What's open in Beijing during Chinese New Year

The Beijing venues that are open, and closed, over Spring Festival

Beijing closes down during Chinese New Year, from February 16 2018 (or even earlier), to welcome the biggest celebration of the year.

You should expect many of your favourite spots to be closed for at least some of the time, especially smaller restaurants and shops.

But don't lose hope! Many places will still be open for business throughout the holiday. Here's a list of tips for first timers and then a rundown of some of the more notable spots that are staying open or closing for the holiday, we'll keep updating this page as we learn more, so keep checking back.

Tips for first timers

The more local, the longer it's gonna be closed Small neighbourhood shops that provide day-to-day services like dry-cleaning, clothing repair, appliance repair, household goods will likely close down for the entire holiday, if not an entire month, starting from the first weekend of the holiday. Odds are pretty good that any neighbourhood shop that operates out of an apartment or unofficial commercial space will close for a good month.

Chains tend to stay open Big Chinese chains tend to close for New Years Eve (15/2) and/or New Years Day (16/1) but stay open during the remaining days of the festival. Hourly workers are paid three times their usual rate on state holidays so big companies will try to split the difference and re-open when they think customers are likely to return.

When in doubt, call ahead This seems like a no-brainer but even if you don't speak a single word of Chinese, odds are if someone picks up the phone then they'll be open. Most Chinese businesses and restaurants will take some sort of break for the holiday but time is money after all and business owners want to re-open and start raking in the first kuai of the new year, so call ahead and see if laoban will crack the whip and get things rolling for you.

Don't get mad! Just remember, this is likely the only chance that most labourers in the city will have to return to their hometowns all year. With other major state holidays hovering around two to five days in length, it's hard to justify taking that 33 hour train ride back to rural Guizhou more than once a year. Just relax, enjoy the clear skies, the empty roads, and just remember: your favourite jianbing lady or your ayi probably hasn't seen her family all year.

Open during Spring Festival

Restaurants

Hatsune Sanlitun Open as normal

Ganges Open as normal

Annie's Open 11am-11pm daily (Lido, Wangjing, Shunyi Riveria, Sanlitun, Chaoyang Park, Sunshine 100 Guanghua Lu locations); closed February 13-22 (The Place, Ritan Park, Guomao locations)

Q Mex Open as normal

Xian at East Hotel Open 5pm-midnight daily

Tribe Wangfujing Open as normal

Ramo Open February 15-22 4-11pm

Cannon's Open February 15-March 2 11am-9pm

Xian Lao Man Open as normal

Hana by Hatsune Open February 5-17 lunch only; re-opens February 18 (normal hours)

Jing Yaa Tang Open as normal

Saigon Mama Open February 15 10am-2pm; February 16-21 midday-8pm

Maison FLO Open as normal

F Bistronome Open as normal

Sheng Yong Xing Open as normal

Bars and Clubs

Great Leap Brewing #45 Brewpub Open as normal
Great Leap Brewing #12 Brewpub Open as normal
Great Leap Brewing Original #6 Open as normal
Paddy O'Shea's Open as normal

Jing A Brewing Taproom Open as normal

Camera Stylo Open as normal

Buona Bocca Open as normal

Beersmith Gastropub Open as normal

Toybox Open as normal

Mesh Open as normal

The Brick Open February 15-17 7pm-late; re-opens February 18 4pm-late

Destination Open as normal

Temple Bar Open as normal

Unico Open as normal

Around town

The Bookworm Open as normal

Fruityspace Open as normal

Open for some days during Spring Festival

Restaurants

Caravan Closed February 16; open from February 17

Homeplate BBQ Sanlitun Closed February 16

Sureno Closed February 15-19

Moka Bros Two locations (Solana and The Place) close from 5pm on February 15, closed on February 16; Sanlitun location close from 4pm on February 15, closed on February 16; Joy City location close from 6pm February 15, open February 16 midday-8pm

Tienstiens Closed February 30-March 5

Element Fresh Open limited hours varying at each location; call in advance for more information

Tribe Solana Open February 15 10am-6pm; February 16-20 11am-8pm

Migas Open February 15 11.30am-5pm; February 16-17 11.30am-6pm

Mosto Closed February 16-17; open February 18

Café Zarah Closed February 15-18; opens February 19-22 11.30am-9pm

Hatsune Kerry Center Open for dinner February 15, closed February 16

Cafe Flo Closed February 15; open February 16

Biteapitta Closed February 15; open February 16

Mio Closed February 15-19

Bars and Clubs

The Local Open February 12-23 with limited hours and menu
4corners Closed February 17-24

Botany Closed February 15-18

Nina Closed February 15-20

Slow Boat Sanlitun Brewpub Closed February 15-17

Jing A Taproom 1949 Closed February 16-18

La Social Closed February 15-19

Yue Space Closed February 15-20

The Black Moth Closed February 15-19

Equis Closed February 15-19

Red Dog Closed February 15-17

Around town

National Museum Closed February 15

Cinker Pictures Closed February 15-19; open February 20-21 5pm-1am, February 22 11pm-1am

Closed all week

Restaurants

Hagaki at East Hotel Closed February 16-21

Palms LA Closed 15-21

Mercante Closed February 12-26
Bottega Closed February 15 -21
Green Cow City Cafe Closed February 12-March 6

Modernista Closed February 12-22

The Taco Bar Closed February 12-22

Zhang Mama Closed February 11-22

Nooxo Closed February 12-23

Home Grounds Closed February 11-25

Transit Closed February 13-23

Vin Vie Closed February 14-21

Man Yo Closed February 14-23

Yotsuba (Yansha and Zhongguancun) Closed February 14-23

Yotsuba (Sanlitun and Lido) Closed February 15-23

Sake Manzo Closed February 15-21

Hatchery Dongsi Closed February 14-21

Hatchery Arcade Closed February 14-21

Morning Closed February 8-March 5

There Will Be Bread Closed February 12-22

Jiang Mai Tang Closed February 13-21

Bei 27 Hao Closed February 12-22

Stuff’d Closed February 13 to February 21

Bars and Clubs

Dada Closed February 11-22

Infusion Room Closed February 15-22

The Tiki Bungalow Closed February 11-22

Arrow Factory Brewing Closed February 10-23
Arrow Factory Taproom Closed February 10-23

Dusk Dawn Club (DDC) Closed February 10-23

Canvas Closed February 11-22

Capital Spirits Closed February 12-25

For full venue details, hit 'Read more'.

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