Beijing

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Beijing Hutong Walking Food and Beer Tour at Hidden Restaurants

Name: Beijing Hutong Walking Food and Beer Tour at Hidden Restaurants
Brand: Lost Plate
SKU: 7494P5
Price: 75.00 USD
Rating: 5.0 (681 reviews)

Badge of ExcellenceBeijing, China

3 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Overview

Eat your way around Beijing’s old ‘hutong’ alleyways and courtyards on a small-group tour. Enjoy several food stops at tucked-away restaurants and homes you wouldn’t find by yourself. Taste staples like Beijing stir fries, flame-grilled meats, and noodles, learn about local cuisine over unlimited beers and enjoy a stop at a local brewery. Come hungry: your tastings amount to dinner.

Explore Beijing’s hutong alleys and the foods locals love
Food stops at family restaurants and homes you wouldn’t find alone
Sample staples like Beijing stir fries, noodles, and flame-grilled meats
Enjoy a craft beer tasting at a local brewery
Small group of 12 travelers or fewer

What's Included

4-5 food stops equivalent to dinner
Local english speaking guide
Unlimited beer and sodas
Small-group tour (less than 12 people)

Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Yonghegong Lama Temple
Andingmen, Dongcheng, Beijing, China, 100011
Meeting Location: Yonghegong (Lama Temple) subway station services lines 2 and 5. When you get off the train, follow signs to Exit B. We will be upstairs, outside the exit, waiting for you. Show Your Taxi Driver: 请带我去安定门东大街与藏经馆胡同交界处，雍和宫地铁站B口，谢谢

End point

Fangjia Hu Tong
Fang Jia Hu Tong, 交道口 Dong Cheng Qu, Bei Jing Shi, China

What To Expect

Meet your guide and group of 12 or fewer at an easy-to-find central location near Beijing’s Lama Temple. Then, set off on foot into the crooked alleys and courtyards of the city’s old hutongs—Beijing’s original residential districts.

Absorb the historical atmosphere and as you explore, learn about traditional daily life here, including local cuisine. Delve into the bustling lanes and enjoy up to five food stops to sample local specialties, heading off the beaten path to homes or small family restaurants that you wouldn’t find alone.

At each stop, sample a local staple and learn how it’s been made in the same way for generations. Dishes may vary, but expect to savor noodles at a private home, grill meat on open flames, and wrap ingredients into freshly made Beijing wraps.

Between tastings, chat with your guide over unlimited local beer, and finish with more beer—this time courtesy of a local brewery. Sample one of Beijing’s best craft beers at this hutong bar and enjoy a glass of your chosen brew.

Your tour finishes in the area when your guide departs, leaving you with directions back to your hotel or tips on exploring further.

Lama Temple (Yonghegong) (Pass By)

Fangjia Hutong (Pass By)

Beixinqiao Subdistrict (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Near public transportation
Infants must sit on laps
Most travelers can participate

Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
Not gluten-free friendly
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Frequently Asked Questions

The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.

Filter by:

Q:How much food and drink will I get?

A:This is not a tasting tour, you should come hungry and you will get more than a full meal of food. If you need more, just let your guide know and we’ll get more, but usually guests cannot finish everything. We also provide unlimited local beer and soft drinks during the tour, plus one glass of local craft beer at our last stop.

Mar 2024

Q:What if I’m vegetarian or have special dietary requests?

A:Our tours have been designed to accommodate as many diets as possible while remaining stupidly delicious. This tour is a vegetarian, pescatarian, and gluten-free friendly, but please let us know before your tour date as same-day requests cannot be guaranteed. This tour is not recommended for vegan diets. We ask everyone to understand that those with dietary requests will not always have direct substitutes for every dish. When booking online, you’ll have the opportunity to let us know if you have any dietary restrictions or special requests. Please use this field to let us know about your requests and we will follow up if there are any problems or questions.

Mar 2024

Q:Will I need to walk very far?

A:This is a walking tour; let’s just get that out of the way. This tour covers about 1.25 miles / 2 km by foot, so we recommend leaving the heels at home. This distance is split up between 4-5 stops, so it’s roughly a 5-10 minute walk between each stop and a great chance to digest a bit before the next stop. We also find that exploring by foot is the best way to enjoy the sights of Beijing’s hutong alleyways and to see what local life is like up close.

Mar 2024

Q:What ages qualify for child pricing?

A:Our child pricing is valid for ages 4 through 15. Children ages 3 and under are free.

Mar 2024

Q:Where does the tour start and end?

A:The tour starts at 6:30pm at Lama Temple subway station which services subway lines 2 and 5. You’ll get the exact address, directions, and transportation details after booking.The tour ends at a brewery about 10 minutes by foot from the meeting location. Your guide will point you in the right direction for wherever you need to go next, or you are welcome to stay at the brewery as long as you like!

Mar 2024

Q:How many people will be on my tour?

A:Our minimum is 2 and the maximum is 12. There’s no flag to follow, or megaphone, or tacky uniforms. It’s small enough to be intimate, but big enough to get away with trying several dishes at each stop. You’ll get plenty of face time with the experts. The bottom line is, you’ll follow the guide through a super-local experience and make friends along the way.

