The role of food in Beijing's social scene cannot be overstated. Kitchens continue to fire up dishes until the wee hours of the morning, with many restaurants serving food 24/7.

For those prone to late-night munchies, Beijing is the most accommodating city, with everything from street food to high-end cuisine available at all hours of the day. This culinary culture is also reflected in Beijing's night markets—lively outdoor spaces packed with vendors who fry up everything from tasty old Beijing snacks to insects and scorpions.

However, Beijing's post-Olympic culinary landscape looks significantly bleaker than before, as urban management continues to sweep the streets and chase out food vendors. This has resulted in the closing or down-scaling of many of the city's most popular night markets, leaving a meager selection of markets to choose from.

Nowadays, the only remaining night market in the city center is the ubiquitous Donghuamen Night Market by Wanfujing, but a few others exist in outer suburbs including the Baodao Night Market in Shijingshan District and the Puhuangyu Night Market in Fengtai District.

The Puhuangyu Night Market

If you find yourself hungry at night and in the south of Beijing, consider traveling to Puhuangyu along Anlelin Lu and Jintai Lu to find a small night market hidden amongst restaurants, shops and fruit & veg stalls.

You'll usually find a throng of people sitting on small stools and dwarf tables outside restaurants and chuanr places, enjoying a few rounds of local beer and gossip, old and young alike. They crowd together to keep warm in the cold weather, while sharing a few tales among friends and savoring the likes of various kebabs ranging from 0.5-2 RMB.

Especially during the non-winter months, locals can be spotted until 03:00 in the morning. The night market offers a wealth of fresh seafood including clams, oysters, shrimp, mussels, and more, all grilled to perfection.

I especially love the clams and oysters filled with cellophane noodles and this exotic garlic sauce that hits just the right spot (6-10 RMB/item). Savor two or three of those and you'll be going back for more.

Add: near Puhuangyu Wumei Market, Fengtai District, Beijing

地址：北京市丰台区蒲黄榆物美大卖场附近, 蒲黄榆夜市

Opening hours: 19:00-late

Getting there: get off at Puhuangyu (Line 5) in the South, Exit C or D; night markets are on Anlelin Lu and Jintai Lu, near the Temple of Heaven Holiday Inn

The Baodao Taiwanese Night Market

A bit off the beaten track, Baodao Night Market is a fairly new attraction located all the way over in Shijingshan District. Also known as Taiwan Street, the 500-meter long street opened in 2009 and is lined with restaurants and booths selling Taiwanese specialties.

Choose from hundreds of snacks, such as stinky tofu, congee, egg rolls, steamed dumplings and much more. Built to mimic traditional Taiwanese buildings, the street is just as much a tourist attraction as it is a dining destination.

Add: C1, Taiwan Street, Lugu Dajie, Shijingshan District, Beijing

地址：北京市石景山区鲁谷大街台湾街C1区(近石景山雕塑公园南门), 宝岛夜市

Opening hours: 11:00-22:00

Getting there: take Subway Line 1 to Babao Station