Dali Courtyard

Buried in a hutong neighboring the Drum Tower, Dali Courtyard is hard enough to find. After passing through the small hall door you will see an open courtyard. This is a Beijing courtyard capturing Yunnan’s mellow atmosphere. The hostess who grew up in Dali has planted exuberant flowers and plants with her lover, a master of more than 200 specialty dishes and a Yunnan cuisine fan who has developed a novel cooking style! Dishes served here are all private home-made. Offering no fixed menu, Dali prepares dishes according to the number of diners. As palatable as each cuisine, new dishes here would surprise you from time to time. Signature dish must be the roast fish, featuring crispy outside and tender inside, which tastes fresh with sauce.

Average price: 191 yuan

Address: No. 67, Xiaojingchang Hutong, Gulou East Street  鼓楼东大街小经厂胡同67号

Liu Home Restaurant

This is a restaurant transformed from a courtyard in a hutong in Beijing style, with big red lanterns outside the gate, and lush grape trellis in the courtyard. Decorations inside the courtyard include stone screen wall, blue-and-white fish tanks, decorative curtains, eight-seat tables, and long benches. It offers a huge selection of Beijing cuisines such as roast duck, fried sausage, fermented bean curd, quick fried pork tripe, sauteed fried meat balls with brown sauce, and cabbage mound with mustard. Eaters can enjoy savory taste, quick service, as well as wallet-friendly price.

Average price: 94 yuan

Address: No. 8, Jiangjia Dayuan Hutong, Meishuguan East Street 美术馆东街蒋家大院胡同8号

Lanting Yushu Dianmao Theme Courtyard Hotel

The secluded environment makes Lanting Yushu a nice place to drink tea, chat and get together. Hot pot is a perfect alternative here and one soup base is enough for two diners with normal appetite. Beneath the modest size are bountiful ingredients which may not be eaten out. It’s an enjoyment escaping from people around to enjoy the privacy, eating and playing chess in the small courtyard.

Average price: 207 yuan

Address: No. 15, 2nd Alley of Banqiao, Xinjiekou Street 新街口大街板桥二条15号

Chuanfu Jingniang

Reserving a placid atmosphere in a noisy neighborhood, Chuanfu Jingniang serves elegant eating environment. On the first floor are private rooms in rich ethnic style. Rustic-style single seats will come into your sight when you step up to the second floor along the staircases at the corner. The third floor is a natural terrace which enables the view of the Drum Tower and surrounding tile-roofed houses and courtyards.

It offers innovative dishes based on traditional cooking skills, and the owner has won great reputation with over 100 specialties. For example, the roasted tendon would never makes people be tired of its flavor, black peppered beef tendon with unique flavor, roasted pigskin rich in collagen, roasted chicken wings with six kinds of flavors, fried tama fish, roasted butterfish, tilapia, broiled eggplant, and roasted needle mushroom. Obviously, this is a solid choice for taking a sip and friends gathering.

Average price: 82 yuan

Address: No. 28, Dafo Temple East Street 大佛寺东街28号

Deep Red

Red pillars in the inner courtyard enclose a land of particular beauty integrating the elegance of the south of Yangtze River and the magnificence of northern China. Well-arranged plants vitalize the courtyard, bringing good mood in sunny days.

Featuring good-looking and palatable, dishes served here are predominantly Western cuisines, also some creative dishes and lots of Chinese ingredients, from 4A Australian beef to Yunnan mushrooms.

Average price: 471 yuan

Address: No. 50, Dongsi 13rd Alley  东四十三条50号

Xiang Gui Food Court

This restaurant runs two stores in Beijing, of which the one in Xidan is an open-air courtyard hidden deep in a hutong.

Following an antique decorative design, the spacious courtyard creates a marvelous environment, and the menu is made in the shape of memorials to the throne. But clip doll machines inside the entrance would remind you of the modern times. Hot pot tastes excellent here with unique shaped soup bases such as Hello Kitty and Doraemon, driving you into a world of animation. This is the secret that an out-of-the-way restaurant can attract a slew of epicures.

Average price: 107 yuan

Address: No. 13, Dachenggou Hutong, the 2nd Alley of Xidan 西单横二条大秤钩胡同13号