Beijing’s Best Rooftops and Terraces Pt. 2
Looking outside the Beijinger's office window at the beautiful weather today I can’t help but wish I was on a rooftop or terrace basking in the sunshine, but I’ll settle for writing about them instead!
Last week we kicked off our Best Rooftops in Beijing series, beginning with those around the Sanlitun area and today we’re moving on to the Dongcheng and Xicheng hutongs. There are countless rooftops and terraces hidden among the capital’s hutongs so we’ve picked out a few of our favorites along with a few that are perhaps lesser known.
Toast at The Orchid
Botique hotel The Orchid’s restaurant Toast has a lovely rooftop right in the heart of Beijing's old city. If you’re worried about the heat but still want beautiful hutong views, they also have an indoor terrace with large windows that open up so you can enjoy outside and AC at the same time.
A super popular brunch spot – though they also do afternoon tea and dinner – Toast does a range of East-Mediterranean-inspired mezze and tapas that are ideal for sharing. For brunch, they have classics such as Shakshuka (RMB 78) and Turkish Cilbir (RMB 78) or more unusual offerings like the Full Chinglish (RMB 98). For those wanting a little bit of everything you can’t go wrong with the Mixed Mezze Supreme (RMB 168) which has a variety of delightful nibbles.
Toast at The Orchid
65 Baochao Hutong, Dongcheng District
东城区宝钞胡同65号
Hours: 10am-9.30pm
Phone: 010 64020824
Pebbles Courtyard
There's no shortage of terraces and rooftops on Wudaoying Hutong, but our personal favorite spot is Mexican restaurant Pebbles. Their long, spacious rooftop is simply decorated with wooden benches and tables, wicker chairs, and a tiled floor adding a bit of a rustic vibe.
When it comes to food their Tacos (RMB 50-75 for three) are not to be missed, and on Taco Tuesday you get one free taco with each set. They also do Al Pastor Wednesdays from 5pm, serving up their delicious slow-roasted pork on everything from Tacos (RMB 20-30 for one) to Nachos (RMB 48) to a Quesadilla (55) or a Burrito (RMB 75). Of course, no trip to Pebbles would be complete without trying one of their signature Mezcal Cocktails, many of which are often on a buy one get one free deal.
Pebbles Courtyard
74 Wudaoying Hutong, Dongcheng District
东城区五道营胡同74号
Hours: Tue-Fri 5-10pm, Sat-Sun noon-2pm, 5-10pm
Phone: 010 84040767
MOONEE
Just north of Houhai, MOONEE’s large rooftop offers up spectacular views of the Bell and Drum Towers and is a particularly great spot to enjoy during sunset. Its rooftop has an undeniable Mediterranean feel with its tiled floor and white stone walls contrasted against bright blue cushions and chairs. They offer up a range of classic and special cocktails, beer, wine, and other drinks along with some of your usual Western fare like burgers, tacos, pasta, and more.
MOONEE
51 Jiugulou Dajie, Xicheng District
市西城区旧鼓楼大街51号
Hours: 5pm - 1am
Phone: 15047209507, 13141251700
Dali Renjia
Nestled along Baochao Hutong, Dali Renjia is an unassuming Yunnan restaurant that has a charming terrace and rooftop, both surrounded by trees and views of the hutongs below. They boast an extensive menu with plenty of Yunnan classics like Fried Beef and Mint (RMB 58), Jasmine and Egg (RMB 38), Lemon Grass Grilled Fish (RMB 68), and an impressive collection of mushroom dishes – they have a whole two pages of them to be exact!
Dali Renjia
80 Baochao Hutong (100m north of Gulou Dongdajie), Dongcheng District
东城区东城区宝钞胡同80号（鼓楼东大街往北走100米）
Hours: 10am-10pm
Phone: 010 84022479
Page One
Page One’s Andingmen location has one of the largest rooftops on this list, stretching across two levels. Its muted, grey color scheme is reminiscent of the hutong buildings surrounding it and makes the greenery dotted around appear more vibrant. It’s an ideal spot to settle down with a book while enjoying one of their refreshing drinks or a bite to eat from their Western-style menu. They also have a small terrace area just outside the entrance if you don’t fancy climbing up the winding staircase to the roof.
Page One
No. 1, Z Zone, Huayuan Hutong, Dongcheng District
东城区花园东巷城市空间1921文化产业园1号楼
Hours: 9.30am-9pm
Phone: 18518940895
Parallel Line Coffee
The newest entry on this list, Parallel Line Coffee only opened up in April this year, taking over the space previously occupied by Old World. Their newly furnished rooftop features low tables with camping chairs and a tasteful row of potted plants to add some color. At the moment their menu is quite limited with a selection of classic coffees like Americano (RMB 20), Flat White (RMB 35) etc., and a few specialty drinks like the Pineapple “Beer” (RMB 35), but they’ve said that their menu will be expanding soon.
Parallel Line Coffee
68 Luche Hutong, Dongcheng District
东城区罗车胡同68号
Hours: 10am-9pm
Phone: 15811018684
WHO LIKE
WHO LIKE’s rooftop overlooking the vibrant, red buildings of Zhihua Temple have made it a definite wanghong spot — just look at their Dianping page and you’ll see photo shoots galore! Their red and green tables match the temple’s buildings perfectly, along with WHO LIKE’s rose logo. Here they specialize in high-quality tea which can be bought either by the pot or cup. They also do some tea cocktails and tea-infused beers along with a couple of desserts for those with a sweet tooth.
WHO LIKE
37, Lumicang Hutong, Dongcheng District
东城区禄米仓胡同37号
Hours: 11am-8pm
Phone: 15652001591
READ MORE
Beijing’s Best Rooftops and Terraces Pt.1
Images: Uni You, Katie Coy, courtesy of the venues
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