Eat ethnic Chinese cuisine in Weigongcun

The area around Weigongcun is a great place to try some of the food eaten by China’s 56 ethnic minorities. With the Central University for the Nationalities, China’s specialist college for its non-Han Chinese citizens, nearby, a whole restaurant strip catering to the people from the country’s most far-flung points has emerged. Now, there are eateries specialising in everything from the Dai cuisine of the southwest, to Mongolian, Tibetan and Xinjiang food. All are run by people from those regions, which guarantees not only authenticity but also a steady stream of exiles yearning for a taste of home. But many Beijingers eat here too, drawn by the knowledge that Weigongcun is one of the city’s best, but least-known, restaurant streets.

YUYUANTAN PARK 玉渊潭公园

Yuyuantan Nanlu 玉渊潭南路; admission Y2; 6am-10pm, last entry 9pm; Junshibowuguan

With a huge body of water divided into east and west lakes, it’s a lovely park for walks, especially the short, but pretty west-lake route. In winter, you can ice skate; rent equipment from the vendors who gather around the lakes. Boats to the Summer Palace leave from the Bayi Lake Dock.

EAT

GOLDEN PEACOCK 金孔雀德宏傣味餐厅 Dai Y

offline map

Weigongcun 魏公村韦伯豪家园南门对面; 11am-10pm; Weigongcun

Make sure you try the pineapple rice at this unpretentious and popular restaurant (get here early or book ahead). It specialises in the cuisine of the Dai ethnic minority from southwest China, who use a lot of the flavourings, like lemongrass, common to Southeast Asian cuisine. The rice wine here is a fine tipple.

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