These Are the Beijing Venues That Dared to Open During COVID-19

Original Joey Knotts theBeijinger

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Despite the city’s efforts to subsidize small businesses, a fair share of Beijing’s restaurants and bars were not fortunate enough to power through the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, the opening of new venues in their place proves that the capital’s F&B scene certainly won’t be knocked down without getting up again.

Beijing's food and beverage scene personified as a '90s UK dance-rock band frontman

For some, their opening was in the works well before 2020. Prodigy Brewpub manager Mario Liu tells the Beijinger, "We were so ready for our pre-opening, which we planned for Feb 14. Then, one day before Chinese New Year, the COVID-19 news exploded," adding, "This year has been the most special and difficult year in memory."

Like all venues have experienced during this time, it's been slow going from the start. Susan Su, founder of Susan's Bar in Shuangjing, says that there were many difficulties in the beginning. "There were very few customers at first. But the situation is getting better now, although the government is still asking for social distancing." Su is aware that the road ahead remains uncertain, but the bar is powering through by putting out new dishes regularly and getting the word out via promotions.

While these measures will be familiar to anyone who has worked in the food and beverage industry since January, dealing with the chaos of a new opening won’t have made it any easier. That only makes the opening of these venues that much more valiant and worthy of our support.

Hulu Shunyi

The deck-top view from Hulu Shunyi

Riding on a successful waimai strategy delivering both food and wine to a Beijing in quarantine, Ignace Leclair, founder of the TRB Group – Hulu's parent company – decided to turn the closure of sport’s bar Fella’s into an opportunity. Snatching up the space for a new Hulu Shunyi location makes a lot of sense – not only does it come with a lush outdoor deck and a bucolic view over a nearby pond but there's no lack of hungry mouths looking for fine Western food out in Shunyi.

Prodigy Brewpub

Bar manager Mario Liu's signature burger with a Prodigy IPA

Prodigy Brewing Co. had been around Beijing for a few years, but you could only find their beers at Side Street and several chuan'r places scattered around town. When they decided to open their Xingfucun location late last year, a coronavirus-shaped wrench was thrown into the works, causing unanticipated delays. Luckily, the pub managed to open anyway, serving their full range of craft beers alongside American staples like burgers and sides.

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Root Down

Bartenders mix drinks to top tunes at Root Down

It’s common to see a bar with a full selection of bottles behind it, but at Root Down, that space is reserved for something altogether more precious: shelves upon shelves of vinyl records. Due to its location on the first floor of Xingufucun's residential community Jiezuo Mansion, with restricted access to outsiders, Root Down had to wait longer than other venues to open. Now that it has, fans of deep cuts and heady cocktails have already started to flock to the venue.

Fenggu Bar

Fenggu's darkened bar and hip crowd offered one of the few "club-like" experiences

Just a stone's throw west of Root Down lies Fenggu Bar, which made a splash by opening mid-pandemic and offered anyone itching to get out of the house one of the few "club-like" experiences in the capital. Overseen by Dizzy Di, a mainstay DJ in the capital's dub and reggae scene, the focus on live music and DJs as well as the darkened bar, cheap drinks, and fashionable crowd give it a cool vibe without being exclusive.

Chez Soi

A candle-lit shrimp cocktail at Chez Soi

Another relative latecomer among the COVID openings, Chez Soi French and Belgian wine and cocktail bar adds yet another watering hole to the Workers’ Stadium area. Expect an experience that is altogether more relaxed than its late-night club neighbors though, with a menu brimming with charcuterie and imported wines, putting it in line to become the Café de la Post of Sanlitun.

Susan's Bar

A cheesy focaccia with an iced coffee at Susan's Bar

After falling in love with the food during a trip to Italy, Susan Su returned to Beijing to open her own focaccia and pasta spot in Guomao. Aptly named Susan's Bar, Su offers a cozy restaurant serving simple, reasonably priced Italian cuisine, getting enough customers through the door to weather the pandemic period.

Soap Coffee

What better to attract people to your café during a pandemic than to theme it around antibacterial edibles? That's exactly what the spacious Soap Coffee, to the northeast of Chaoyang Park, has done. In addition to ogling the totally Instagrammable parfaits, you'll be wishing that these desserts are what your mother used to clean your mouth out with when you were young.

Slow Boat Maizidian Brewpub

Slow Boat's new location offers varied seating and natural lighting

Opening May 20, Slow Boat has finally been given the green light to launch its third brewpub location after being stuck in pandemic purgatory. Located just east of Ichiban Street in Maizidian, the new venue can seat 150 people and the brew tanks are twice the size as those found at the flagship Sanlitun brewpub. We’ll raise a glass to that.