Yuanxiao, or Tangyuan, is the popular food for the Chinese traditional Lantern Festival. Yuanxiao is a ball-like dessert made from glutinous rice flour stuffed with fillings like sugar, rose, sesame, sweetened bean paste, osmanthus flowers, walnut, nutlet, jujube paste and others. The filling can be either sweet or savory, in totally different flavors. To buy Yuanxiao in Beijing, you may try this list.
Daoxiangcun
Yuanxiao of Daoxiangcun can be dated back to 1980s when natives usually kept long queue to buy. For old Beijingers, Yuanxiao of Daoxiangcun means the Lantern Festival. Yuanxiao with rose petals and spiced sesame seed is representative of Southern flavor yuanxiao. Now Beijingers can buy the freshest yuanxiao can be bought in Hema Supermarket Shilipu Branch and Chongwenmen Branch.
Stores
Shimen Store: No. 48, Xisi North Street, Xicheng District 西城区西四北大街48号
Qianmen Store: No.59, Qianmen Street, Dongcheng District (Southwest corner of the Qianmen street and the Dashanlan intersection) 东城区前门大街59号(前门大街与大栅栏交叉口西南角)
Wudaokou Store: No. 99, 1F, 3rd building, Lanqiying, Chengfu Road, Haidian District (Near Wudaokou Subway Station of Metro Line 2) 海淀区成府路蓝旗营小区3号楼一层99号(近13号线五道口地铁站)
Wangfujing Store: No. 10, Dengshikou Street, Dongcheng District (Near Dengkoushi Subway Station of Metro Line 5) 东城区灯市口大街10号(近5号线灯市口地铁站)
Yayuncun Store: 1F, Anhuili 3rd Community, Chaoyang District (Near the Beichen Shopping Mall) 朝阳区安慧里三区2号楼1层(近北辰购物中心)
Drum Tower Store: No. 50, Di anmenwai Street (Diagonally opposite the Di anmen Shopping Mall) 地安门外大街甲50号(地安门百货斜对面)
Jinfang Xiaochi
Jinfang’s Yuanxiao is so popular that attracts people standing in a long queue during the Spring Festival. Jinfang boasts its own recipe of stuffing and grinding flour to ensure yuan xiao featuring chewing wrapping and soft stuffing, sweet but not greasy. In addition to classic flavors such as black sesame, hawthorn, rose, sweet-scented osmanthus and spiced salt, Jinfang has developed new tastes like shredded coconut stuffing and raisin.
Addresses:
F1, Nanyilou, Dadushi St., Ciqikou, Dongcheng District东城区磁器口大都市街南一楼1层
No. 85 Xianyukou Street, Dongcheng District东城区鲜鱼口85号
Godly Vegetarian Yuanxiao
Opened in 1922, famous Godly Vegetarian Restaurant is a time-honored vegetarian establishment with a history of over 80 years, leading to its reputation as the originator of veggie food. Godly offers vegetarian Yuanxiao with low sugar and less oil, among which “Yuanxiao in Golden Soup (pumpkin soup)” is the most popular.
Address: No. A2, Qianmen East Street, Dongcheng District东城区前门东大街甲2号
Huguosi Xiaochi
Each year during the Lantern Festival, Huguosi Xiaochi (snacks) will see long lines of people queuing for Yuanxiao. Huguosi Xiaochi is a time-honored restaurant offering a wide range of Beijing snacks and has an extensive network around the city.
Address: No. 93, Huguosi Street 护国寺大街93号
