Beijing’s Foodie Queen, Ana Lourenco‘s Cuisine Bucket List

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I love food. It’s my vice of choice. Everything from caviar to burgers makes my inner chubby kid squeal with delight. Ana Lourenco, is a kindred spirit. She is a local educator, Beijing’s de facto Foodie Queen, and the person I go to when I want to break out of my JSS rut and try something different. So over the break, I asked her to tell me what hidden places should be on every foodies’ Beijing bucket list.

Why do they call you the Foodie Queen? Go ahead and brag!

I have been in Beijing for 11 years, and five years into that journey I wanted to create a group chat for people to be honest about food…The myth is that foodies are food snobs and I really wanted to change that thought. After a couple of weeks, the group blew up overnight and started getting the attention of restaurants, food & beverage KOLs, and people who are just passionate about food. It has been a great community for six-plus years and has “crowned” me as their Foodie Queen, but the truth is I couldn’t have done it without the amazing members of the group.

Why is Beijing a great food city?

Beijing is so diverse when it comes to food. China itself has an incredible variety of cuisines! How different is Yunnan pineapple rice from Chongqing hot pot? It’s heaven for adventurous eaters! Besides, in Beijing, you can also try foods from all around the world. In my hometown, I had never tried Mexican food. In Beijing, not only was I able to try Mexican food (both authentic and Tex-Mex) but I was also educated on how food differs around regions in Mexico. The food and beverage community is tight-knit in Beijing, so you can go to a restaurant and get to know the person who started it and the story behind the business.

What are your picks for Beijing’s hidden gems that should be on a foodie’s Beijing bucket list?

Bucket List Brunch:

Green Cow Café. This café is locally sourced from farms. They have the best ricotta pancakes and bagels with cream cheese and salmon!

Bucket List Family Style:

人民公社 Ren Min Gong She. Cafeteria-style local dishes. Lots of locations city-wide and most of them have old traditional Chinese style furniture. The location in Nanlishilu (Line 1) is my favorite!

Bucket List Peking Duck:

四季民福 Si Ji Min Fu. It’s the fancy version of duck without having to pay for it with rent money. Watch out for queues though!

Bucket List Dim Sum:

金鼎轩 Jin Ding Xuan in Andingmen. Big restaurant with lots of dim sum to pick from. It’s open 24 hours as well, tastes great after a night out in the hutongs!

Bucket List Cocktail:

Inception. Classy art deco bar with some decadent and unique cocktails. Live music most nights. Perfect for a date!

Bucket List View/Ambiance:

Tapas Bar @ The Intercontinental. If you want to sit and people watch, it’s an amazing spot. You get a view of Sanlitun and sip on Bob’s Margaritas! A treat.

I understand you are a teacher, what is your go-to end-of-day comfort food for the days you aren’t feeling adventurous?

Slider Nation. For when you’re tired and just want to order in. Did I mention duck-fat fries? Those are the best with their G&T kits for your own happy hour.

The Foodie Queen’s final word of advice?

Go out and experiment! There are so many wonderful places in Beijing where you can try different types of cuisines. Whether it’s a fancy place in a hotel or a small family-owned restaurant, just enjoy the experience.

Images: Ana Lourenco

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