about this guide
Tina has a special connection to Beijing. Her grandma taught at Peking University and a lot of her family is based there. Studying abroad through Stanford felt like coming home. She lived in the dorms, ate in the dining halls (actually really good, she says), and joined clubs with local students. She knows what's worth your time and what's just a tourist trap.
the recommendations
Sheng Yong Xing
Michelin one star but super affordable — like $30 a person. Our whole cohort went the first week, it's just so traditional to get duck in Beijing. The one near Peking University has walk-in spots so you don't have to stress about reservations.
New York Bagelous Museum
Not a New York bagel, but very good. Super innovative — they have like a burger-looking bagel with meat. Really good healthy smoothies too, they add protein. Great study spot, right near school.
Radio Cafe
Very cute little cafe, nicely decorated, I like the interior a lot. Pretty small but if you get there early the second floor has a really nice view by the window with all these green plants. Good coffee, matcha, and dessert. Great study spot.
★★★★★★4.5
Latina Brazilian Steakhouse
We went with a friend from Brazil in our cohort and honestly the vibes were so nice — they had a live singer. I went to the Shanghai location after and Beijing was better.
★★★★★★4.7
Haidilao Hotpot
There's one actually in Cupertino but I doubt it's open 24/7 there. We went at 4am after going out and it was amazing. Classic.
Hangzhou Xiaolong Bao — North Gate of Peking University
Super traditional Shanghai/Hangzhou style breakfast. Family owned, max capacity of 10 people. Really good soy milk and breakfast buns. So tiny it's easy to walk past.
★★★★★★4.5
Beijing Hutong Bars
Beijing has a surprisingly heavy rock culture — lots of pubs and clubs tucked into traditional alleyways. I didn't go out super often but there is a scene if that's your thing. The music wasn't great, honestly if my friends hadn't been there it would've been lower.
★★★★★★3.8
Imperial Palace (Forbidden City)
I would definitely get an English tour guide — there's just so much to explain historically, you won't get it on your own. Heads up: reservations are required and sell out 1–2 weeks in advance, especially around May 1st.
Tiananmen Square Flag Ceremony
I woke up at 3am to see the flag rising ceremony and then went straight to the Great Wall at 8am — was a bit tired that day. Not exhilarating but if you have any interest in Chinese history, witnessing it is actually quite cool.
★★★★★4.0
Universal Studios Beijing
I'm not even the biggest theme park person and I genuinely loved it — the only Universal in China. There's really good food inside, specifically the Western steakhouse in Jurassic Park has amazing pumpkin soup. Random but I'm a big soup person and it was so good.
斜街8号咖啡馆 — Tiny Bookstore Cafe
This tiny bookstore where the owner sells everything at a discount — his whole mission is to revive people reading physical books. He was playing soft jazz and was just so enthusiastic about all his books. He even had one he bought at an auction in San Francisco. We ordered more coffee because we wanted to support him.
★★★★★5.0
Great Wall of China
Definitely worth the day trip. You ride a gondola up and depending on which section you go to, there's a little sliding thing to come back down — it's built in, super fun. There's also a cat by the entrance.
Temple of Heaven
A really beautiful place where past dynasties would honor the sky and heaven gods. Nice walk if you're lucky and it's not too crowded.
All of Tina's recommendations above are saved in this Google Maps list so you can use them while exploring Beijing.