Mar 2024

Q:How long does this tour last?

A:This tour lasts about 3.5 hours and ends in a brewery, it’s not uncommon for guests to stay and keep the pints going afterward. If you have any concerns about timing and meeting up based on your itinerary, let us know and we’ll see what we can do to make this as hassle-free as possible.

Mar 2024

Q:What happens if it rains or the weather is hot or cold?

A:All of our tours are rain-or-shine, so we suggest you dress for the weather. If rain is possible, an umbrella, along with shoes that can get wet, is a good idea. In rare cases of extreme weather, your guide will cancel the tour and provide a full refund. During times of extreme air pollution (AQI over 400) our tours will run but refunds will be provided if you are unable to join due to health concerns.

Mar 2024

Q:Do you offer private tours for special groups/events?

A:es we do! If you would like to book a special tour for your organization or group, just contact us and we’ll take care of you.

Mar 2024

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Elizabeth_P

My husband and I had a fantastic time on this tour with our guide Cameron and trainee guide Winnie! There was 9 of us on the tour in total and the spots we went to were never going to be places that as a tourist you could find on your own. At the meeting spot Cameron arrived and dishes out cold beers and drinks immediately whilst we waiting for the remaining attendees to arrive. (The drinks are free flow and Cameron ensures you are always topped up! They also gifted a beer can cooler with Lost Plate branding on it as a souvenir!) The first spot was a local noodles place - we thought we were going to share bowls but we had a whole bowl each to ourselves! The second spot was my favourite - deep into one of the Hutongs it was in the owners old house - this place was packed with so many people waiting for a table. (Cameron phones ahead to ensure the table is ready so there is no waiting). We had four dishes and they were the most delicious Chinese dishes I have ever eaten. The third stop we have delicious piping hot Roubling (I would describe as a Chinese pie or dumpling) coupled with Chinese Wine (like vodka) - shots all round! Last good stop we visited a Mongolian bbq place - there was a bit of a wait here but we didn't mind sitting outside chatting, people watching and having a beer. Cameron kindly helped us to cook our meat and veges on our bbq plate before we headed off the the final stop for a beer at a local brewery. The only one negative which is in no way on Cameron or the tour is that the brewery only has one female toilet and it was very busy so the line for the toilet was very long. We were so glad that we attended this tour - the food was absolutely delicious and guides were great - highly recommend!! Ps. Wish we got better photos but the food was so yum we weren't focussed on taking pics! The food will not disappoint and you will definitely leave being full - these are full meals not just a taste!

Reviews

5.0

681 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 681 reviews

Great food, beer and company

Sam_R, May 2024

Winnie was a fantastic guide, very fun but also knowledgeable and made the evening a lot better than if we didn't have her. Great food, beer and company

Good food and fun times!

Eric_M, Apr 2024

Our guide Winnie was excellent! She took us to 4 great places to eat (plus one more to drink) and provided delicious food at every place! One place was especially out of the way, and I never would have found it otherwise! Winnie was so much fun throughout the evening and even helped us get a cab at the end of the evening. I highly recommend this tour to everyone!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you, Eric! We appreciate your high recommendation! We hope to see you again in the future.

Amazing food and beer tour! Must book in Beijing!

Elizabeth_P, Apr 2024

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you, Elizabeth! We're thrilled you and your husband enjoyed the tour and food. We'll pass your kind words to Cameron and Winnie. We appreciate your high recommendation!

Fab food tour

joycemcfie, Apr 2024

We had a great food/beer tour with the guide, Bonnie in Beijing. We were taken to authentic restaurants that we would never have found on our own. Bonnie was friendly and informative on our route through the area about the food, area and the culture. Bonnie brought ample cans of beer that we could have in any of the restaurants. We also visited a lovely pub on the last stop where we could order from the bar. We had a small, lovely group of people with us on the tour and thoroughly enjoyed it. We would not have felt confident choosing small out of the way restaurants ourselves. We trusted that the restaurants on the Viator tour would not upset our western tummies - it was our first night of our holiday so we were keen to stay well (we did)! Anyway, we really enjoyed the food and company. Bonnie, the guide was lovely and even arranged a taxi for us back to our hotel on her phone where she paid for the taxi. In the process of giving Bonnie the money for the taxi to ensure we totally covered the fare there was a bit of a miscommunication between myself and my husband and we omitted to give Bonnie a tip (we had just arrived in Beijing from the UK that morning having missed a nights sleep so were a bit jet lagged is our excuse). Anyway massive apologies to Bonnie for the lack of a tip- she absolutely deserved one! We would definitely recommend this tour to anyone coming to Beijing. Thank you Bonnie (and the other lovely people on the tour), It was a delight.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for your kind words, Joyce! We're thrilled to hear about your enjoyable experience, and remember, Beijing awaits your return.

