The Calendar of Food in Beijing

Eating with the rhythm of the seasons

There’s a saying among old Beijingers: “What you eat must follow the time.” The city’s culinary soul lies not in grand banquets or restaurant chains, but in the humble, time-honored dishes that change with the seasons — those that fill the alleys with aroma and keep people grounded through Beijing’s fierce winters and fleeting springs.

This is not just about what to eat, but when and why. Food here is a calendar — one that records both the passage of time and the taste of life.

Part I. Eating with the Seasons — The Old Beijing Way

Spring Begins · Chun Bing (春饼) — around February 4

When the first breeze of spring arrives, Beijingers “bite the spring” by eating spring pancakes. But chun bing is not just a pancake — it’s a whole ritual. Thin sheets of steamed dough are stacked like silk paper, filled with stir-fried shredded vegetables (chao he cai), slices of pork, and eggs, then rolled up neatly. It’s fresh, light, and symbolic — rolling in new life, just as spring rolls in new energy.

The Dog Days of Summer · The Dumpling Ritual — from mid-July to mid-August

In Beijing, dumplings appear twice in the summer calendar:

“First Fu eat dumplings, Second Fu eat noodles, Third Fu eat pancakes with eggs.”

The First Fu (头伏) usually begins around July 12–16, marking the start of the hottest 30–40 days of the year. Beijingers eat dumplings to open their appetite despite the heat. The Second Fu (二伏) follows about ten days later. It’s time for chilled sesame noodles (zhi ma jiang liang mian) — cool, smooth, and nutty, the very definition of relief. By the Third Fu (三伏), late August, people eat pan-fried pancakes with eggs to restore energy after the draining summer.

Autumn Arrives · “Gaining the Autumn Fat” (贴秋膘) — around August 8

After the sweaty summer, Beijingers reward themselves. They “stick the autumn fat” by feasting on braised pork knuckle (tian fu hao zhou zi), soy-sauce beef (酱牛肉) from Yue Sheng Zhai, or boiled pork belly (白肉) from Shaguoju. It’s half a joke, half serious — but every local will tell you, you can’t enter winter on an empty stomach.

Winter Solstice · The Warmest Bowl of Dumplings — around December 21 or 22

“If you don’t eat dumplings on Winter Solstice, your ears will freeze off.”

The story goes that Zhang Zhongjing, a Han-dynasty doctor, invented dumplings to cure frostbitten ears. Today, on the longest night of the year, families gather around steaming plates of pork-and-cabbage dumplings, dipping them in vinegar and chili oil — warmth that seeps into both stomach and soul.

Part II. The Daily Taste of Beijing — Beyond the Peking Duck

Forget the five-star roast duck banquets — true Beijing cuisine lives in the alleys and corner shops, where flavors are passed down more by habit than by recipe.

1. The Noodle Kingdom

Zhajiangmian 炸酱面 — The Taste of Home

The most beloved dish in Beijing. Handmade noodles topped with a thick brown sauce — minced pork fried slowly with yellow bean paste and sweet sauce until the oil separates. The secret lies in the toppings — or cai mar (菜码儿): julienned cucumber, radish, soybeans, celery, and bean sprouts. Mix it all together, and you get the comforting chaos that defines a Beijinger’s lunch.

Da Lu Mian 打卤面 — The Guest Dish

While zhajiangmian is for every day, da lu mian is for occasions. Its sauce is more refined — mushrooms, pork slices, eggs, wood ear fungus, all thickened into a glossy, savory “gravy.” It’s the kind of dish your Beijing friend’s mom makes when she wants to impress you.

2. The Philosophy of Sesame Paste

If Paris runs on butter, Beijing runs on sesame paste (zhi ma jiang). It’s the golden thread connecting countless dishes.

• Hotpot (涮羊肉): The copper pot boils, the lamb swirls, but the real soul is in the dipping sauce: sesame paste mixed with fermented tofu, leek flower, cilantro, and green onions.
• Cold Noodles and Liangpi: Anything can become “Beijing-style” once coated in sesame paste.
• Sesame Treats: Ma jiang hua juan (sesame rolls), ma jiang wei hua (sesame wafers), ma jiang bing (sesame cake). Sweet or savory, it’s a childhood taste.

3. The Street Poets of Flavor

Some foods are not meals — they are seasons made edible.

• Bingtanghulu 冰糖葫芦 (Candied Hawthorn): The shining beads of sugar-glazed fruit on a stick. The crunch of sugar, the tart of hawthorn — winter’s music in one bite. Best enjoyed from December to February.
• Roasted Chestnuts 炒栗子: Vendors shaking their woks full of black sand and shiny nuts, scenting the entire street. Available from October to January.
• Roasted Sweet Potatoes 烤红薯: Charred skin, caramel heart. The ultimate winter hand warmer. Street carts appear as soon as temperatures drop below 10°C, usually from November onward.
• Sugar-Fried Dough Cake 糖油饼: Puffy, golden, and sticky sweet. Buy it fresh off the pan and eat it standing — that’s how it’s meant to be. Typically seen year-round, especially in old breakfast alleys.

Practical Guide: How to Eat Like a Beijinger

Follow the calendar:

• February: Chun Bing for spring
• July–August: Dumplings, sesame noodles
• August: Autumn feast — “tie qiū biāo”
• December: Dumplings, candied hawthorn, roasted chestnuts

Go to the right places:

• Niujie (牛街): Best for halal Beijing snacks — try Lu Zhu, Bao Du, and Douzhi.
• Huguosi Street (护国寺小吃街): For traditional breakfast — Jiaoquan, Douzhi, Fried Dough Rings.
• Wudaoying / Nanluoguxiang: Modern twists on old favorites, from sesame lattes to fusion noodles.

Embrace the everyday: Skip the fancy restaurants. Walk into a crowded hutong eatery, point at what everyone else is eating, and enjoy the magic of a city that’s been eating well for 800 years.

In Beijing, food is not just about filling your stomach — it’s about marking time, connecting seasons, and savoring life’s rhythm. Once you understand its calendar of flavors, you’ll start tasting the city itself.