As the chilly days set in, Beijing is gearing up for winter 2025! With the oncoming cold, there's an enduring desire to indulge in delightful Beijing comfort food. To ensure you have the ultimate cozy experience, we present a selection of Beijing and some general Chinese comfort foods that are bound to warm your heart and spirit.
1. Hot Pot (火锅 huǒguō)
A winter essential, Beijing hot pot is a comfort dish that you simply cannot miss. It reigns supreme during Beijing winters. Whether you choose the classic mild, clear broth or another variety, it serves as the ideal warming dish for the season. Nothing compares to gathering around the steaming copper pot and performing the traditional seven dips of meat into the broth. And let's not overlook the sauce—where the sesame paste, peanuts, chili oil, garlic, and spring onions come together to create an extra burst of flavor. Therefore, to truly immerse yourself in winter, enjoying a Beijing hot pot with friends is a must for sharing a memorable meal together.
2. Brown Sugar and Sesame Baked Bun (红糖麻酱焙子 hóngtáng májiàng bèizi)
Put aside cinnamon rolls and gingerbread; hongtang majiang beizi is the ultimate baked delight for winter. It’s golden and shiny, featuring layers coated in sesame and brown sugar. Similar to a Chinese layered biscuit, this bun, when paired with coffee, is life-changing. The combination of sesame and brown sugar perfectly warms you on a chilly winter day.
3. Dumplings (饺子 jiǎozi)
What represents comfort more than a generous serving of dumplings? Whether they are steamed, boiled, or fried, dumplings must be on your Beijing comfort food list. Stuffed with traditional fillings like pork, chives, and cabbage, or perhaps more unique choices like the kung pao chicken ones from Baoyuan Dumplings (宝源饺子屋), they are a winter staple.
4. Sweet Potato (烤红薯 kǎo hóngshǔ)
You know winter has truly begun when you emerge from a subway station to find a small cart and the enticing smell of freshly baked sweet potatoes in the air; this aroma alone embodies Beijing winters. Roasted until the skin pulls away and the insides become soft and fluffy, these sweet potatoes are simple yet nostalgic and heartwarming, providing pure comfort wrapped in foil.
5. Noodles (面条 miàntiáo)
China is renowned for its noodles, and no winter comfort food list is complete without them. Regardless of the variety you pick—be it a steaming bowl of Lanzhou lamian, thick biangbaingmian, zhangzhamian, or a simple chaomian—there is no wrong choice. Go wild trying as many noodle dishes as possible, as winter is the perfect time to indulge!
6. Tanghulu (糖葫芦 tánghúlu)
Already a beloved winter sweet in Beijing, the recent craze around milk skin tanghulu has made them more popular than ever! Whether you’re looking to join the trending bandwagon or simply seeking a local's recommendation, be sure to grab a stick on your next outing to truly experience Beijing comfort food.
7. Jujube Tea (红枣茶 hóngzǎo chá)
Consult any local Beijinger, and they will wholeheartedly testify that jujube tea is essential! On a frigid day, when the cold creeps in, jujube tea is the solution. With its warm and mildly sweet flavor, perhaps garnished with a floating chrysanthemum flower for both beauty and health, its golden hue is a welcome relief for anyone hoping to soothe the harshness of dry Beijing winters.
8. Beijing Roast Duck (北京烤鸭 Běijīng kǎoyā)
No comfort food list from Beijing would be complete without roast duck. The succulent duck meat along with its crispy skin, paired with rich sauce, spring onions, cucumber, and maybe a dash of sugar for the adventurous, all wrapped in a thin pancake, represents a luxurious winter treat that satisfies the senses. While it’s not an everyday meal, it's one you certainly should not miss.
What’s your favorite winter comfort food? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
READ: Snack Attack: Understanding the Milk Skin Tanghulu Craze
Images: Canva, the Beijingers, Meituan Waimai
Dishes that are guaranteed to warm your heart and spirit.