Best food tour in Beijing

Zehra_U, Mar 2024

THE BEST!! Best food, best company, best tour guide, best beers, best experience!! We went from one place to another either by foot or on tuk tuks with beers in our hands, which was mind blowing! They were able to cater for all dietary requirements which we were so happy for!! Highly recommend this tour to everyone!!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Dear Zehra, we're thrilled to hear you enjoyed the tour and food. It's great to know our guide could assist you. Your kind words motivate us to keep delivering great experiences.

Great tour, food & guide!

Lesley_C, Mar 2024

Great tour, Alex our guide was fantastic ! It’s a great was to see the city. All restaurants were very interesting & extremely tasty. Great way to spend the evening.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for your kind comments, Lesley! we hope to see again soon!

Beijing like a local

Michael_M, Feb 2024

Great host (Tina) takes you to the type of restaurants you would never get to experience on your own. You learn the history of the city through it's food. You feel like you have a secret passage to the city. Loved this experience and highly recommend it for anyone that wants to experience the local side. Good luck trying to find and order these dishes on your own, it's almost impossible.

Response from Host, Mar 2024

We love taking our guests to explore the hidden gems! We're glad that you are happy about Lost Plate! Thank you for joining us!

Great experience for foodies visiting Beijing

Amit_T, Jan 2024

This was a fantastic experience and great if you want to experience the different local specialties of Beijing. We went to several different restaurants and finished the night at a brewery. Everything was great! I also appreciated that there was a vegetarian option at each place so I didn’t feel like I missed out.

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Hi Amit! Thanks for the review!! And it was really nice to meet you in Beijing. I hope to see you again in Shanghai soon for your next trip! Happy Chinese new year!!

Good, social experience

Emma_H, Jan 2024

Travelling solo in China can be intimidating, particularly if you don't speak mandarin. This tour was a good way to meet fellow travellers and learn about the food and craft beer scene in Beijing. Our guide was very friendly and spoke good english.

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Thank you, Emma! We're happy that you are happy with our service and our food choices. Thank you for joining us again and looking forward to treating you again!

Food experience beyond expectations!

Chaitanya_U, Dec 2023

Great time with Cameron! She was super friendly, easy to chat with, informative and gave us a very good tour! Would highly recommend.

Great trip!

Eleanor_H, Dec 2023

Alex was an amazing guide! Had so much fun exploring the Hutongs and eating lots of great food. Highly recommend

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Thank you for your review. We're proud of our choice on restaurants! Hope to see you on your next trip!

Excellent

MariaKatalina_A, Nov 2023

We had fun doing this tour. It was well organized and the restaurants that we went are amazing. Those were the kind of restaurants where only locals go to and impossible for tourists to find. We’re grateful to our guide, Tina for making this experience extra special. She provided excellent information about the food, history, and her English is just excellent. She is fun and a very positive person. We’re glad we found this tour and couldn’t be more happier that Tina was our guide. I’ll definitely recommend this tour to my friends and you guys should book it too to get to know more about Beijing and its gastronomy.

Great experience in Beijing!

Marcia_S, Nov 2023

I have some food tours in Asia and this is a really good one! The places were super authentic and delicious. The group was great and our guide Shutian was engaging. As a suggestion, I would have loved to learn more about the story of each restaurant and talk to owners (whenever possible)

A must do in Beijing.

Lauren_A, Oct 2023

This was an amazing experience, the food was amazing, with the doornail meat pie was my favourite. I highly recommend this tour.

Great experience

gaylynn_C, Oct 2023

Great food. Great conversation. Creat Guide. Lots of food was provided. Even did a great job of explaining everything.

Great Food Tour

Dennis_P, Sep 2023

Great food tour! I have done many good tours in Asia and this was one of the best. Food was great and very authentic. Tour guide Bonnie was extremely knowledgeable and had a great personality.

Fun and delicious!

Tony_M, Jul 2023

The trip as a whole introduces one to many new places that ordinarily wouldn’t be on the list to frequent! The entire experience was awesome!!

Andy was a great guide...

MaNadia_T, Jul 2023

Andy was a great guide and the food was delicious. I probably would not have tried most of the food we ate were it not for this tour.

Want an evening in Beijing with a difference? Book this tour!

Martina_D, Jul 2023

Very well-selected restaurants which allowed us to sample various dishes (all delicious). We would have never explored the area and nor would we have been adventurous enough to order anything in any of the restaurants. The ride on the tuk tuk was fun and presented us with a direct view of the hutongs. The tour guide, Cherry, was attentive and met all our needs. We took our six-year-old twin boys and they enjoyed it, too.

Fun and delicious food tour

Kim_G, Jul 2023

We had a wonderful evening. The tour only had 7 people that night so it was really comfortable. We had our own tuck tuck as a family as we were 4 people, which was really fun. The food was amazing, we couldn’t even finish everything but we still tried because it was soo good. However, our tour guid Cherry was the one who made the tour really special. She had all the knowledge and was able to give us a lot of background information on the food, the Hutongs, and the city. She also helped with further Beijing tips which really helped for the other days. The only drawback is that the tour is a bit expensive especially with 4 people but we thought it was still worth the experience.

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