending Roubing are well-known); also at breakfast shops around Qianmen and Dashilar.
Payment note: Halal restaurants and street stalls; WeChat Pay or cash.
Dietary flags: Halal
DrinkBudget
Erguotou Baijiu
二锅头
A strong clear grain liquor distilled in Beijing, known for its harsh, clean heat. The Red Star brand is iconic and omnipresent in restaurants and convenience stores citywide.
Where to find it: Every convenience store, supermarket, and restaurant in Beijing. Red Star brand is sold in small flasks ideal for sampling.
Payment note: Convenience stores accept all payment methods including Alipay, WeChat Pay, cash, and some accept international cards.
Dietary flags: Vegan · Gluten-free