Year in Review: 2021 in New Restaurant Openings
The year 2021 has been filled with twists and turns, making us all the more ready to bid it farewell. But Beijing wasn’t too bad of a place to spend the year, so in 2021 Year in Review, we’re taking a look back at the best and worst of times in the capital from this year that was.
After 2020 brought forced closures and stay-at-home orders, the relative stability of 2021 was a boon for the Beijing restaurant scene, and many new restaurants got strong starts after opening their doors for the first time. In fact, there were so many new openings that we struggled to keep track of them all — especially when it comes to excellent new Chinese dining — but these are just a few that caught our eye.
French restaurant group Flo continued its march across the city with the launch of yet another new brand: Parisian steakhouse L’Ox. Located on the west side first floor of the Grand Millenium hotel, L'Ox is inspired by the great Parisian cafés of the 1920s and 1930s, featuring a delightfully Art Deco space complete with a stage for live jazz in the evening (see lead photo). As the restaurant's name suggests, beef is the star of the menu, with a number of different cuts and qualities to choose from.
Craving a great roast chicken? Your prayers were answered this year at new Sanlitun roast chicken joint Larry the Bird. With a menu created by chef Jarrod Verbiak, formerly of Bistrot B at Rosewood Beijing, we had high expectations from the start and the tender yet crispy rotisserie chickens certainly don’t disappoint. Don’t miss their monthly specials, which recently have included dishes like a tricked out chicken parmesan sandwich.
Another French venue, Panorama, arrived to fill the crepe-shaped hole in our hearts left by the closure of Nali Patio’s Crepanini in 2018. Crepanini founder Jean-Baptiste is back in full force with a neighborhood bistro-style spot that not only serves crepes but also other French favorites like moules frites alongside a well-priced wine list.
Located on the eastern side of The Place, La Platea brings together the best of the Mediterranean, created by a French chef, a Spanish designer, and an Italian manager. We love the casual space with its long deli counter, inspired by Europe’s many great food halls and markets. Just like the restaurant team, the food fuses dishes and influences from France, Spain, Italy, and beyond — definitely try the trapizzino pizza pockets.
New gastropub Commune Reserve became an instant hit when it opened near Xi Dawang Lu, with frequent queues forming on weekend nights. The huge space not only serves an upscale gastropub menu (we love the fancy wagyu beef burgers), it also offers both craft beer on tap and a huge selection of bottled beers from its fridges.
Our homegrown Beijing restaurant brands had another great year in 2021, with several well-known names opening new locations across the city. Q Mex opened a new branch in Solana, their fifth in Beijing and the largest to date, complete with two floors, outdoor seating, and some great wall art by Miguel Angel Emérico. Susu opened a new casual Vietnamese bistro, Xiao Susu, in Phoenixtown Instreet in Sanyuanqiao, their fourth new venue since the start of the pandemic. Pizza slingers Gung Ho! also brought their healthier-than-average pies to Grand Summit in Liangmaqiao, which will also soon be home to a new branch of Pak Pak.
However, perhaps no one worked harder than the team at Jing-A, who opened a grand total of four new branches this year: in Phoenixtown InStreet, Wangjing, Tongzhou, and 798.
READ: 2021 Year in Review: Venues We Bade Farewell To, Part 1
Images: courtesy of the venues
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