Taking Aunt Flow Out for Lunch – Beijing’s Period Restaurants

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There’s definitely no shortage of gimmicky restaurants in Beijing. We’ve got Haidilao’s robot restaurant, a penguin-themed restaurant, a poop-themed restaurant, and countless cat cafes. So when I heard about a restaurant just for that time of the month, I thought it was yet another odd gimmicky trend. But as it turns out, period restaurants are a legit thing in Beijing and they’re delicious!

Unlike the poop-themed restaurant that serves food in urinal and toilet looking bowls, period restaurants aren’t serving up food in sanitary napkin-shaped plates. These restaurants are all about helping you ride out those dreaded cramps.

Go on Dianping and search 大姨妈 (dà yímā) — the Chinese equivalent to Aunt Flow, aka the period. Aside from stores that sell pads and tampons, you’ll pull up restaurants that specialize in making comfort food for your time of the month.

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In the US we grew up with the idea that eating chocolate and ice cream helps during your period. And while that might be emotionally comforting, in China it’s believed that if there’s one thing you need to avoid while on your period, it’s cold stuff. Here, it’s all about loading up on warm soups.

Period restaurants in Beijing specialize in making all kinds of soups, from fish soups and chicken soups to sweeter choices like papaya and milk. And when your period cramps hit, having warm soup in your belly is like cozying up with a heating pad.

Is there really such a big demand for period soups that there are multiple restaurants in Beijing catering to it? Yes, there is… You don’t need to be on your period, heck, you don’t even need to have ovaries to like the feeling of a warm soup belly. During these cold winter months, we all crave a big bowl of warm soup for lunch.

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Images: Pexels, Mina Yan

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